High-grade essential oils are the most efficient killers of microorganisms (for more information see The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils, The Complete Book Of Essential Oils or The Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Essential Oils). Basically, essential oils are great disinfectants, and they are also healthy to inhale. They have other beneficial effects on the body and mind. Surround yourself with Eucalyptus during the winter for example, to kill airborne microorganisms. The most efficient way of dispersing an essential oil is to use a nebulizer. Burners and other diffusion methods do not create super-fine particles of the oil. There’s a much greater chance of these particles coming into contact with mold spores, germs, and other airborne bacteria.
A good glass-based nebulizer is made by Young Living. The nebulizer has a small pump which funnels and disperses the oil using a glass chamber but without using heat. This retains the therapeutic benefits of the oil. Other non-heating diffusers and nebulizers are also good, as long as they do not using plastic parts that may contaminate the diffused material.
Many people have bad impressions of aromatic substances. Mostly this is because they are accustomed to inhaling inferior or synthetic versions of essential oils. Look for organic essential oils or hydrosols from a trustworthy source. A good vendor is Mountain Rose, for example.
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Nebulizer:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebulizer
Essential oils were in the news a while ago because some (such as tea tree oil) have the same effect of estrogen in the human body. Before using one, it needs to be researched to make sure that it will not affect you negatively.
EfficiencySeeker,
Essential oils are powerful substances, that should be used with care. For example, they should never be applied to the skin of infants (I think you are referring to studies that suggest applying lavender and tea tree oils over a number of year to the skin developing boys as a oestrogen-like effect).
The type of application I talking about here (using nebulizers) is a targeted dose that is inhaled through the lungs. It’s the dosage involved, and the method of application that counts.
A good introduction to the use of essential oils can be found in the book The Aromatherapy Bible: The Definitive Guide to Using Essential Oils
Link: http://tinyurl.com/5h226b
Justin
This is a most misleading article. The effective compounds in essential oils are usually terpines which are cytotoxic. That means they they kill cells at about the same concentration as they kill bacteria. Almost any disinefectant can do as well or better than terpines in this regard. You are confusing aromatherapy mubojumbo wuth scientific fact.