08 Mar Spring cleaning with sage

A simplified version of the sage spring cleaning spray from Slavic Kitchen Alchemy

Everything is feeling distinctly dirty right now and I can’t wait any longer to start my spring cleaning. Historically, in Poland, the Spring cleaning started at the same time as Lenten fasting. While I’m not a practising Catholic, this feel right to me. If you’re wringing your hands at the state of the world and have no idea what to do, I suggest you start by cleaning your house. I started last week and I am feeling better already. I made a simple version of the sage spray that you will find in my most recent book, Slavic Kitchen Alchemy. This spray won’t last for a month, like the one in the book. However, you only need 2 ingredients for this version – sage and white vinegar. I have found it to be very effective in kick-starting my spring cleaning.

About sage

Sage has been used to cleanse and purify (among other things) for centuries. Nowadays, every new age shop worth it’s salt sells little bundles of sage that you can burn as per native American custom. The ancient Slavs would use a bundle of herbs, often including sage, mugwort, thyme, nettles and peppermint. During other times in the year, when things feel a bit stuck or there’s been an argument, I use the old Slavic method of clapping. I do this with open windows, and have a bit of a tidy up beforehand. Then, I simply clap in every corner of the room, in order to move any stuck energy. This year, I am using the sage spray in every corner of the room instead.

The spring cleaning plan

I am doing just one area per day. If I miss a day, I do two areas the next day, which isn’t a problem at all, since an area takes no longer than 15min. So far, I have managed to clean the inside of the fridge; one dark, kitchen cupboard; one side table that tends to accumulate crap and one dusty corner of the dining room. I plant to make this sage spray every week, but you could use distilled water and alcohol, as per my book, and it will last for longer.

A recipe for sage cleaning spray

You can work with sage in many ways, and I would thoroughly encourage it at times like this. That meme that we have been seeing of a peasant woman in a field with a bundle of sage that’s larger than her and the caption that reads “amounts of sage needed for now” is spot on. I’ve been seeing that meme for about a year and it’s becoming more true with every day. Get the sage!