Making Florida Water-Helps to cleanse and renew your space
Florida Water Made Simple: What It Is, How to Make It, and How to Use It on Your Spiritual Journey
A beginner-friendly SoulunaRae guide
Have you ever walked into a room and felt that the energy was heavy? Maybe there had been an argument, you had a hard day, or you simply wanted the space to feel peaceful again.
Some people use Florida Water as part of a spiritual reset.
Despite its name, Florida Water is not water from the state of Florida. It is a light, citrus-and-herb-scented cologne. One well-known commercial version was introduced in the United States in the early 1800s. Over time, Florida Water became part of cleansing, prayer, altar, and spiritual practices in many communities, especially within African diasporic, Caribbean, Latin American, Indigenous, and folk-spiritual traditions.
The easiest way to understand Florida Water is this:
> Florida Water is a scented spiritual tool that can help remind us to pause, clear our minds, pray, and welcome peaceful energy.
It does not create magic all by itself. Your intention—the loving purpose behind what you are doing—is the heart of the practice.
Why Is It Called Florida Water?
The word Florida comes from a Spanish word connected with flowers. The name also became linked to the old Fountain of Youth story. That is why traditional Florida Water bottles often show flowers or a fountain.
Florida Water first became popular as a refreshing cologne. Later, people began using it in spiritual and cultural practices for purposes such as cleansing, protection, prayer, blessing, and preparing sacred spaces.
It is important to remember that these traditions did not all begin in the same place and are not all practiced in the same way. When we use Florida Water, we can do so with respect, gratitude, and curiosity—not by claiming traditions that are not ours.
What Does Spiritual Cleansing Mean?
Think about cleaning your bedroom. You put things away, remove the trash, and make your bed. The room may feel calmer when you finish.
Spiritual cleansing is similar, but it focuses on how a person or place feels. A simple ritual can signal to your mind, heart, and spirit that you are ready to release stress and begin again.
Many people believe Florida Water helps clear unwanted or stagnant energy. Science has not proven that it removes spiritual energy or treats illness. Its scent and the ritual surrounding it may still help you slow down, focus your thoughts, and connect with your personal beliefs.
A Simple Homemade Florida Water for Ritual Use
This is a gentle SoulunaRae-inspired recipe, not the secret commercial formula. It is made for spiritual and household rituals only—not for drinking, cooking, or putting directly on your skin.
You Will Need
● 1 clean glass jar with a tight lid
● 1 cup plain 80-proof vodka
● 1 tablespoon dried orange peel
● 1 tablespoon dried lemon peel
● 1 tablespoon dried lavender
● 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
● 1 tablespoon dried rose petals
● 1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
● A fine strainer or clean cheesecloth
● 1 clean, dark-colored glass bottle with a tight cap
● A label and pen
Use fully dried herbs and peels. Fresh plants contain water and can make homemade preparations spoil more quickly.
How to Make It
1. Clean and dry your jar. Make sure no water is left inside.
2. Add the dried plants. Place the orange peel, lemon peel, lavender, rosemary, rose petals, and optional cinnamon stick into the jar.
3. Pour in the vodka. The plants should be covered completely.
4. Close the jar tightly. Gently swirl it while thinking about the peaceful purpose you want it to hold.
5. Add an intention. You might say, “May this water remind me to release what feels heavy and welcome peace.”
6. Let it rest. Keep the jar in a cool, dark cabinet for two to four weeks. Gently swirl it every few days.
7. Strain it well. Remove every piece of plant material.
8. Bottle and label it. Write the name, the ingredients, the date made, and the words NOT FOR DRINKING.
Your Florida Water may become golden, amber, or light brown. Homemade Florida Water does not need to look green like some store-bought versions.
How to Store It
Treat Florida Water like perfume or cologne.
● Keep it tightly closed in a cool, dark place.
● Keep it away from sunlight, stoves, candles, and other heat sources.
● Store it where children and pets cannot reach it.
● Never place it in a food or drink bottle.
● Do not add fresh fruit, fresh herbs, or tap water after straining.
● Make a small batch and replace it after about six months.
● Throw it away sooner if it becomes cloudy, develops floating growth, bubbles unexpectedly, leaks, or smells unpleasant instead of herbal.
Because the recipe contains alcohol, it is flammable. Never spray or pour it near a candle, incense, fireplace, stove, or flame—even after the flame appears to be out.
Seven Simple Ways to Use Florida Water
1. Begin a Prayer or Meditation
Place the closed bottle near you. Take a slow breath, notice its scent from a safe distance, and say:
> “I release what I no longer need. I welcome peace, wisdom, and protection.”
The bottle becomes a reminder that it is time to be still and present.
2. Refresh a Room
Put a small amount on a cloth and wipe a nonporous surface near the doorway, after testing a hidden spot first. As you clean, imagine worry leaving and calm entering.
Do not use it on painted, polished, delicate, or antique surfaces. Alcohol can damage some finishes.
3. Clean an Altar Surface
Remove candles and sacred objects first. Put a little Florida Water on a cloth—never directly on the altar—and gently wipe a safe, nonporous surface. Allow it to dry completely before returning candles or lighting anything.
4. Create a Doorway Ritual
Stand at your doorway with the closed bottle and say a prayer for everyone who enters your home. You do not have to sprinkle or spray anything. Your words and intention can be the ritual.
5. Close a Difficult Day
Hold the closed bottle while writing down what you want to release. End with a grounding statement such as:
> “This day is complete. I am allowed to rest.”
6. Prepare for Journaling or Tarot Reflection
Set the bottle beside your journal or cards as a signal that you are entering a quiet, thoughtful space. Florida Water does not make decisions or predict the future; it can simply support your focus and reflection.
7. Bless a New Beginning
Use it when beginning a new journal, moving into a new home, starting a healing practice, or entering a new season of life. Name what you hope to grow, then take one practical step toward it.
Important Safety Reminders
Florida Water may smell beautiful, but it must be handled carefully.
● Never drink it. Alcohol, cologne, fragrance, and plant ingredients can be poisonous when swallowed.
● Do not apply this homemade recipe to your face, body, bathwater, wounds, or intimate areas. Citrus, cinnamon, herbs, and fragrance ingredients may irritate skin.
● Do not spray it into the air, toward people, or around pets. Scented products and concentrated plant ingredients can bother lungs, and some plant oils are unsafe for animals.
● Keep it away from children and pets. A colorful or sweet-smelling bottle can be mistaken for a drink.
● Keep it away from fire and heat. Alcohol catches fire easily.
● Do not use it as medicine, hand sanitizer, or a substitute for professional care.
● If someone swallows it, gets it in their eyes, or has a strong reaction, contact Poison Control in the United States at 1-800-222-1222 or use Poison.org. Call emergency services for trouble breathing, collapse, seizure, or another life-threatening reaction.
If you want to wear Florida Water as cologne, choose a professionally manufactured product and follow its label. Patch-test it first and stop if irritation occurs.
A Simple SoulunaRae Florida Water Ritual
You do not need a complicated ceremony. Try this three-step practice:
1. Pause: Take three slow breaths.
2. Release: Name one feeling, worry, or thought you are ready to loosen.
3. Welcome: Name one quality you want to invite in—peace, courage, clarity, rest, or hope.
Then say:
> “With love, I release what feels heavy. With trust, I welcome what helps my soul grow. I am safe to begin again.”
Final Reflection
Florida Water can be a beautiful helper on a spiritual journey, but the real power of the practice is not inside a bottle. It is in the moment you choose to pause, care for your space, listen to your heart, and return home to yourself.
Soul Reflection Question
What energy am I ready to release, and what would I like to welcome in its place?
Educational note: Spiritual practices are personal and are not substitutes for medical, mental-health, legal, or safety care. Always follow product labels and use scented products with care.