Handmade Linen/Iron Spray

After getting frustrated with my iron for being all clogged up with minerals and gunk from using the tap water for steam, I decided I was going to make my own linen/iron spray! I found this easy peasy recipe where I combined distilled water, vodka, and my choice of a lovely smelling essential oil, and voila! Linen spray that works great in ironing out the wrinkles and pressing seams when I sew, and it smells delicious too! I like it so much I have even begun to spray it around my house like when I make my bed.

Here is a link to the recipe I found in case you also would like to make your own spray...
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-linen-sp-25739

And here are a few helpful tips I learned along my journey of ironing and linen spray...
- Take better care of your iron than I have done in the past! Don't use water from the tap in your iron for steam, it really clogs it up and makes a mess. Instead of buying that expensive iron cleaning stuff at the craft store, try filling your iron with vinegar and steaming it out! It takes a little while and it kind of makes your whole house smell like a salad bar, but it worked pretty good without having to spend a lot of money or use harsh chemicals!

- Recycle a spray bottle to put your new handy dandy, handmade linen spray in! I found that my old bottles from Meyers Cleaning Spray or the Method Cleaning supplies (love these 2 product lines...they're green, smell great, and are available at Target!) works awesome as spray bottles! There not to heavy, but sturdy enough to not break right easily, and they are see through so its easy to see when you need to refill your bottle!

- Some essential oils smell relaxing, while others are rejuvenating. I was going to go with lavender, but then found this lovely vanilla oil that smells like dessert! Now I can't get enough of my linen spray and I feel like eating dessert more than usual (this may not be a good thing!). I spent several minutes smelling and sniffing the wide array of essential oils available at our local Whole Foods Market before I settled on my decadent vanilla choice, but really the sky's the limit, so have fun shopping around and even mixing different smells! If you don't have a Whole Foods near you, I think you could find a selection of essential oils at any natural food store in your area. And of course vodka and distilled water are available at your local grocery store. I went with the cheapest I could find for both of these products.

- And last but not least, have fun! And while you are spraying your new fancy, handmade linen spray, revel in your creativity and thriftiness!