Naturally Clean:
Using Essential Oils For
Cleaning House
Are you using non-toxic products for a naturally clean home? If the answer is "no" and you're still using commercial cleaning products for household chores, you know that the smell of some these products can be overwhelming. And if used without proper ventilation, many can even be dangerous! Wouldn't it be nice if your household chores were invigorating rather than tiring? Healing instead of unsafe? They can be and your home can be naturally clean, too. Here's how. First, a few tips: Making your own household cleansers is easy, fun and cost-effective, especially if you make large amounts. As with all household cleaning and freshening products, be sure to properly label those which are homemade. Store these products in an area where children or pets can't get to them. Even though they're considered non-toxic, ingesting excessive amounts can cause tummy problems.Always keep essential oils away from the eyes. Which aromatherapy ingredients should you use for cleaning and freshening... and how?To freshen up the air inside your home, put your favorite scent into a pot of water and simmer mixture on the stovetop for several hours. The smell of citrus rinds is invigorating but you can use any essential oil.
To ensure there's always a fresh scent in the bathroom squeeze a few drops of essential oil onto the cardboard roll that holds the toilet paper. The fragrance will release with each pull (Remember to repeat with each new roll you hang).
Tee tree oil and lavender essential oils have anti-bacterial properties so you can use this type of natural mixture for cleaning countertops. Just mix a few drops with water and spray on surfaces. For large jobs such as killing mold and mildew, add about 50 drops into a bucket of water.
Here's a simple recipe for homemade carpet fresheners: In a bowl, mix 4 cups of baking soda or cornstarch with EITHER: 25 drops cinnamon essential oil and 45 drops of orange essential oil --OR--35 drops lavender essential oil and 25 drops lemon essential oil [NOTE: Don't mix ALL these scents together; just choose one combination, or double the amount of a single oil] Break apart clumps and stir well (a fork works best). Pour into a shaker bottle and label. Sprinkle on carpets; leave the mixture for 15 - 30 minutes and then vacuum (Instead of the essential oils listed here, you can mix your own personal favorites).
To clean floors, combine 15 drops of orange essential oil and 8 drops of lemon essential oil into 1 gallon of hot water and 2 tablespoons liquid (wood) soap. This mixture will work on tough jobs and will leave the room smelling fresh.
Make your own dryer sheets by placing several drops of your favorite essential oil onto an old washcloth you may have been ready to toss on the compost pile. Put your scented washcloth into the dryer along with clothes and dry as you normally would.
For a deep and restful sleep, put a few drops of lavender essential oil into a spray-type bottle with distilled water. Shake the bottle, then lightly spritz your sheets before going to bed. Sleep well, knowing your home is naturally clean.
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