Cleaning with Essential Oils
10:04 AM Posted by Jo Pedranti
It is much safer to use essential oils when you clean than harsh chemicals. Essential oils can be used as a deodorizer to clean the air, as disinfectants for surfaces, for laundry and much more.
Most essential oils are antiseptic and bactericides, which will inhibit bacterial growth. Some oils are also antifungal and antiviral so they are also good for you at the same time. Not only do they assist in cleaning your house but they may also boost your immune system. I always use oils that stimulate the immune system when I clean during flu season. Luckily the best bacteria busters are also among the strongest immune stimulants. I wrote a post on oils for the immune system a while back, Essential Oils for the Respiratory and the Immune System
My favorite single oil bacteria busters are cinnamon, clove, lemon, eucalyptus, lavender, thyme and pine. Tea tree is another favorite of mine which is a relatively inexpensive oil readily available at most places. However, my children prefer that I use other oils since they don't like the smell of tea tree. We have discovered that Manuka oil is much more pleasant oil to use.
If you don't feel like mixing your own or spend the money on several oils you can use a couple of my favorite Young Living Blends, Thieves or Purification. Thieves oil blend contains essential oils mentioned above, clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary with powerful cleansing abilities and at the same time very efficient in supporting the immune system. Thieves in France covered themselves with these aromatics when they robbed plagued victims in France.
Purification is a great oil to purify the air from cigarette smoke, and it can also be used directly on the skin to soothe insect bites. I think it is great that I can use the same thing for cleaning and for my health. Purification contains citronella, lemongrass, myrtle, rosemaray, tea tree (melaleuca) and lavandin. This is the right kind of oil to keep the summer insects away too!
Purification is a great oil to purify the air from cigarette smoke, and it can also be used directly on the skin to soothe insect bites. I think it is great that I can use the same thing for cleaning and for my health. Purification contains citronella, lemongrass, myrtle, rosemaray, tea tree (melaleuca) and lavandin. This is the right kind of oil to keep the summer insects away too!
Thieves oil blend is added to a whole bunch of cleaning or personal hygiene products such as oral care, hand products, and household cleaners . Thieves Products
It is nothing more refreshing in springtime than using refreshing essential oils. Lime, lemon, geranium, bergamot, grapefruit, rosemary and lavender are great oils for the lighter and warmer time of the year. They make a perfect room spray to disinfect the stuffy house after winter. For a more floral blend consider neroli. If your want a romantic touch to your bedroom you can add ylang ylang, jasmine, and rose . These oils are pricy but very potent so a little goes a long way.
In winter when I feel more cold I like to use more warming oils like nutmeg, orange, cinnamon, frankincense and cypress. I add oils like rosemary, thyme or eucalyptus if the flu goes around. There are no rules about what oils to use and it is all about personal preference. What works for one might not work for the other.
Spring and Summer Room Spray
Lemon 10 drops
Geranium 4 drops
Sandalwood 2 drops
Add the oils 2 1/2 cups of water and put in a spray bottle. Remember to shake before spraying.
Thieves blend or Purification may be used instead. Or make your own blend, lavender and geranium make a good match, you can also add citrus oils with lavender and geranium for a great spring mix. The great thing about a room spray is that it can be used to disinfect surfaces also and even used to deodorize the carpet. You want to test on a small piece in the corner first to make sure it doesn't stain.
Here is another spray you can use for kitchens and bathrooms
1 quart of water
rosemary 2 drops
lemon 4 drops
eucalyptus 3 drops
lavender 4 drops
Mix the oils with the water and add to a spray bottle.
Essential oils can be used all over the house. You can add 25 drops of eucalyptus to the laundry to fight dust mites, research has shown that eucalyptus kills dust mites. Add 10 drops of essential oils like tea tree, lemon, bergamot and lavender, to a damp wash cloth and use in the dryer instead of the softening sheets. It will not prevent static but at least add a pleasant smell.
Use one of two drops of lemon juice on stains. Let it sit for a while and rub it off with a clean cloth or throw it in the laundry. I like to add different oils to my dusting rag for a pleasant smell when I dust. I also add oils to my sponges and rags in the kitchen.
Easy Floor Cleaner
Add 1/2 cup of vinegar
A bucket of water
2-10 drops of lemon, pine, tea tree (melaleuca), spruce or Purification essential oil blend
Household Cleaner
Fill a spray bottle with water
Add a squirt of Dr.Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap, or liquid dish soap
Add 5 drops each of lemon, lavender and pine essential oils
shake well
or add
lime 5 drops
bergamot 3 drops
lavender 2 drops
orange 1 drop
Another Cleaner
1/2 cup of vinegar
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap like Dr.Bronner's
Add to a spray bottle.
Add the one of the blends above. Spray on surfaces and wipe with a damp sponge.
Window Cleaners
1 quart spray bottle
1 cup white vinegar
10-15 drops of lemon
water
Mix the vinegar and water, add the lemon essential oil. Shake before using.
Dishwashing Liquid
1/2 teaspoon essential oil like lemon, orange or lavender
3/4 quarter filled 22 oz squeeze bottle with un-scented castile soap like Dr.Bronner's Soap
Shake well, and fill up to the top of the bottle with distilled water.
There are of course many other ways you can incorporate essential oils into your daily cleaning. Be creative and try new blends or ways. Read more about the oils on my aromatherapy blog.
Thanks for visiting!
Follow Johanna on twitter and facebook for more health tips and information.
This post is linked to:
Sunday School at Butter Believer
Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways
Your Green Resource
DIY Cleaning Recipes Link-Up
Seasonal Celebration Sunday
This post is linked to:
Sunday School at Butter Believer
Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways
Your Green Resource
DIY Cleaning Recipes Link-Up
Seasonal Celebration Sunday
March 16, 2010 at 12:30 PM
Following from MBC (FFF Group)
You can find me at
http://www.jaelcustomdesigns.com
March 16, 2010 at 3:16 PM
Following from FFF on MBC!
http://stacievaughansblog.blogspot.com/
March 16, 2010 at 3:26 PM
Wow, this is great! Thanks for all the insightful recipes!
Following you from MBC/FFF
March 17, 2010 at 4:59 AM
Thanks for following!
March 17, 2010 at 11:15 AM
Love this post! I currnetly use Purification and Tea Tree Oil for cleaning, love the smell it leaves!!
Cara
March 17, 2010 at 7:18 PM
Hi Cara, I know, it smells so good after cleaning with those oils.
March 17, 2010 at 7:28 PM
MBC- I have heard the essential oils are good. To order from you company do you have to be member or can you just order from someone? What herbs does the thieve product have?
L'Bri pure and natural's first ingredient in every product is aloe. Great healing skincare.
March 17, 2010 at 9:23 PM
Jo, what a great site you have here! I'll have to come back and spend some time reading. Thanks for adding my button to your blog roll!
March 18, 2010 at 6:04 AM
Debbie,
Thieves is a blend of Clove lemon, cinnamon, Eucalyptus radiata, rosemary.
You have different options to buy the oils. You can just buy as a customer but they require you to sign up on their website using a sponsor number, for example my number is: 1124176
https://www.youngliving.com/signup/custType.faces
Or you can become a distributor or a preferred customer, which gives you a lower price. If you choose the distributor option you are required to buy a starter kit, but there's no required monthly purchase after that. You also get a 50% discount coupon to use on any diffuser. The cheapest starter pack cost 40 dollars and it comes with lavender and peppermint essential oils, plus some DVD's and other materials. That's what I started with.
http://youngliving.com/en_US/abundance/become-member.html
http://youngliving.com/start-living-kits/Start-Living-Kit
March 18, 2010 at 6:10 AM
You are welcome Amy, I love your blog!
March 18, 2010 at 6:33 AM
Following your lovely blog from FFF.
March 18, 2010 at 8:16 AM
Hi There,
Following you from MBC,
When you get a chance , please follow me back.
Cheers!
Ká.Entre.Nós.
http://kaestoueu.blogspot.com/
March 18, 2010 at 8:46 AM
Great information as usual Johanna. I'm sending out the link via Twitter, Facebook and Linked In in about an hour.
March 18, 2010 at 9:00 AM
Thanks Fruitful Vine2
March 18, 2010 at 9:01 AM
Karin and Veronica, thanks for following, I am following you also.
March 20, 2010 at 1:19 PM
I adore lemon essential oil! Maybe I will try to make some of my own cleaners with it as well as using it to scent the room. Thanks! :)
February 15, 2011 at 4:45 PM
Lemongrass is awesome for bedbugs, I don't go to a hotel without it!
February 15, 2011 at 6:44 PM
You're right, lemongrass is great. It is getting pretty nasty with all the bed bugs everywhere nowadays.
February 18, 2011 at 9:05 PM
I have been looking for the correct recipes for cleaning with essential oils for so long! Thank you for finding my blog and for following me! How much do you sell Lavendar, lemon and peppermint oils for? I have been wanting to get some. :)
-Marci
February 19, 2011 at 9:15 AM
Hi Marci,
Peppermint costs:
retail: 25.99
whole sale: 19.95
preferred customer: 22.87
Lavender costs:
retail:27.30
whole sale: 20.75
preferred customer: 24.07
Lemon costs:
retail: 12.83
whole sale: 9.75
preferred customer: 11.29
I hope this helps..
December 6, 2011 at 9:43 AM
i just love your blog and find it very useful during this time. i just referenced your blog today!
http://tamingthewildmans.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/natural-home-and-health-products/
March 6, 2012 at 11:39 AM
Great recipe resource. Yet I wish some of the oils were not so expensive!
I would love you to share this in my Green Cleaner recap on my site this week,
http://www.randomrecycling.com/2012/03/diy-cleaning-recipes-link-up.html
Thanks!
March 6, 2012 at 2:06 PM
Thanks for sharing about your link up. I linked up this post. I wish the oils were cheaper too, but at least the oils have multiple uses and can be used of other things to.