Essential oils are the fragrant essences naturally extracted from plants, flowers, fruits, grasses and leaves. They make an effective addition to your do-it-yourself green cleaning kit. To create your own array of healthy, green, cost-effective cleaning products, choose the fragrances you like and pick up a few natural ingredients at your local grocery store.
Some good choices include lemon, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint oils, which have disinfectant and antibacterial properties.
Step 1
Create an all-purpose cleaner with eight drops lemon or peppermint essential oil, 1/2 tsp. liquid soap, 1/4 cup white vinegar and enough water to fill a 16-oz. spray bottle. Use this solution for windows and mirrors as well.
Step 2
Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your sponge when you're cleaning the bathroom or wiping your kitchen counters.
Step 3
Make a mold and mildew remover by mixing 2 tsp.. tea tree essential oil and water in a 16-oz. spray bottle.
Step 4
Sweeten your bathroom's scent by adding a few drops of lavender or peppermint oil on the toilet paper's cardboard tube.
Step 5
Vacuum up a cotton ball to which you have added two drops of your favorite essential oil. The scent will permeate the air as you're cleaning floors, rugs and upholstery.
Step 6
Mop the floor with a gallon of water mixed with 2 tbsp. liquid soap, 2 tbsp. white vinegar and 10 drops lemon essential oil.
Step 7
Deodorize your refrigerator or oven when you clean them by adding one or two drops lemon essential oil to the final rinse water.
Step 8
Freshen your lingerie drawer with a few drops of lavender oil on a handkerchief.
Step 9
Lift your mood as you wash the dishes by adding 10 drops lemon or peppermint essential oil to your liquid soap. If you have a dishwasher, add two drops lemon oil to the amount of detergent you'll be using.
Step 10
Keep your dishtowels clean and bacteria-free. Before you throw them in the washing machine, soak them in a bowl of boiling water with two drops eucalyptus, tea tree, peppermint or lavender oil.
Step 11
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to your washing machine's rinse water. If you feel a cold or flu coming on, use eucalyptus or peppermint, especially for your bed sheets. To make your own dryer sheet, add two drops lavender to a small cloth or handkerchief.
Things You'll Need
- Spray bottles, 16 oz.
- Lemon oil
- Tea tree oil
- Lavender oil
- Peppermint oil
- Eucalyptus oil (optional)
- Other essential oils of your choice
- Cotton ball
- Small cloth or handkerchief
- Liquid soap
- White vinegar
References
- The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy; Valerie Ann Worwood; 1991
- Housekeeping Channel; Essential OIls: A Cleaning Essential?
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