In the past few years I’ve been becoming much more conscious of bath and body products I use. One-by-one, I’ve eliminated products that have ingredients that can potentially cause harm to my health. I’ve adopted lots of organic body products into my daily regimen such as lotions, soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lip moisturizer, face powder…and the list goes on. I also use essential oils for aromatherapy.
Go Organic with Household Cleaners
I decided to take my “go organic” philosophy one step further and start to gradually introduce more organic, environmental-friendly household products into my various cleaning products.
Have you ever noticed that commercial cleaning products lіѕt “warning” or “caution” on the labels? Obviously, those labels are thereе for a good reason. The bottles contain some sort of hazardous ingredient that could cause adverse symptoms іf inhaled or touched. If it can cause harm to a person, it could very well also cause harm to the environment.
So I’m now shifting tо a new concept оf cleaning that is free of worry of chemicals, fumes, оr synthetics that could harm оur bodies and environment. In my research, I’ve discovered that essential oils are the best kept secret for cleaning and purifying the house.
There’s nothing more gratifying than entering a clean, fresh, and pleasant smelling home – especially after a long day, or after being away fоr any length of time. Having a clean smelling home not only makes me feel good, іt makes our visitors and guests feel welcome and at ease.
One trick to having a consistently sweet smelling home, especially for us pet owners, is to use a numbеr of dіffеrеnt essential oils as part of ongoing care and maintenance. Thіѕ includes using essential oils tо clean everything from surfaces, floors, and windows, to washing and drying laundry, cleaning and deodorizing carpets, drapes, or window covers, tо neutralizing cooking odors and disinfecting kitchen appliances and counter tops.
Thе essential oils you choose for these various tasks can be the same or different and can vary depending on the season or eve the time of day.
It’s very simple and a lot less expensive when you use essential oils instead of store-bought regular cleaners. The essential oils in this article are anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-microbial. And the best part is they are 100% safe and even good for you! Conventional cleaners can’t say that.
Usng high quality therapeutic grade essential oils is of importance. Poor quality oils are not effective in killing germs. Young Living essential oils are known for their top-quality essential oils, but there are certainly other quality oils on the market.
Ways to Achieve a Healthy, Clean Home Using Essential Oils
Floors:
If You Vacuum Your Floors
Put 5 drops of Lemon and/or Lavender essential oil on a tissue and vacuum it up. This will kill the germs that get sucked up in your vacuum and also diffuse the oils into your home, leaving it smelling wonderful!
Air Purifiers:
Or better yet, get yourself an essential oil diffuser and diffuse either of these essential oils every day.
Hand Disinfectant:
Lose your Purell and get a bottle of lemon essential oil. Rub 1 drop of lemon essential oil into your hands after using public restrooms. Lemon kills germs while uplifting your mood as well.
Eliminate Chemicals Slowly But Surely
See how just a few changes in your cleaning routine can easily replace a bunch of chemical cleaning products in your home? I suggest starting slowly by eliminating one cleaning product at a time, and incorporating an essential oil in its place. Soon you will be truly “greener” than anyone else you know and probably a bit healthier, too!
I know there are other chemical-free household cleaners and cleaner recipes. As I begin my journey of adopting more healthy, environmental-friendly products into my cleaning regimen, I would love to hear your successes or thoughts. Please leave a comment and let me know how you’re using essential oils to clean your home! I’m anxious to learn all of your tips so I can continue my “go organic” lifestyle.
I love essential oils!! I put drops of thieves oil right on my air filter when I change it. In the summer when we eat oranges, lemons and limes, I keep the peelings in a jar full of vinegar, I then put the vinegar in a spray bottle for cleaning..citrus vinegar! I also use peppermint oil at the back base of my neck and the tops of my feet. Just a couple drops and it cools me down on hot summer days. I’ve also made sunscreen with carrot oil and bug spray with citranell! I’m now working on a healing balm for my niece.
Awesome tips! I’m definitely going to try the vinegar cleaner. I’ve never tried carrot oil – another must-try. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ellen, these are some tips.
I wrote a post about using oils to clean recently, too. alesstoxiclife.com/health/11-super-easy-ways-to-clean-with-essential-oils/
Using oils is such a great way to reduce toxins in your home. It’s one of the easiest places to start too because your family doesn’t have to do anything new like change the way they eat (although that should be part of the less toxic plan). 🙂
Your post reminded me I should be carrying in my purse lemon oil for a hand sanitizer. I always have lavender and peppermint.
I’m on my last few drops of Thieves and will be trying out Germ Fighter by Plant Therapy . I like how it smells in my diffuser.
I will pin this post to refer back to.
Hi Stacy! You’ve got some great experience with essential oils. Thanks for sharing your expertise. Lavender and peppermint are also a main item in my go-green toolkit. Thanks for sharing and keeping me going with my mission to use more organic cleaners in my home.
It was known to me that essential oils are the inevitable part of any beauty regime.. Any home remedy used for enrich your beauty needs the magical presence of some specific essential oils .. But you have also explored how it can be used to maintain domestic cleanliness and hygiene.. It is superb..
Thanks for share, Jagriti!
I love this concept ! Especially as a pet owner. It seems that foods and chemicals are causing most of our illnesses! This is definitely something to explore! Thank you for sharing your research.
I’m a pet owner too, so I have the same concern!
These are awesome ideas. I am thinking about getting into essential oils. I never thought about using them to mop the floors. Now I have something to think about. I basically was considering using diffusers for the house smell.
I LOVE diffusing essential oils! Luckily my office mates like it, too. We always have the diffuser going and it smells awesome. Lavender at night is my favorite for my home diffuser.
EO’s are so great for cleaning. The harsh commercial chemical s can really do a number on your skin and your lungs. We switched long ago. I adore dryer balls too. So easy and so effective.
I just heard about using essential oils on wool dryer balls. I haven’t tried it but certainly will soon. Thanks for your input!
I do love using essential oils for cleaning and sometimes make my own formulas- however it can get very expensive.
Hi Judee, thanks for your input. The startup expense to purchase essential oils certainly can be expensive. When used overtime it can be a less expensive route compared to store brand cleaners. The Plant Therapy oils that are available on Amazon are quality yet reasonable. Lots of choices!
Thank you so much for this post!!! I was just thinking last night about what to clean my new tile shower with and how I want to get to all natural cleaning products. I use store bought natural products, but want to make my own.
Definitely Pinning!!!
Visiting from Encouraging Hearts
Blessings,
Amy
Love your alternatives of using essential oils but they need to be used with caution.
Please NEVER use a plug-in oil diffuser where there are caged birds, the oil vapour can contaminate their lungs leading to premature death.
Tea tree oil makes an excellent anti mould solutoin when mixed with water and baking soda,
works well on shower and bathroom tiling.
Duncan, thank you for adding your really important tip about caged birds, as well as your tip for using tea tree oil for cleaning. Using essential oils around any animals should be done only with proper research. Although I’m an animal enthusiast, I am not an expert at knowing which essential oils cannot be used around pets. Thanks for your input, really good advice!