One of the joys of making your own non-toxic cleaning products at home is being able to utilize the cleaning power of nature by using essential oils. Try these easy recipes today!
Essential Oils for Cleaning
Standard, commercially made cleaning products often contain chemicals that can be harmful to your health. Among these are the mysterious “fragrances” that can toxify your home with an overwhelming synthetic scent. Is your home truly clean when these chemicals contaminate the air you breathe?
Instead, clean your home top to bottom using only natural substances, including powerful, non-toxic essential oils. You can create products for everything from windows to toilets to your floors by adding essential oils to common natural ingredients you probably have on hand!
While most essential oils can be used for cleaning your home, some oils are especially useful not only for their scent but for their cleansing properties. Many essential oils are effective anti-fungal, antiseptic and disinfectant agents. The evidence is not just anecdotal - large scientific studies have verified that essential oils are effective at killing germs and other microorganisms.
Make Your Own Products with Essential Oils
The essential oils included in the recipes below are some of the most powerful you can use to clean your home. Tea tree, eucalyptus, clove, and oregano essential oils kill germs while freshening up your home. Orange, lemon, and grapefruit essential oils are great for cutting grease - no wonder these oils (or their synthetic counterparts) can even be found in conventional cleaning products! Lavender essential oil is antiseptic and blends well with other essential oils for a calming, clean scent.
Citrus Scrub: Combine 1/4 cup borax, 1/4 cup baking soda, and 2 Tablespoons sea salt in a lidded container. Add three to five drops of lemon, orange, and/or grapefruit essential oils. Mix well. Use to scrub porcelain in the bathroom and stainless steel sinks by sprinkling on the cleaner and scrubbing with a damp sponge or rag.
All Purpose Cleaning Spray: Dissolve 1 Tablespoon borax in 1 quart (4 cups) warm water. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar, 10 drops of tea tree or eucalyptus oil, and 15 drops of lavender oil. Store in a spray bottle and shake to mix ingredients before use.
Window cleaner: Dilute 1/2 cup white vinegar with 3 cups of water. Add 10 drops of lavender or lemon essential oil, depending on your preference. Store in a spray bottle and shake before use.
Countertop Spray: Dissolve 2 Tablespoons borax in 1 quart warm water. Add 1/4 cup white vinegar and 10 drops either clove or oregano essential oil. Store in a spray bottle and shake before use.
Hardwood Floor Cleaner: Dilute 1/4 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon of warm water. Add 10 drops of lemon oil and a small squirt of castile soap.
Other Uses for Essential Oils
You can also use essential oils to clean, exfoliate and moisturize your skin as well as make your own bath products .
This post is part of the series: Cleaning With Essential Oils
In this series we learn the reasons to clean with essential oils, types of essential oils to use and recipes for cleaning with essential oils.
