I tried the Mexican cleaning ritual of La Limpia and spiritually cleansed my new home with a pleasing effect

The La Limpia cleaning method is different from others as it offers physical, mental, and spiritual cleansing, which makes it stand out from other, more classic tips I've tried and tested before.

I was happy to give it a go in my new home, especially since I'd heard rumors about the fractious relationship the previous tenants had whilst they lived here. After a stressful period in my life, this fresh start in this new home needed to be protected at all costs!

I spoke to two cleaning experts to find out how to get started with this more unusual method and how, when done respectfully, it can help us honour ourselves, our spaces and the beautiful Mexican culture it comes from. This is an intentional cleaning method, unlike any others that we'll certainly be adding to our cleaning library.

What is the La Limpia cleaning method?

Aside from physically cleaning, the La Limpia cleaning method offers much more.

'La Limpia is an ancestral practice of cleaning spaces,' says Lorena Cuadra, a cleaning expert at Pinalen, Cloralen and Ensueno Laundry and manager of AIEn. 'It is normally done to clean the energy in a certain room or place, to remove bad energies or spirits that may be in the space, and to restore spiritual balance. It is based on Hispanic Indigenous traditions and rituals, but some mix it with other cultures' traditions or more modern elements.'

The goal of La Limpia is to spiritually cleanse your space as well as physically cleaning it. Cleansing a house with sage is something I have heard about but never done.

Having recently moved house after 14 years in my previous home, I was keen to try a this spiritual cleanse. Older properties have had a lot of 'life' happening within them, so I liked the idea of cleansing my new house on a deeper, more meaningful level.

Scott Schrader, cleaning expert at CottageCare, adds, 'La Limpia uses herbal plants and smoke, sage or copal, for example, to cleanse the space from negative energies and to refresh the space. When La Limpia is accompanied by intentional physical cleaning and decluttering, we create a meditative space that is spacious, calming, and inviting.'

Pros and cons

According to Lorena, the main pros are that the La Limpia cleaning method helps you feel more grounded and connected to your living spaces. We know that mindful techniques can help to keep your home tidy, so this method might be for you.

She says, 'It helps clear away emotional “dirt” in addition to physical dirt and grime. Cleaning can sometimes feel like a mundane chore, instead, La Limpia helps transform cleaning into an act of mindfulness or intention.

'These practices help preserve and honor Indigenous and Mexican spiritual traditions. For people who have Mexican heritage, it can offer a meaningful link to their ancestry.'

In terms of cons, there are a few, Lorena explains, 'These practices take time and intention, and as such they should not be practiced in a rush or on a time crunch, which can be difficult for people who have busy schedules.'

If burning herbs or incense can irritate you, then do keep windows open and allow fresh air to circulate. 'Some people feel tired, vulnerable, or energetically “wiped out” after performing La Limpia, especially if they’re working through heavy emotions,' adds Lorena.

If you're really investing time and energy into using this method, you might consider asking a La Limpia healer to come to your house, but do check their credentials first.

Lorena advises, 'As interest in spiritual cleanses grows, so do fake “healers” offering expensive or manipulative services online. It’s important to seek out trusted practitioners or learn from culturally informed sources.'

How to carry out a La Limpia spiritual cleanse in your home

There are several rituals associated with La Limpia, and you can pick and choose which you like, or have a go at all of them.

Lorena takes us through each one:

• Herbal smudging (Sahumerio): This is one of the most commonly used La Limpia rituals, used to help purify the space. Start by burning a mix of herbs, flowers, and mineral resins such as copal, palo santo, white sage, or a blend of plants like rosemary and bay leaves. Then, wave the smoke from these plants around the space in a counter-clockwise direction. It is believed that corners can accumulate stagnant or negative energy, so you should pay particular attention to those spaces. You can also do the same ritual with white and red carnations, which also have cleaning properties. You can use incense too, and we like Walmart's Genieco extra rich sage fragrance sticks that are said to rejuvenate your spirit.
• Salt: This is also widely used because it is very good at absorbing bad energies. Common rituals include sprinkling salt in the corners of a room, at the entrance door, or around the bed. After letting the salt sit for a day, you can remove it by mopping floors the right way with clean water or sweeping it out the door, symbolically clearing the space of unwanted energy.
• Vinegar: When a room feels particularly heavy or has been crowded, you can add vinegar to water and use it to mop the floors, being sure to sweep any negative energies out the front door. This is also recommended when you see a lot of bugs or crawling animals around, which are supposed to be manifestations of the energy in the room; the uglier the bugs, the uglier the energies (for example, a scorpion is considered more sinister than an ant). Target's white distilled vinegar is great value and ideal for cleaning floors. Cleaning with vinegar is known for being very effective all over the home, and if left for at least 30 seconds, a suitable surface disinfectant.
• Candles: Lighting candles during La Limpia rituals is also a common practice. In "mercados", or local markets, you can find a wide selection of candles with different "intentions", for love, abundance, or rejecting bad spirits. Normally, all La Limpia rituals recommend using white candles, which symbolize purity and protection.
• Eggs: Another traditional ritual involves rolling an egg over the body or through the space to draw in negative energy. Then, you can crack the egg into a glass of water. If the cleanse was done correctly, you should be able to see the bad energy in the water as white clouds or black spots around the yolk. When you’re done, be sure to flush the egg down the toilet to ensure all bad energy goes away.

Who is it good for?

This method is for those who believe spaces can carry the energy of people and events who have been there before us, and are open to the possibilities of a spiritual cleanse. It won't be right for everyone, and that's OK.

'La Limpia is for those who are spiritually curious or want to connect more deeply with the spaces in which they live (as long as they are respectful to the practice and acknowledge its cultural roots),' suggests Lorena. 'It’s also ideal for people who are experiencing emotional heaviness and major life transitions, as the practice can help “clear” your space.'

'Adding respectful rituals like La Limpia to your cleaning practice gives layers of meaning beyond cleaning or self-care alone,' says Scott. As professionals, we honour the physical and spiritual layers of our space as reminders that a clear space will nourish the body, mind, and spirit.'

I tried the La Limpia spiritual cleanse in my home

As someone who believes in some spiritual aspects, I was keen to give this method a try. I have recently moved into this home, and had heard from a neighbor that the previous occupants had tricky lives, so I'm hoping that any negative and lingering energy would be shifted from my home.

After giving the house a good clean, I used a saining (smudge) stick that someone had made me as a gift. Made from mugwort, it has similar properties to those Lorena mentions in the herbal smudging ritual.

For similar, try Amazon's Soul Sticks variety gift set, which comes with six sticks – dragon's blood, black sage, rosemary, eucalyptus, cedar, and blue sage. Each has properties that help to cleanse a space from negative energy, illness, and emotional trauma, and support moving house.

I started in my clutter-free basement, which has many dark corners, then moved back up to the living dining area, and finished in my bedroom. I had all the windows and doors open during the process.

These alternative methods don't necessarily bring a visual result, though with La Limpia, I cleaned with intention, so there was an immediate visual sense of renewal in my spruced-up living room and bedroom.

As for the spiritual benefits of the house cleanse, it's down to us as individuals to feel if it has, or hasn't worked, and hard to immediately quantify.

When I moved in, I didn't get the sense that anything bad had happened in the house, but after the La Limpia house cleanse, I'm feeling more confident now that I've truly done something good to help send any lurking, secret, or hidden negativity away.

This is because before it, I struggled with sleeping in the new home, and it took my dog a while to settle every night, too. I think it's interesting since using the smudge stick alongside the cleaning up, our sleep has settled. I'd like to think that this is the result of the La Limpia method, as the timing for the shift is unusual.

I will try some of the other methods that Lorena mentions, too, as I don't think this is a 'do it once' and forget about it cleaning method. I will keep this cleansing know-how in my proverbial back and carry it out whenever I feel I need to in the future.

I do think it was beneficial, and certainly, it hasn't done any harm. I enjoyed the mindfulness of this cleaning method and will definitely be doing it again.

Essentials to help with this method

Meet the experts

Lorena Cuadra

Lorena is a cleaning expert at Pinalen, Cloralen and Ensueno Laundry. Born and raised in Mexico City, Lorena now lives in Houston, TX. She learned about La Limpia from her dad and aunts, who are from Michoacan, Mexico, as a child before exploring the practice on her own. In addition to providing cleaning tips and expertise, Lorena is also the Manager of Omnichannel Marketing at AlEn, a household cleaning brand, started in Mexico in 1949, that is loved for its Hispanic cleaning expertise in households throughout Mexico and the United States.

Scott Schrader

Scott Schrader is the CMO at CottageCare, a leading home cleaning company with over 41 locations nationwide. He has a huge amount of experience with all these cleaning, what methods works bes,t and how to clean efficiently. He actively supports the CottageCare Rwanda Project, a long-term humanitarian initiative focused on community development and poverty relief.

There's no doubt that the La Limpia cleaning method is special and unique and I will be doing it again. My home does feel more 'cleansed' and I will carry on using the methods that Lorena has mentioned.

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