10 Things To Make With Fresh Mint (+printable!) - The Nerdy Farm Wife

4.) Mint Tincture

Mint tincture can be used for upset stomach, motion sickness and is said to be an excellent cure for the hiccups!

To make: fill a mason jar with fresh mint leaves (jar size depends on how many leaves you’ve gathered up), then cover with an 80 proof or higher alcohol like vodka or brandy.

If you don’t have fresh mint, use dried instead – keeping a roughly 1 part dried herb to 5 parts alcohol ratio in mind. (My favorite place to buy dried herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs.)

If the lid is metallic, place a layer of plastic wrap between the jar and the lid, to prevent corrosion.

Cap and store in a cool, dark place for 2 to 3 weeks before straining, shaking every day or two, as you remember.

Start with a dose of a few drops, increasing a bit, if needed. To treat my family, I mix with a spoonful of raw honey.

5.) Mint Lip Balms & Salve

Learn how to turn your mint leaves into two kinds of lip balm and a salve.

You can find the full instructions in THIS BLOG POST.

6.) Cucumber Mint Bath Soak

Fresh cucumbers and mint leaves combine with Epsom salt to create this lightly scented and refreshing bath soak made from locally sourced ingredients.

The salt helps to rapidly dry the fresh ingredients, capturing and preserving the natural green color for months.

No fake colorants, food coloring, or preservatives needed!

You can find the full recipe HERE.

Here’s a video of me making Cucumber Mint Bath Soak! (Sometimes an ad plays first, but the recipe will start right after!)

7.) Mint Clay Shampoo Treatment

This deep cleaning treatment only needs to be done once a month and is most ideal for hair on the oily side.

Peppermint is reported to stimulate your scalp, encouraging new hair growth.

To make and use mint clay shampoo treatment:

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of your favorite shampoo together with 1 teaspoon mint tea and 1/2 teaspoon green French clay (or other cosmetic clay.)
2. Add a drop or two of peppermint essential oil for an even more invigorating experience.
3. Massage a small amount into your scalp.
4. Leave on for about two or three minutes then rinse thoroughly.
5. Follow with a rinse of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water.
6. This hair treatment is perishable and should be used within a few hours of mixing together.

8.) Mint Vinegar

Mint vinegar is super easy to make and comes in quite handy!

For windows & counters: Mix one part vinegar with one part water and a pinch of cornstarch (optional). Shake well before using.

You can also add mint vinegar to your mop water.

For a frugal fabric softener, use 1/4 to 1/2 cup per load of laundry.

Dilute with water to make a soothing rinse for an itchy dog.

To make mint vinegar:

Fill a jar with fresh mint leaves and cover with vinegar. If you’re just making for household use, you can use regular vinegar. If you have culinary plans for it, try white wine vinegar instead. You can also use apple cider vinegar, which is especially nice for a hair rinse.

Cover the jar with a layer of plastic wrap then cap. This will keep the vinegar from corroding the metal and ruining your mixture. Set aside for 3 to 4 weeks, shaking occasionally as you remember to. It should smell nice and minty by then, if not, steep a week or two longer. You can also remove the old leaves and add more fresh, for a stronger scent.

9.) Garden Mint Soap

This mint soap recipe is another personal favorite! The French green clay helps soothe skin irritations, while the peppermint essential oil energizes and refreshes the senses.

I use fresh mint from my garden to make this, but you can also use dried. Any type of mint that you have on hand will work in this recipe: peppermint, spearmint, pineapple mint, apple mint, orange mint and so forth.

When including herbal teas in soap, make sure that you don’t steep for too long as a strong tea can discolor soap.

You can find the recipe HERE.

(Looking for more natural soapmaking ideas? Check out my Handmade Natural Soaps ebook collection!)

10.) Doggie Breath Freshener Treats

This recipe features:

• Peppermint – which helps with intestinal gas, colic and motion sickness, plus it’s a great breath freshener.
• Parsley leaves – which are full of protein, vitamins and other nutrients. It’s also an excellent digestive aid, is antimicrobial and helps reduce arthritic inflammation.

You can find the full recipe and how to make HERE.

Free Printable Reference Sheet – All About Using Mint

Here’s your free printable!

It’s a helpful reference with tips on using mint, its benefits, how to harvest and preserve, plus uses. Clicking on the image below will open a pdf file that you can download and save to your computer, or print out.

Feel free to share with friends and especially the younger generation, helping to carry on the tradition of creatively using what grows around you. :)

More free plant printables are scattered throughout the site, including:

• Rose Printable in my article 12+ Things to Make with Roses
• Dandelion Printable in my article: 12+ Things to Make with Dandelion Flowers
• Purple Dead Nettle Printable in my article: 9+ Things to Make with Purple Dead Nettle
• Violet Printable in my article: 10+ Things to Make with Violets
• Chamomile Printable in my article 10 Things to Make with Chamomile

(You may print copies of my free printables to share with scout groups, garden clubs, etc. Just make sure the copyright information stays attached at the bottom and do not sell them for personal gain. Links WILL change as printables get updated over time – please link to this site when sharing, not the exact printable to avoid broken links.)