"I've always kept mine covered loosely with cheesecloth—seems safer. Anyone else tried that?"
Cheesecloth is actually a pretty smart idea. I've done something similar myself, especially when making herbal tinctures or oils at home. Leaving it completely uncovered overnight does seem a bit risky, as you mentioned—contamination or evaporation could definitely be concerns. I once left a lavender infusion uncovered overnight, and by morning it had picked up some odd kitchen smells... not exactly pleasant.
The cheesecloth method strikes a good balance between airing out unwanted odors and protecting the integrity of your extraction. It allows enough airflow to dissipate any overly strong smells without exposing it fully to dust or other contaminants. If you're worried about evaporation, maybe just keep an eye on the liquid level and top it off slightly if needed?
Either way, your approach sounds thoughtful and cautious—exactly what's needed when experimenting with homemade herbal remedies.
Cheesecloth definitely sounds like a good middle ground. I've tried something similar with muslin cloth when making calendula oil, and it worked pretty well. Had a batch once that turned out way too strong and smelled kinda funky... ended up diluting it with some fresh carrier oil and letting it sit covered loosely for another day or two. Helped mellow things out nicely. Your method seems thoughtful—trust your instincts, you're probably on the right track!
"Had a batch once that turned out way too strong and smelled kinda funky... ended up diluting it with some fresh carrier oil and letting it sit covered loosely for another day or two."
Haha, been there! I once tried making a peppermint oil infusion at home—thought it'd be a breeze, right? Well, step one: confidently toss in way too much dried peppermint leaves (because more is better, obviously 🙄). Step two: let it sit for way longer than recommended because life got busy. Step three: open the jar and nearly pass out from the overpowering toothpaste-gone-wrong smell.
My fix was similar to yours—diluted it down with some almond oil, gave it a gentle stir, and let it breathe a bit. Also, pro tip: if it's still super strong after diluting, try mixing it with something milder like lavender or chamomile oil. It balances things out nicely and makes you feel like you totally meant to create this fancy herbal blend all along. 😅
Haha, your peppermint oil story reminds me of my own little mishap with clove oil. I read somewhere online that clove oil could help soothe toothaches, so I figured I'd whip up a homemade batch—how hard could it be, right? Well, turns out cloves are way stronger than I anticipated. After letting it steep for a few days, I opened the jar and nearly got knocked over by the intense smell. It was like walking into a dentist's office times ten... not exactly comforting for someone who's already anxious about dental visits.
Anyway, I ended up diluting it with coconut oil, which helped tone it down quite a bit. But even then, I was cautious about actually using it—didn't want to accidentally numb half my face or something. Eventually, I tested a tiny dab on my gums (after triple-checking online that it was safe), and thankfully it worked without any disasters. Still, lesson learned: always start small and dilute more than you think you need to.
Haha, your clove oil adventure sounds intense. I've been thinking about trying something similar for my braces-related gum soreness, but now I'm second-guessing myself. Did you notice if the coconut oil dilution affected how well the clove oil worked? Like, did it still numb effectively, or was it weaker after diluting? Also, do you think steeping it for fewer days would have made a difference in strength, or is it mostly about how much you dilute it afterward? I'm curious because I don't want to accidentally create some super-potent mouth-numbing potion... braces already make eating awkward enough without adding accidental drooling to the mix.
