Cleaning With Essential Oils
All cleaning supplies are based on the naturally occurring materials that were used years ago. Using essential oils allows people to use the basics when they are cleaning. There are so many options available and many can be made at home with supplies found in most pantries, or easily picked up at the store. They can be used for everything from deep cleaning to laundry, insect repellant from bathrooms to pest and band both safe and effective in every room of the house. All the following essential oil cleaning recipes have been tested by me and I can confirm that the formulas are very effective.
Best essential oils for cleaning and how to use them
Some basic oils for cleaning include lemon, tea tree, and lavender. These are antibacterial and antifungal properties. Having these three available all the time opens a wide range of options for making cleaners.
- Lemon can be great for a kitchen, the antimicrobial properties will ensure all surfaces are bright, free of bacteria, and smell light and fresh. It is also the best choice for wood furniture and floors, as it brings them to a safe shine and adds moisture back into the wood to prevent cracking, as well as slowing the dust collection on the furniture. People have been polishing their wooden furniture with lemon oil for decades to keep them healthy, strong, and clean.
- Tea Tree oil is a great option for bathrooms, as it is able to remove and prevent mold and mildew, as well as hard water and soap stains. With the antiseptic properties it’s good for around first aid stations and medicine cabinets, and the antifungal properties will help reduce the growth of germs and bacteria around the garbage cans and even in the fridge and freezer.
- Lavender may be one of the more versatile choices as it has properties of both of the others, along with adding a signature scent all its own. It is a good choice for calm, tranquil, quiet spaces, bathrooms, living rooms, floors. It is occasionally a trigger for migraine or headaches in some people, so if it affects you or someone in your home that way it is best to stick with other options.
- In addition to the lemon in the citrus family orange essential oil is also great for calming, and the fungi and bacteria-fighting properties make it a good fit for bathroom cleaning, laundry rooms, and kitchens. Citrus is great for removing grease and build up, and the antibacterial will help to not only remove the bacteria already there but help to resist bacteria build up after cleaning.
- If you’re looking for another antibacterial option peppermint certainly fits. It kills germs, it gets rid of all bacteria on a surface and can be used as a deterrent for bugs making it great for floors, window frames and ledges, door frames, baseboards, laundry rooms, and even as a little refresher around the edges of a room.
How to make a cleaning spray according to essential oil cleaning recipes
All these oils can be used with a few drops in a spray bottle full of water and can be sprayed directly onto surfaces for cleaning. The most basic is to add water, vinegar, and your oil of choice for cleaning. As vinegar is acidic it can remove a lot of build up and sticky messes, as well as being a disinfectant.
Add the disinfecting properties to antibacterial essential oils, and you have a good all-purpose cleaner. Using vinegar with essential oil will also work for a laundry soap, and for cleaning the washing machine from all the build up that occurs from soap that doesn’t rinse all the way out. Or add a few drops of your chosen essential oil to wool dryer balls to reduce static, boost scent, and reduce pet fur on clothes. This is more gentle than regular dryer sheets and they can be used hundreds of times.
For windows, mirrors, and reflective surfaces vinegar alone is the best alternative as it dries streak free and leaves no residue or build up, but is still antibacterial and fights soap build up. Create a mattress spray, also safe for use on most carpets and window coverings, by adding some eucalyptus to a spray bottle of water and spray the mattress or surface. Eucalyptus kills cold, flu, and some other illnesses and since they can be air born they may rest on soft surfaces as well.
To keep your rooms smelling fresh and welcoming, essential oils can be added to several things. You can add it to a humidifier during any time of year, but especially citrus, eucalyptus (if you don’t have children or pets), or even tea tree for a flu or cold season to both refresh the air but kill the airborne germs. You can also create a bowl or jar with orange peels, rocks, pinecones, etc, with a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball or cotton pad underneath. This will both look cute and allow the scent to permeate the room and help eliminate other odors.
As bad odors are caused by bacteria and buildup, essential oils as an air freshener both get rid of the unwanted smells and release a pleasant smell, and some, such as cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, thyme, have antiviral properties as well and can help stop or slow the transmission of the virus among family members and when used on mattresses and laundry it keeps transmission down from touch transmission as well.
When using essential oils for cleaning it is highly recommended to use glass bottles. Glass spray bottles, and for making laundry soap or cleansing wipes use a mason jar or other glass jar (for recycling a glass jam jar or pickle jar would work as well). The oils will weaken plastic and thin it over time, so they would need to be replaced as they deteriorate. It is also important to use gloves when cleaning, both to keep your hands from the cleaner but also from the dirt that you are cleaning. It also helps to prevent hands from drying out and cracking, so protect that skin and wear gloves.
Boost the power with baking soda
To create your own signature cleaning product choose 2 or 3 oils that you like and mix them together in water or water and vinegar, and find the right mix for you. When you need a little boost for scrubbing power baking soda can be placed either on the surface then sprayed and scrubbed with the cleaning solution, or add some baking soda to a bowl then add some water and essential oil, mix, and scrub away.
With a super stubborn stain or soap build up, etc, put the baking soda on the spot and add vinegar. Let it bubble and it will lift up much of the dirt while killing the bacteria as well. This also works for cleaning sink drains and can be used in toilets, add the baking soda first and then pour vinegar over it. This will cause it to foam and fizz, removing the build up or the blockage, then run hot water to rinse it all down.
Find a good quality essential oil
Additionally research to find a good quality essential oil for both safety and productivity. Some are watered down or not created in the best methods, they may be different strength which means they would need to be diluted differently.
Impure oils may also have ingredients that aren’t necessarily safe for use around families or children or pets, and might not mix as well with vinegar or other products. They may even be unsafe on some surface due to unknown impurities. A well knows, well respected brand will offer you peace of mind and confidence.
Final thoughts: Essential oil cleaning recipes
Essential oils are a flexible, affordable, and customizable way to clean every day or deep cleaning. When used appropriately they can be safe, easy, and fast. As you can mix it at home yourself you will never run out of the cleaner you need when you need it most.
They can be antibacterial, antifungal, and remove even the toughest soap build ups. There are safety measures to take, as with all cleaners, but when you find a safe source for oils and wear gloves, use glass containers for all your cleaners, you can create a clean and safe home for you and your family.
Always check for allergies and asthma, as essential oils can irritate asthma in many people, it can cause irritation in the airways and affect breathing. Children and pets are susceptible to respiratory irritation and other concerns with some oils in particular, for example eucalyptus is not recommended for use around young children, and tea tree oil should be used around children in limited quantities or not at all.
Pets shouldn’t be around some oils and should be protected from ingesting oils and some shouldn’t be defused near them. It is important to research what oils are suitable for your home and which aren’t, as well as check with a trained aromatherapist or with your veterinarian and family doctor before using oils in your home.