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Safely Cleaning Your Home with Essential Oils
During this long quarantine, many are trying to clean their home. If you have to be there so often, it is a very healthy idea to keep it clean and fresh! However, at this point many stores are running low or totally out of most cleaning products. Did you know you can easily make your own using essential oils? There are many recipes for cleaning which use essential oils, and very few other ingredients. These are more likely to be safer and more natural to use than all those heavy chemical infultrated cleaning products you typically find in the cleaning product aisle. Bonus is they barely take any time at all to make!
*Warning, please read up and be careful to notice any precautions before using an essential oil for anything. Be sure to read the label well, and use correctly. Some oils are for topical use only, some can be ingested, some are for diffusing only, etc.
Getting your ingredients for safe cleaning
When considering what brands of essential oils to go with, be sure you are getting quality. You can read more about how to go about this, and why I prefer the brand Plant Therapy in this post.
My go-tos for cleaning products (and that I notice being used in most recipes) are the cirtus oils. While some recipes may suggest using floral scents, I do not like florals. If you are like me, I would suggest starting out with this fruity set:
Plant Therapy’s Fruits Set is the perfect set for every fruit lover! Is your favorite… [More]
Besides essential oils, depending on what you plan to make you will probably need:
glass spray bottles in several sizes
a small funnel
vinegar
all natural dish soap
rubbing alcohol
witch hazel
distilled water
Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
and possibly a spoon to stir.
Recipes for safely cleaning your home
Here are some easy DIY recipes for making your own cleaning products. There are many more posts with recipes you can find on the Plant Therapy Blog.
All-purpose cleaner with lemon
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon natural dish soap
30 drops lemon essential oil
20 drops Tea Tree essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a quart-sized spray bottle. Shake to combine. Spray and wipe on counters, cabinets, sinks, toilets, and anywhere else.
Homemade “Lysol” Disinfecting Spray
16 oz glass spray bottle
140+ proof rubbing alcohol or Everclear
1/2 tsp hydrogen peroxide
30 drops tea tree oil
15 drops lemon oil
15 drops lavender oil
15 drops eucalyptus oil
Fill glass spray bottle most of the way full with the alcohol. Add the hydrogen peroxide. Add the essential oils.
Shake to mix well, and remember to shake before each time you use it. When using, let dry for a few minutes after spraying surface.
Mattress Spray
2 oz Spray bottle
8 drops lavender oil
8 drops eucalyptus oil
8 drops peppermint oil
Witch Hazel
In the spay bottle, combine essential oils. Fill bottle with half water, half witch hazel. Shake and spray on mattresses to deter bed bugs and freshen.
Linen Spray
Glass Spray Bottle
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or witch hazel
Distilled Water
15 drops lemon oil
15 drops lavender oil
Combine the oils and rubbing alcohol or witch hazel in the spray bottle. Shake, and fill remainder of bottle with the distilled water. Spray directly on fabrics to freshen.
Room Refresher Spray
8 oz spray bottle
1 cup water
5 drops Lemon Oil
5 drops Lavender Oil
5 drops Peppermint Oil
Combine essential oils with water in the spray bottle. Shake and spray in whatever room needs freshening.
Bathroom Cleaning Spray
16 oz spray bottle
3/4 cup vinegar
1 3/4 cups water
30 drops lemon, orange, or grapefruit essential oil
Combine all in spray bottle, and shake before using.
Tub and Shower Cleaning Gel
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup all natural dish soap
10 drops Lemon Oil
Combine in a squeeze bottle and shake well. Squeeze on desired area, scrub, and let sit for 2 hours. Wash away residue.
Homemade Poo-Pourri Toilet Spray
4 oz. spray bottle
1/4 cup witch hazel
2 tbls vegetable glycerin
30 drops of any essential oil you wish
Combine all in spray bottle, and shake well to mix. Shake before each use. Spray 3-4 times per use.
Kitchen Degreaser Spray (for all non-porus surfaces)
Glass or stainless steel 16 oz spray bottle
1/2 tsp Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
1/2 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cups distilled water
40 drops of any citrus essential oil (or a mix or 20/20 for a combination or two oils)
Add the sal suds and vinegar to spray bottle. Add distilled water and essential oil of choice. Shake well to mix.
Shake well and spray on desired surface. Let sit for 5 minutes. Spray again, and wipe clean with a cloth.
Stove Scrub
1/2 cup all natural dish soap
1 cup baking soda
15 drops of either lemon, grapefruit, or orange essential oil
Combine in small jar and let sit for one hour.
Scrub on stove with sponge and let sit. Wipe away with a wet cloth.
Reusable Dust Wipes
2 cups distilled water
25 drops lemon oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
3-5 flour cloth towels
Jar or container for storing towels
Cut flour cloth towels into fourths. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Soak cloths in liquid until soaked through. Ring out until damp. Store in air-tight container. Dampen with water if they are too dry before using. Wash cloths and re-apply ingredients between uses.
Dusting Spray
16 oz spray bottle
1 cup water
1 cup white distilled vinegar
2 tbls olive oil
5 drops lemon oil
5 drops grapefruit oil
5 drops lavender oil
Combine water, vinegar and olive oil. Add in essential oils. Shake well to combine, and before each use. Spray wherever needs dusting, and wipe with microfiber cloth.
I would also consider purchasing this cleaning set of oils from Plant Therapy, which has many of the oils you will need in the recipes above, plus some healthy blends:
Do you love making your own DIY cleaners? Do you love the way your house smells right a… [More]
Safely cleaning your home with essential oils does not take rocket science! If you are also interested in using essential oils for health and bodycare, there are many ways to do that too! I would highly suggest doing some research, and perhaps find someone certified in aromatherapy (many of us massage therapists are!) There are many articles and pinterest boards filled with advice too.
Thanks for reading!
Jillian
These are great cleaning ideas!