Homemade cleaning products with essential oils
With people striving to live a cleaner healthier life of course we are going to want to nix out those awful toxic cleaners we have all grown used to. Cleaners using essential oils are especially nice because essential oils alone come with great health benefits depending on which kind you are using. They also mask the smell of the household germ killing machine known as vinegar!
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Why should you use safe cleaning products?
Many of our conventional household cleaners that we are very familiar with carry harmful toxins that can seriously harm you and your family. Most even have the warning signs on the bottles, and if ingested call poison control. Products that create suds have known carcinogens for ingredients – carcinogens cause or promote cancer!
You can’t even trust the Natural store bought cleaners, if you are curious about any cleaner you buy check out EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning you can research just about any cleaning product and check out if it is truly clean!
Related: 101 Ways To Be Frugal This Year
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are all natural and extracted from plants or other sources often carrying the fragrance associated. These oils have become increasingly popular over the last few years because more people are finding out about all their health benefits.
Each oil has its own way of helping for example Lemon Oil which is popular in homemade cleaning products because it’s a powerful antibacterial and antiseptic agent. Lemon Oil diluted can also be a great way to reduce wrinkles, promote circulation and tone the skin because of it’s high concentration of D-limonene. Hello beautiful skin!
So are Essential Oils toxic?
Even though they are natural that doesn’t mean YOU won’t have a reaction, if you are prone to allergies or have sensitive skin you should test them out and do proper research on any kind you plan to purchase.
Basically all are safe to inhale, some are safe to use topically and some you can even ingest. Remember these are highly concentrated so you only need 1-2 drops. Check out Essential Oil Safety to find out more information.
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Homemade cleaning products with essential oils
Not only do homemade cleaning products help our health but they are also very frugal and budget friendly. I used to spend a ton on Lysol brand cleaning products, from the disinfected wipes to the toilet bowl cleaner and it did get pretty costly.
The cost of making your own homemade cleaning products is pretty minimal, I did purchase some spray bottles from amazon.
1. Homemade Kitchen Cleaner
I was searching for an all purpose recipe to spray counter tops, kitchen table, cupboards and all that good stuff, I came across a great recipe that I love and use all the time!
It is best to use glass spray bottles when using essential oils. Heat, light, moisture and oxygen are all factors in deteriorating your essential oils so it is best to use a dark glass bottle.
Ingredients
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup distilled water
- 30 drops lemon essential oil (buy lemon essential oil here)
- 10 drops lavender essential oil (buy lavender essential oil here)
Mix altogether in a glass bottle and shake before use.
2. Natural Bathroom Cleaner DIY
You probably dislike cleaning bathrooms and this is where I would use the most potent store bought cleaners which have the worst toxins! So I set out to find the best natural cleaning products for your bathroom.
Toilet bowel cleaner
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Baking Soda
- 1/4 cup White Vinegar
- 10 drops Tea Tree oil (buy tee tree oil here)
Mix altogether and add to the toilet bowl, take your scrub brush and clean then flush.
Shower and Tub cleaner
Ingredients
- 1 cup Baking Soda
- 1/2 cup Borax
- 1/4 cup Salt
- 3 drops Lavender oil (buy lavender essential oil here)
- 2 drops Bergamot oil (buy bergamot essential oil here)
Mix together, it will form a powder, let the mixture sit overnight before using so make ahead. The next day sprinkle the mixture over the surface of your tub and shower. Use a damp cloth and scrub the shower/tub area, then rinse with water.
Shower Spray
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Water
- 1 1/2 cups White Vinegar
- 8 drops Grapefruit oil (buy grapefruit essential oil here)
- 5 drops Orange oil (buy orange essential oil here)
Mix together and shake well, spray the mixture all over the shower, bathtub, shower curtain, basically everywhere after each use, this will help prevent soap scum and it just leaves your bathtub fresh I love it!
3. Wood floor cleaner DIY
ingredients
- 1 tsp pure castile soap (like Dr. Bronner’s) (buy Dr. bronner’s soap here)
- 4 cups water, plus more for rinsing
- 5 to 10 drops essential oil of your choice
Add the ingredients together in a spray bottle, shake well. *Always do a spot test!* Spray evenly a small amount to your floor, do not let it sit too long as this can damage your floors as well. Using a microfiber mop, scrub away the mixture, keep doing this until floor is clean, also rinsing your mop as it gets soiled.
4. Laminate floor cleaner DIY
ingredients
- 1 cup of white vinegar
- 1 TB of castile soap
- 15 drops of essential oils of your choice
Mix together in a bucket and use a mop of your choice to mop your floors.
5. DIY Linen Spray
ingredients
- 1/2 cup distilled water
- 1/2 cup cheap, flavorless and colorless vodka
- 30-40 drops of lavender essential oils (buy lavender oil here)
Add together in a spray bottle and shake well every time before using. Lightly spray on your linens and let dry for about 20 mins or so then climb into bed.
Best essential oils to use for cleaning
Which oils do you choose for cleaning? With so many to choose from I came up with a list that you will love. You can also substitute any of the above essential oils, they aren’t set in stone.
Lemon Essential Oil
This works very well for fighting bacteria, it is naturally antibacterial and antiviral. Use lemon essential oil in any floor cleaner, counter top cleaner or even as a fridge deodorizer.
Lemongrass essential oil
If you have pets then you have probably experienced fleas and ticks at least once, lemongrass is one of the best choices for flea prevention but it is also very effective against ticks. Use this to spray around your doorways and to even mop the floors. It is also a strong disinfectant.
Tea Tree oil
Once you get used to the strong smell this is a cleaners dream, it is antifungal, antimicrobial, its antibacterial and antiviral! Also tea tree oil is great for purifying the air, get a diffuser and add what is recommended.
Lavender essential oil
This oil is not only great for sleep and relaxation it can be used for cleaning purposes as well. It helps prevent mold and mildew build up and is great to use in your laundry, add a few drops to your detergent and do your wash normally. It also works well for bedroom and linen sprays to keep your room fresh!
Those are all a great start to your cleaning arsenal!
