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Cleaning With Essential Oils

Cleaning with essential oils and making your own cleaning products is an easy and effective alternative to using commercial cleaning products.

If you don't want potentially toxic products in your home, cleaning with essential oils is an option.

Follow these guidelines when making aromatherapy cleaning products:

When blending essential oils with water for later use, use distilled or filtered water because the chlorine in tap water causes the oils to deteriorate.
Spot test surfaces to make sure the essential oils don't damage them.
Label your bottles and keep them out of reach of children and pets.

All-Purpose Cleaning

While there is no one best essential oil for cleaning, commonly used essential oils good for cleaning include:

Lavender
Cinnamon
Clove
Eucalyptus
Lemon
Lemongrass
Oregano
Tea tree
Thyme

To make an all-purpose cleaning spray, blend 10 to 20 drops of any one (or combination) of those oils with 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 cup water in a spray bottle. Shake vigorously before each use.

For a stronger essential oil cleaning solution:

2 cups vinegar
1 teaspoon borax
10 drops peppermint essential oil
5 drops thyme essential oil
15 drops tea tree essential oil
2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon of castile soap (optional)

Mix borax into vinegar in a large spray bottle. Shake.
Add the essential oils. Shake again and let sit overnight.
Shake well, and then add the warm water.
Optional: If you want more lather, also add one teaspoon of castile soap.
Label the bottle.
Shake well before each use.

Surface Cleaning With Essential Oils

An easy way to clean and sanitize surfaces is to combine 2 to 3 drops of tea tree, eucalyptus, or lemon essential oil with 1/2 cup hot water.

Another surface cleaner:

2 tablespoons baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar
3 drops tea tree essential oil
1 drop lemon essential oil
1 drop eucalyptus essential oil

Combine all ingredients with just a little water to make a paste. Apply to surface with a cloth using circular motions. Then rinse with hot water and a clean cloth.

Essential Oils For Cleaning Floors

The simple option to clean floors is to add 5 to 10 drops pine essential oil and 1/2 cup vinegar to a gallon of hot water. You could also use lemon oil or a combination of rosemary and balsam fir.

Another floor cleaner:

4 cups vinegar
2 gallons hot water
2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
20 drops eucalyptus or pine essential oil or 10 drops of each

Carpet Cleaning

Remember to spot test carpets before using these blends on large areas.

Carpet Freshener

Mix one of the following essential oil blends with 1/2 cup baking soda in a wide-mouth jar that has a cap:

60 drops lavender
20 drops cinnamon
20 drops orange

60 drops rosemary
30 drops spruce
10 drops orange

40 drops anise
40 drops clove
20 drops patchouli

Place the cap tightly on the jar. Shake well.
Let the mixture sit for 24 hours.
Sprinkle on carpet. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes, and then vacuum.

Source: 500 Formulas For Aromatherapy

Carpet Cleaning Solution

If you have a carpet steam cleaner, you can replace the commercial cleaning solution with this DIY formula:

3/4 cup very hot water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid castile soap
30 drops thyme essential oil

Blend all ingredients. Using either a container with a pour sprout or a funnel, add the solution to the appropriate compartment of your steam cleaner. Clean carpets as usual.

Source: The Naturally Clean Home