The familiar smell of summer terraces. A building block of outdoor blends, and useful around the house wherever a fresh, clean aroma is wanted.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: grass. Extraction method: steam distillation. Typical origin: Indonesia, Sri Lanka.
Steam distillation means that hot steam passing through the plant carries the volatile compounds with it. The steam is cooled, and the water and the oil separate on their own — the oil floats on top.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: sharp, grassy citrus, slightly biting.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- In the diffuser on the terrace on summer evenings.
- Diluted with water for surface cleaning.
- A few drops on cotton wool in the bottom of the bin.
- Well diluted on the ankles before a walk.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Surface spray
What you get: 300 ml.
- Put 60 ml of vinegar into a 500 ml spray bottle.
- Add 20 drops of Citronella and swirl to combine.
- Top up with 250 ml of water.
- Shake before use, and wipe down the kitchen counter or the bathroom with it.
Do not use it on natural stone — marble or limestone — as vinegar etches it. There, use water and the oil only.
Door handle and switch wipe
What you get: 250 ml.
- Into a spray bottle, put 15 drops of Citronella and a teaspoon of alcohol.
- Top up with 250 ml of water and shake.
- Spray onto a cloth — never directly onto the surface — and wipe the handles.
With an electrical switch, always dampen the cloth, never the switch itself.
Outdoor spray for clothing
What you get: 100 ml.
- Put a teaspoon of alcohol into a 100 ml spray bottle.
- Add 20 drops of Citronella and 10 drops of Juniper Berry.
- Top up with water and shake.
- Mist your clothes, the tops of your boots and the brim of your hat before setting off.
On skin, only diluted and after a patch test. On light fabrics, try a hidden corner first in case it marks.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- Juniper Berry — shared topic: Time outdoors
- Lemon Eucalyptus — shared topic: Time outdoors
- Lemongrass — shared topic: Time outdoors
Safety and storage
May irritate skin; dilute it.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for with this oil?
May irritate skin; dilute it.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
