Cleaning with essential oils is better for your family, pets, garden, and the Earth!
The growing awareness of my body and health has been a blessing, and in some ways, a curse. I absolutely love leading a healthy, clean lifestyle; however, I have become accustomed to this. If I am exposed to something out of the norm, my body has a reaction. Ranging from headaches from certain chemical smells or a skin reaction from chemical heavy skincare products, I have become ultra sensitive. Because of this, I am working towards a toxic–free life and cleaning with essential oils as much as possible. So I decided to make these non toxic alternatives to household cleaners using 5 essential oils: Peppermint, eucalyptus, wild orange, lemon and cedar wood.
I have to admit, I get excited when I create different cleaning sprays for my home. I love checking out new essential oils and finding what works best when cleaning certain areas. My favorite brands are Young Living and DoTerra as they are 100% pure essential oils with no additives or preservatives. Did I mention your home will smell incredible?! Essential oils are naturally fragrant, therefore you need zero additives in your sprays to achieve a delightful scent. Most of all, these non toxic house hold cleaners are safe for you and your family. I am the proud owner of 3 curious dogs who love to sniff, lick, and paw everything in the house so I am rest assured when using these products around my fur babies.
All Purpose Essential Oil Spray
I will use the all-purpose spray primarily for my kitchen and bathroom counters, however you can use this anywhere you like as it’s a well rounded multi tasking spray! The combination of these essential oils act as a powerful cleaning agent and leave behind a fresh, clean scent.
Ingredients:
- 16oz glass spray bottle
- 1 3/4 cup of purified water
- 1/4 white vinegar
- 30 drops of essential oil blend
Essentail Oils:
- 10 drops eucalyptus
- 10 drops peppermint
- 10 drops wild orange
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in glass spray bottle. Shake and spray.
Using eucalyptus and peppermint in the all-purpose spray is beneficial as these oils contain antibacterial properties. These oils do carry a strong smell, so I like to balance it out with the sweet scent of wild orange essential oil.
Glass & Mirror Spray
When I worked in a restaurant, I learned a fair share of cleaning tips. Luckily, this one stuck: vinegar + glass = streak free shine! Vinegar’s acidic composition aids in removing film that often builds up on glass surfaces. We all know vinegar has an overpowering smell, so it’s great to balance this out with a citrus based essential oil.
Ingredients:
- 16oz glass spray bottle
- 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar
- 1/2 cup of distilled water
- 8-10 drops of essential oils
Essential Oils:
- 8-10 drops of lemon or wild orange essential oil.
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in glass spray bottle. Shake and spray.
For best results, wipe with a micro fibre cloth to avoid the left over fibres that some paper towels may leave behind.
Floor Spray
My house is outfitted with light wood floors, and with 3 rambunctious pups running around, you can imagine how quickly the floors get dirty. I love to use my swiffer wetjet to clean my floors. After repeatedly buying the refill bottles, I decided to refill the swiffer bottle myself…voila! Homemade floor cleaner. You can also use a tradition bucket and mop for this as well.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of castile soap (I love Dr. Bronner’s All-One)
- 15 drops of essential oil blend
Essential Oils:
- 7 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 8 drops of wild orange essential oil
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients into swiffer refill bottle or into your bucket. If you are using your bucket, be sure to fill with plenty of water.
The combination of peppermint and wild orange is great for floors because peppermint will naturally deter ants and insects from the home. You can spray this solution along the door jams, windows, or anywhere you think ants may be sneaking in.
Plant & Garden Spray
I recently built a beautiful herb garden on my front patio and fell in love. Nothing beats a morning coffee while tending to your plants and watching them grow. Unfortunately, worms and bugs also love my garden. Being a firm believing in pesticide free, organic gardening, I ventured into the world of all-natural plant sprays and came upon this spray that works very well.
Ingredients:
- 32oz spray bottle (commercial size- BPA free)
- 1/4 cup castile soap ( Dr. Bronner’s All-One)
- 30-40 drops of essential oil blends
- 3 3/4 cups water (or enough water to fill remainder of bottle depending on bottle size)
Essential Oils:
- 15-20 drops of wild orange essential oil
- 15-20 drops of cedarwood essential oil
Directions:
Pour castile soap into bottle, add essential oils, fill bottle with water. Store in a cold, dry place. I spray this directly onto the herbs and on the top layer of the soil. Repeating once a week. All though this is a natural pesticide, be sure to wash your herbs before consuming.
These 5 essential oils are a great alternative to store bought household cleaners. Even though the essential oil bottles are small, a little goes a long way! Essential oils have a variety of uses, outside of cleaning products, so feel free to research what else you can use your oils for. Have fun with it and enjoy your home knowing you’re taking the steps towards a non-toxic life!
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Photo credit: On Better Living, Flickr: Heather Milazzo, Fresh Skin, Fab Naturals
