Had a similar issue when I tried making clove oil at home for tooth pain—way too intense and the smell lingered forever. Airing it out helped a bit, but honestly, diluting it with a neutral carrier oil (like coconut or almond) worked better for me. Took some experimenting to get the ratio right, but it toned down the scent nicely.
I've had similar experiences with homemade herbal extracts—especially peppermint oil. It came out way too strong and the smell was overwhelming. What worked for me was diluting it gradually, like you mentioned, but I also found that gently warming the diluted mixture (just slightly, nothing too hot) helped mellow out the scent faster. Maybe the warmth helps release some of the volatile compounds? Anyway, worth a shot if airing out alone isn't cutting it.
I've tried the warming trick too, but honestly, it didn't really work out for me. Maybe I warmed it a bit too much or something, but instead of mellowing, the scent just seemed to spread everywhere, and my kitchen smelled like peppermint overload for days, lol. What actually helped me was mixing in a tiny bit of vanilla extract—sounds weird, I know—but it balanced out the sharpness pretty nicely. I think vanilla has a way of softening strong scents without completely masking them. Might be worth experimenting with if the warming method isn't doing the trick for anyone else. Just don't go overboard like I did at first, or you'll end up with peppermint-vanilla toothpaste vibes... not exactly the herbal remedy I was aiming for.
I totally get the peppermint overload struggle, lol. Last winter, I tried making a eucalyptus oil infusion at home to help my daughter with her congestion. Thought it'd be simple enough, right? Well, I must've misjudged the amount because our entire house ended up smelling like a cough drop factory for days. My husband joked that he felt like he was living inside a vapor rub jar.
Anyway, what helped tone it down for me was diluting it with some almond oil. It mellowed out the sharpness without completely losing the eucalyptus scent. Vanilla sounds interesting too—never would've thought of that combo, but I can see how it'd soften things up. Might give that a shot next time... carefully though, because toothpaste vibes aren't exactly comforting when you're trying to soothe a sick kid, haha.
Haha, the vapor rub jar imagery is spot-on. Diluting with almond oil was a smart move—carrier oils like almond or coconut are great for mellowing out strong essential oils. Vanilla sounds nice too, but personally I'd be cautious mixing sweet scents with medicinal ones... could end up smelling like a weird dessert-cough syrup hybrid.
If it ever happens again (hopefully not!), airing out the house and using activated charcoal bags can help absorb lingering odors. Also, diffusing citrus oils like lemon or orange can neutralize strong herbal smells without clashing too much. Learned that trick after my own peppermint fiasco—let's just say my kitchen smelled suspiciously like dental floss for days.
