As an essential oil lavender has anti-bacterial, antifungal, and anti-infectious qualities. It is also non-toxic. As aromatherapy lavender helps a person have calm composure and it sooths trauma. One of my faovrite aromatherapy books, Aromatherapy for Healing the Spirit, notes that lavender gives “self-possessed equanimity.” Who couldn’t use some of that?

I make this spray in a pretty, small spray bottle that I leave near my big cutting board. When I think of it I spray the cutting board in the morning, hours before I would actually use it on the board, and the scent drifts through the kitchen for a few hours, adding some aromatherapy bonus. Note that I never put meat on my cutting boards, using a plate that can be washed in the dishwasher instead for that purpose.

1 teaspoon pure essential oil of lavender
1 cup water
clean spray bottle

1. Combine all ingredients in the spray bottle.
2. Shake to blend.
3. Spray on area and don’t rinse.

Eco-Win!
Eco-Fail: Commercial disinfectants made of synthetic triclosan and other chemicals. Commercial disinfectants can cause superbug overgrowth to happen, just as happens with antibiotics.
Reality Check: Lavender is expensive ($10 for .5 ounce), but a little goes a long way. It takes me a few years to go through a lavender bottle when I use it for this purpose, so for $2.50 a year you have a great antibacterial spray with many benefits.