Planning to go green and clean? Here are 20 creative ways to use essential oils for cleaning!
Using Essential Oils for Cleaning
Essential oils are anti-bacterial, tough on stains and highly fragrant – and the best part is, they are totally natural and free of those cancer-causing, hormone-disrupting chemicals found in conventional cleaning products. So what’s stopping you from using these amazing essential oils for cleaning around your house?
20 Awesome Ways to Use Essential Oils for Cleaning
Here are 20 awesome ways to use essential oils for cleaning:
1. Scrubbing floors -Scrubbing floors, especially getting the grit between the tiles can be hard work, but it can be much easier with essential oils. Spray the scruff with a solution containing 2 cups of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 20 drops of tea tree oil, 20 drops of lemon oil and 10 drops of eucalyptus oil. Allow to soak for 30 minutes before giving it a light scrub and wipe away.
2. Window cleaner -Shiny windows are every home’s pride. Keep your windows spotlessly clean by using a green cleaner using 1/4 cup of white vinegar, ½ cup of water and 20 drops of lemon oil. Store in a spray bottle. Spray on to the windows and wipe clean. Then use old newspapers to wipe and rub the glass for a sparkling, lint-free shine.
3. Pet stains – Those of us with cats or dogs have had to deal with pet urine on the carpet or furniture. In a spray bottle mix ¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of eco-friendly dish soap, 5 drops of orange oil. Spray this on the pet stains and scrub lightly. Blot out with tissues. Dust on some baking soda onto the area, leave overnight and vacuum the next day.
4. Oven stains -Make a paste using ½ of baking soda, ¼ cup of water and 7 drops of lemon oil. Coat your oven with the paste and leave overnight. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and spray it onto the baking soda coated oven surfaces. It will begin fizzing; this will break down the grease. Use a damp microfiber cloth to firmly wipe all the surfaces.
5. Got sticker stains? -You might have old sticker stains on your fridge or walls, especially if you have kids. It’s easy to remove the sticky, dirty sticker stains by directly applying eucalyptus oil on them. Wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
6. Crusty old messes -Sometimes you spill things and never get round to cleaning them. And they become hard crusty messes. Use this all natural scouring powder to scrub it away with less effort. Mix 1 cup of baking soda, ½ cup of salt and 10 drops of lemon oil. Sprinkle this over the crust, spray some water and let it soak for 20 minutes. Then use a scrubbing pad to dislodge the crusts and wipe away with a wet cloth.
7. Cleaning leather -First dust the leather and then spray on a mixture of ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of white vinegar and 10 drops of cedarwood essential oil. Using a cotton cloth gently rub this mixture onto your leather surfaces. Wipe off with tissues. Patch test on a small area to see that your leather does not react adversely before using all over.
8. Spectacle spray -Foggy glasses with fingerprint marks are my pet peeve! Make an antibacterial spectacle spray using ½ cup of rubbing alcohol, 5 drops of tea tree oil and 4 drops of rosemary oil. Spray onto your glasses and wipe with a smooth cotton cloth.
9. Carpet powder -Combine 1 cup of baking soda, 20 drops of lemon oil, 20 drops of wild orange oil and 10 drops of eucalyptus oil. Sprinkle this on your carpet and leave overnight. This will deodorize your carpet. Vacuum the next morning.
10. DIY detergent -Mix 1 cup of washing soda, 1 cup of borax, 1 cup of fine grated unscented bar soap, 20 drops of lemon oil and 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Store this in a glass jar and use 1 – 2 tablespoons for each wash.
11. Linen spray -Keep your linen smelling fresh and lovely with this easy linen spray. In a spray bottle, mix ¼ cup of witch hazel, ½ cup of water, 15 drops of lavender essential oil. Spray this on your linen and also inside your linen cupboard for a fresh floral scent.
12. Wood polish -Mix ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of white vinegar and 10 drops of wild orange oil. After dusting your wood furniture, use a microfiber cloth to polish your wood using this mix. Do this once ever 2 months.
13. Natural air freshener -Make an all natural air freshener to neutralize bad odors and keep your home smelling lovely. In a spray bottle mix ½ cup of lavender hydrosol and ½ cup of orange blossom hydrosol. Add 5 drops of rose oil and 5 drops of orange oil and shake well before spraying your rooms.
14. Squeaky clean combs – Combs tend to get nasty and dusty after a while, especially if you have dandruff. Give your combs a green clean by soaking them in ½ cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 10 drops of tea tree oil and 10 drops of lavender oil for 20 minutes. Use an old brush to get rid of the scum, rinse and pat dry.
15. Retainers -Retainers can get stinky so give them a refresher by soaking them in a solution containing ½ cup of water, ¼ cup of white vinegar and 12 drops of peppermint oil. Rinse and air dry for fresh minty retainers.
16. DIY dish soap -Mix ½ cup of white vinegar, ½ cup of distilled water, ½ cup of dr.bronner’s sal suds, 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 20 drops of lemon oil to make an eco-friendly liquid dish soap that you can use to wash your dishes, without the chemicals!
17. Toilet bowl bombs -To make these powerful toilet bowl bombs, all you need is to ½ cup of baking soda, ½ cup of citric acid powder, ½ cup of borax, 10 drops of lemon oil, 10 drops of bergamot oil and 10 drops of tea tree oil. In a bowl mix water little by little to form a thick paste. Transfer the paste into molds and allow to set for 2 – 3 days. Store them in a glass jar and drop a bomb into the toilet bowl and watch the fizzy cleansing magic. Scrub if needed, and flush away!
18. Disinfectant wipes – Make versatile disinfectant wipes that you can use to clean bathroom counters, kitchen counters and even the dining table. Fill a 16 oz mason jar with neatly laid out microfiber cloths (6 – 8 of them) and top up the jar with a mixture of ½ a cup of white vinegar, ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol. Add 2 teaspoons of eco-friendly dish soap, 10 drops of tea tree oil and 10 drops of lemon oil. You can replace the cloth with disposable paper wipes instead, too.
19. Tap shiners -Shiny taps are the star of any kitchen or bathroom. Make a paste of ¼ cup of baking soda, 1.5 tablespoons of water and 20 drops of lemon oil. Scrub your taps using this for a sparkling taps.
20. All purpose cleaner -Sometimes an all purpose cleaner is all you need to tackle all sorts of cleaning around the house. In a large spray bottle mix 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of sodium borate (borax), 1 teaspoon of liquid castile soap, 10 drops of tea tree oil, 20 drops of lemon oil and 10 drops of orange oil. Spray on surfaces and wipe clean.
Do you use essential oils for cleaning? Share with us your favorite recipes in the comments below!