I am passionate about using essential oils for cleaning, so I am so excited to have my friend and fellow blogger, Kelly, here for a guest post this week to help convince you to make the switch. Her blog, The Oily life, is a great essential oil resource with information ranging from essential oils for beauty to those for pest control and, of course, for cleaning. Today she is here to explain why you should “ditch” those chemical cleaners and “switch” to using essential oils for cleaning. She is also sharing recipes for an all-purpose cleaner, a glass spray, a tub scrub, and a wood furniture/floor polish. Thanks, Kelly! So, without further ado, here she is:

Cleaning products were really what got me started using essential oils…

My kids playing on the floor, putting tub toys in their mouths, eating off of the counter… these are all very specific moments I can remember thinking “I sure hope they’re not ingesting harmful chemicals”. As I learn about the properties of each oil, I’m more convinced that they are a better choice to clean our home. Depending on the oil, I know that I’m using a disinfectant, antibacterial, anti-fungal, or mold/mildew killer. And I love that I can include my kids in the cleaning process and know that they are safe helping me clean the house! (They really get a kick out of watching me make up the solutions too….hello, science!)


Why switch to essential oils for cleaning?

In short, your lungs, endocrine system (hormones), skin, eyes, and nerves are the most at risk when touching or inhaling chemical cleaning products. I’m talking about cleaning products you’d buy at the grocery store. Some are even labeled or packaged as “green” cleaning agents (see the EWG article listed below for an in-depth look) Now, doesn’t that make you want to lick your kitchen counter?

If you’re curious, go to the Environmental Working Group Guide to Healthy Cleaning  and type in your cleaning products to see how good or bad they rank on a scale from A to F. Categories include Carcinogenicity, Cancer, Environment, Respiratory, Skin, Developmental and Reproductive toxicity.

 

Using Essential Oils for Cleaning

 

Still need convincing? Check out these three articles:

CBS News: EWG’s Hall of Shame

Cleaning Products or SMoking…not a huge difference, actually.

Newsweek has something to say about it.

 

 

 

 

Some of my favorite recipes using Essential oils for cleaning:

All Purpose Spray

  • 1 Capful Thieves Cleaner Concentrate (you can also use Thieves Essential Oil instead of the concentrate)
  • Fill Bottle with Distilled water

Glass Cleaner

  • 16 oz spray bottle
  • 10 drops Lemon essential oil
  • Fill the bottle 1/4 full of white vinegar
  • Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water

Tub Scrub (seriously, ditch the Soft Scrub)

  • 3/4 cup baking soda
  • 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
  • 1 Tbsp water
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 10 drops of Lemon essential oil (or Thieves is a good choice too)
  • *combine baking soda and castile soap in a large bowl. Add water and vinegar (be careful because vinegar and baking soda bubble up together). Add your oil last. Store in an airtight container.

Wood Furniture Polish // or // Wood Floor Cleaner

  • 1 Capful Thieves Cleaner Concentrate
  • 1 Cup Olive Oil
  • 10 drops Lemon essential oil
  • Apply evenly to floors with a damp (not wet) mop.

Here are a Couple more recipes using essential oils for cleaning:

Foaming Hand Soap

Spot Remover for Carpets

It’s never been a better time to learn how to make and use natural cleaning products as more and more data shows what we’ve assumed for years: toxic chemicals in cleaning products lead to significant health hazards. What better time of year to ditch your toxic cleaning products and start fresh. This is by far the easiest way to make an effort toward a healthier lifestyle. Here are a few simple ways to ditch the chemical-laden cleaning products for a healthier alternative…

As you begin your spring cleaning regimen, I encourage you to try out some of these recipes and give natural cleaning solutions a try! You won’t be sorry that you did, and you’ll never look back!

Thank you so much, Kelly, for the information and the recipes! Kelly loves, uses, and even sells Young Living essential oils. She has more information on her site. Thieves is a powerful essential oil combination from Young Living that is made from Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Rosemary, and Eucalyptus. These oils provide effective and powerful cleaning properties and will compare to any store-bought cleaner without the threat to your endocrine system, your microbiome, and your nervous system, etc.

All major brands of essential oils have a version of this blend. (Be sure not to use the essential oils that are sold in most drug stores and grocery stores, however. There are purity and toxicity concerns.) For an alternative to Thieves, you can use Purify from Rocky Mountain oils, Germ Fighter from Plant Therapy, or create your own blend from single essential oils.

Here are a few of my recipes using essential oils:

Tea tree and Lavender all purpose cleaner

Tea tree and Lavender disinfectant

Microbiome-safe hand sanitizer

DIY Essential oil roll-ons 

I hope you take the plunge, ditch your chemical cleaners, and harness the power of plants for your spring cleaning!

Using Essential Oils for Cleaning