Essential oils are increasingly becoming the eco-friendly cleaning products of choice. They serve as effective cleaners and provide a natural aroma that leaves your home smelling fresh and clean.
If you’re an advocate for green cleaning and would like to go all natural, below are some ways to use essential oils to achieve that goal. If you have not used essentials oils before, it is time to find out why they are growing in popularity.
Lemon oil
Lemon, with its refreshing scent, is a common ingredient in almost all cleaning products. It is normally used to remove grease stains on surfaces and to purify the air. The oil’s antibacterial and antiviral properties make it a feasible disinfectant for your home. Use lemon oil to bring back the sheen of your faucet, deodorize your refrigerator or clean your floor. You can also add a few drops of lemon oil into your laundry detergent to brighten up the colors in your clothes.
Lavender oil
Just like lemon, lavender oil is a powerful disinfectant. Fill a spray bottle with water and add a few drops of dish soap and lavender oil. Shake well and use the solution to clean all surfaces, including kitchen countertops and bathroom surfaces.
Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil is best known to keep bugs away. Soak a few cotton balls in eucalyptus oil and place them under your mattress to ward off bed bugs. You could also combine the oil with baking soda to deep-clean your mattress. Try even adding a few drops into your next wash cycle to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
Peppermint oil
With its antibacterial properties and cooling sensation, peppermint oil is best suited for cleaning. Combine water, vinegar, peppermint oil and rubbing alcohol and spray it onto windows and mirrors. It not only provides a streak-free shine to the surface, but also disinfects it. Peppermint oil can also ward off pests and mites.
KEEP YOUR HOME SMELLING FANTASTICALLY FRESH
Wild orange oil
Like lemon, wild orange oil can be used to lift tough grease from kitchen countertops. A mixture of water and wild orange oil can also ward off pests. When combined with salt, this oil is a good mixture for cleaning cutting boards. It can also be combined with a natural floor cleaner to freshen up the room.
Tea tree oil:
Tea tree oil has antifungal properties and is best used for cleaning mildew and mold. Mix tea tree oil and water in a spray bottle and spray it onto moldy areas like shower tiles. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then wipe the surface clean. Alternatively, you can add a few drops to water for mopping the floor. Try adding some drops to your laundry detergent to freshen up your clothes.
The Bottom Line
Essential oils are excellent tools for your home because of their versatility.They are extracted from plants and therefore, serve as a natural cleaning alternative so that you can keep harmful chemicals from conventional cleaners out of your home.
BEWARE
Like any popular product, there are many brands of essential oils popping up nowadays. Please be sure to do plenty of research to find the right brand for you. Most importantly, avoid synthetic oils because this may indicate cheapened properties. 100% essential oils equate to optimal potency and effectiveness.