It is a wonderful affirmation of the magic in the ordinary to use kitchen-cupboard ingredients in magical ways.

We don’t usually think of sea salt and basil and apples as magical, but our more earth-centered ancestors knew they were.

Here, then, is a list of some traditional herb correspondences; choose one or more according to your desire. You can add a handful to your washing-water next time you mop the floor:

Apples: Food of the Goddess, love. Add a few pieces of fresh or dried apple to your water (but not too much or you’ll end up with sticky surfaces!)

Basil: Love, fidelity, wealth, protection. A nice all-purpose herb with a luscious summery scent.

Chamomile: Serenity and calm; purification. Smells like a blend of apples and new-mown hay. While you’re at it, make yourself a cup of tea to drink after you’ve finished cleaning; it’s very relaxing.

Cinnamon: Happy home, safety, healing, protection. The primal home-and-hearth spice. Use pieces of cinnamon stick for your brew (the powdered kind will turn into a gelatinous glop in the bucket).

Clove: Purification; promotes love and spirituality. Try it with cinnamon–delicious!

Eucalyptus: Health, protection. Warm and fresh, actually kills germs.

Evergreen: Health, purification, vitality. A few sprigs of pine, cedar, or juniper growing nearby, a few sprigs placed in boiling water will add green freshness to your housecleaning brew.

Lavender: Love, friendship, peace, happiness, protection. Such a sweet, relaxing, and calm-inducing scent–and it’s also an antidepressant.

Lemon peel: Purification. It’s no accident that so many cleaning products are lemon-scented; lemon smells fresh and uplifting and cleanses negativity.

Marjoram: Love, protection, antidepressant. You can sprinkle a little of this dried herb in the corners of every room to promote love and safety.

Peppermint: Purification, healing, soothing. A wonderfully relaxing and refreshing scent.

Rosemary: Cleansing and protection; clears negativity; encourages clear thinking.

Sage: Purification, wisdom. It’s no coincidence that the word for ”wise one” is the same as the herb’s name. A traditional ingredient of many Native American smudge bundles, a strong sage tea will help clear your home of negativity.

Sea salt: Traditional for purification and protection. If you’ve been feeling vulnerable or weird and you only have time to add one ingredient to your wash-water, this could be it.

Vanilla: love, happiness. A piece of the bean or a few drops of extract will make your home smell and feel delicious.