On Jekka's How to Use Herbs Master Class we teach how to make herbal disinfectants.
The reason some herbs can be used to make disinfectants is because they contain Thymol. This ingredient can be found in many culinary herbs such as Thyme, Oregano and Sage. This is not a new use as they have be used as antiseptic agents for thousands of years in Roman, Greek, and Indian medicine.
Making a herbal disinfectant is relatively straight forward and we have listed below the equipment you need and the steps to follow.
Equipment:
- Saucepan
- Sieve
- Funnel
- Spray bottle
- Label
Ingredients:
- Couple of sprigs of thyme, oregano or sage
- Water
Steps:
- Simmer your chosen herb in water in the saucepan.
- Allow to cool.
- Strain using the sieve.
- Pour through the funnel into spray bottle and label.
- Keeps for approximately 1 month.
Disclaimer: Thymol purportedly kills 99.99% of household germs. However, we do not have evidence of its dwelling time or the strength of solution required. Therefore, we do not advocate solely using herbal disinfectants. Also worth noting, that a disinfectant doesn't necessarily clean and therefore, you might need other products as well.
Want to know more?
For advice on growing and maintaining herbs, check out Jekka's How to Grow Herbs videos and ‘Jekka’s Seasonal Tips’ blog series, which includes what to do in your herb garden in early spring, late spring, summer and autumn & winter. Together they form the basis of Jekka’s guide on how to grow herbs.
Herb plants are available and you can organise a collection from our herb farm in South Gloucestershire or at one of our Open Days or Herb Experiences (see our events calendar). Please see our 'Looking Good List' for availability and use our webform or email your list directly to us (sales@jekkas.com). We no longer offer a general mail order service for our plants but we do offer a limited selection of Jekka's Culinary Herb Boxes.