How to Use Essential Oils in Homemade Cleaning Products
In the quest for a greener life, more and more people are opting to phase out chemical household cleaners in favor of homemade ones made with natural ingredients. Adding essential oils to homemade cleaning products boosts their effectiveness and makes cleaning seem like less of a chore. Endowed with antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, they not only add disinfecting powers to homemade products but also enhance them with natural aromas that make them a pleasure to use. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Baking soda
- Borax
- White vinegar
- Tea-tree oil
- Lavender essential oil
- Lemon essential oil
- Sweet orange essential oil
- Pine essential oil
- Spray bottle
Instructions
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Buy essential oils with germ-busting potential for house cleaning purposes. The essential oils that make the list include tea-tree oil, lemon oil, sweet orange oil, lavender oil and pine oil. Easily available in most natural food stores, these essential oils are also some of the most reasonably priced ones.
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Add a few drops of antibacterial essential oils such as tea-tree oil, lemon oil or pine oil to a mixture of a gallon of water and 1/2 a cup of white vinegar. Use the mixture to clean and sanitize vinyl floors.
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Combine 10 drops of tea-tree oil with a cup of white vinegar. Store the solution in a spray bottle and use it to spot treat areas infected with mold and mildew.
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Disinfect germ-prone areas such as faucet handles, cabinet knobs and phone receivers with a homemade disinfectant made out of 1/2 a cup of grain alcohol and 5 to 6 drops of lemon and sweet orange essential oils.
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Use a few drops of lavender and tea-tree essential oil to enhance the power of a homemade laundry detergent. The essential oils help deodorize and deep clean laundry and are especially helpful in getting rid of bacteria and dust mites from bedding and comforters.
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Mix equal quantities of borax and baking soda in a container. Add a few drops of lemon and sweet orange essential oils to the mix to make a powder cleanser to scrub sinks in kitchens and tiled floors in bathrooms.
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Make a homemade furniture polish by mixing a few drops of lemon essential oil with a teaspoon of olive oil. Apply the mix to furniture with a light hand, and buff with a soft cloth to add luster to wood.
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Clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces such as kitchen and bathroom countertops with a natural solution made out of equal parts castile soap and distilled water. Customize the scent of the cleaner by using a few drops of any of the mentioned essential oils.
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Tips & Warnings
Use 100% essential oils only. Essential oils should always be diluted before use.
