Out comes the master of cleaning — tea tree oil.
The moment the scent appears,
it is neither sweet nor especially pleasing,
yet it wakes you up, with a bracing, upright air,
like cold air in a mountain forest:
not showy, but steadying.
A few drops when mopping, and the air turns clear.
Not strong, yet very present,
as if reminding me:
"Cleaning is not only tidying a space;
it is also tidying the heart."
This tea tree oil is grown in Sanyi, Miaoli,
well suited to Taiwan's climate and soil.
It is wonderfully antibacterial and deodorising,
and has a character all its own:
removing the excess, keeping what is needed.
The big clean before the New Year is really a ritual.
Wiping window frames, scrubbing floors, sorting cupboards —
as we clear the visible dust,
the invisible feelings slowly clear too.
When I mop, I like to
add tea tree oil to the water,
with a few drops of lemon or sweet orange —
fresh, with a touch of sunshine.
At the close of the year,
let a scent help you gently set down the past
and welcome the new days well.
One scent a month — starting with tea tree.
