Close your eyes for a moment and think of the words “antibacterial” and “antiseptic”-what immediately comes to mind?

White or greenish color, hospital, chemicals, patches …

Now, let’s repeat the game, close your eyes for a moment and think instead of thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender-what images immediately formed in your mind?

Long rows of deep purple, fragrant summer bouquets, tasty recipes…

That was a close call, wasn’t it?

Yet these herbs are not only tasty condiments, but are officinal herbswith important antibacterial and antiseptic properties, so much so that they are called true natural disinfectants.

First of all, it is essential to clarify the terminology used.

What is meant by the term disinfectant or the term antiseptic?

Generally, the word disinfectant refers to a substance that, when applied to surfaces such as floors, furniture, and objects, is capable of eliminating microorganisms of various types such as bacteria, mold, and viruses.

When the same substance is used on tissues such as skin and mucous membranes, it is called an antiseptic instead, but the mode of action is the same.

Disinfectants and antiseptics then fall into the broader category of germicides.

When the terms disinfectant/antiseptic/germicide are combined with the word natural, the reference is to all those non-chemical remedies, existing in nature, that exert the same disinfectant/antiseptic/germicidal properties that we have just discussed in a completely natural way, as part of their very essence.

Let us now discover together some of these valuable natural disinfectant remedies.

Let’s see what an important contribution they can make to our daily hygiene, saving us from having to resort to chemicals that are undoubtedly more toxic to us and the environment.

In addition to being safer, in fact, natural disinfectants are an environmentally sustainable alternative to commercially available chemicals.

We begin our excursus among natural disinfectants by getting acquainted with lavender officinalis and its essential oil.

Lavender essential oil occurs as a colorless, clear liquid and is obtained from the flowering tops of Lavandula Angustifolia by steam distillation.

It can be used to reduce the microbial load in domestic environments (for example, by pouring a few drops of essence into the humidifier of the radiator or inside the appropriate diffusers) and to disinfect laundry as well as giving it a pleasant, delicate scent (for example, in hand washing, by adding 20 drops of lavender essential oil per liter of water).

So let us continue our journey among natural disinfectants with one of the most well-known flavor enhancers of our Mediterranean diet: rosemary.

Did you know that Rosmarinus Officinalis essential oil is considered one of the most powerful natural antibiotics in existence?

It has a strong antidepressant action, is an effective headache remedy and also boasts anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties.

As already seen with lavender, rosemary essential oil also occurs as a mostly colorless (or at most pale yellow) liquid and is obtained from the flowering tops of Rosmarinus Officinalis by steam distillation.

As it is a stimulant for the nervous system, it is most useful to inhale its scent to get a boost of energy and concentration, thus particularly useful in times of stress and high intellectual effort. Simply pour a drop onto a handkerchief and inhale it to immediately enjoy its benefits.

Like lavender, Rosmarino Officinalis essential oil is also an excellent aid for disinfecting daily laundry.

The third remedy we encounter along our path among natural disinfectants is thyme(Thymus Vulgaris), whose primary best-known function is to stimulate the immune system.

Thyme’s lesser known but equally relevant function is to annihilate bacteria that threaten our health through its antifungal, antibacterial and insecticidal properties.

A few interesting facts about the most ancient uses of this remarkable plant: in ancient Egypt thyme was used for embalming, while in Greece it was considered a symbol of courage, and Greek soldiers rubbed their chests with its leaves or bathed in thyme water to receive strength and vigor before going into battle The word thyme in fact comes from the Greek thýmonemeaning precisely strength, courage.

The valuable essential oil is extracted from the flowering tops of Thymus vulgaris through the technique of steam distillation and is a powerful antibacterial and antifungal agent (against Staphylococci, Streptococci, Pneumococci, Enterococci, Candida Albicans and Corinebacteria) and is therefore a valuable aid in daily house and laundry cleaning.

Then in the world of natural disinfectants we meet another aromatic plant that is very common in our gardens and has always been part of the Mediterranean tradition: sage(Salvia Officinalis).

Sage was known for its important properties since ancient times: in fact, it was used in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman medicines for many different purposes (for fertility, to stop bleeding wounds, to clean ulcers and sores, in cases of coughs and sore throats, and to enhance memory), multifunctionality from which the very name of the plant derives from the Latin salvus, which means precisely saved.

Alongside these typical herbs of our Mediterranean tradition, there are two other natural disinfectants that can play a very important role in our daily hygiene:Neem Oil andAloe Vera.

Neem Oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing the seeds of Azadirachta Indica and endowed with numerous beneficial properties that make it a valuable ally with a thousand uses, both for personal and home care.

Neem is the popular name for the shrub, given anciently in India in honor of the goddess Neemari, but it is also known as Arishta, or “the tree of health,” while in the Arabic language it is called Shajar-e-Mubarak meaning “blessed tree.”

It was even called “the wonder plant of the 21st century” by Ghandi.

Azadirachta Indica has been used medicinally and cosmetically for hundreds of years in traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Leaves and twigs have, in fact, been used for a very long time by the people of India and Burma, who are familiar with their many properties and use them in the creation of many medicinal preparations. Among its many properties, the best-known ones of Neem oil are its antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiseptic, and antifungal properties, making it an excellent ally not only for personal care but also for plants (as an insecticide), for animals (as a pesticide and flea repellent for dogs and cats), and for laundry (as a bactericide).

Finally, Aloe Vera is the classic example of a medicinal plant whose healing power was known long before science was able to explain its action.

Findings from the time of the ancient Egyptians show that the extract this plant has been used for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes for more than 6,000 years. Aloe Vera, moreover, is mentioned as a miraculous remedy in both traditional Chinese medicine and that handed down by American Indians.

Aloe Vera belongs to the Liliaceae family and more than 250 species are known.

But the species that finds most use as a medicinal plant isAloe Barbadensis Miller, also known as Aloe Vera.

More than 160 different substances have been identified within this remarkable plant that help make it one of the most effective “all-around” remedies for our bodies.

Of all of them, the substance that contributes most significantly to the healing properties of Aloe Vera was identified very recently: we are talking about the mucopolysaccharide acemannan, also found in ginseng and eleutherococcus. It is precisely to ‘ acemannan that very important antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties have been attributed, as it is capable of provoking an immune reaction that puts the cell in a position to defend itself against the aggression of viruses, bacteria and fungi.

But how wonderful nature is, isn’t it?

Now try to imagine these plants expertly brought together in a product for your daily laundry care–wouldn’t that be outstanding?

Well, that product exists. In fact, two already exist.

Green Puffer has taken care of them for you. You can find out about them here