Essential oils smell great, and they can be used for many purposes beyond fragrance. Certain oils are naturally antibacterial and can be used to make safe household cleaners that are free of chemicals, dyes, and nasty fumes. I make my own DIY Essential Oil Cleaning Spray and would like to share with you the easy recipe.
Making natural cleaners at home can be very rewarding. It’s comforting to know you are not putting toxic chemicals into our water system, and you’re not spraying chemicals around your house that can irritate your skin, eyes, and lungs, and those of your pets.
You can make your own scent combinations to match your mood or change the mood of a room. I like to use lavender with sweet orange and lemon in the summer months, and lavender, orange, and pine in the winter.
Here is a list of essential oils that work well in cleaning products.
Lavender is one of the safest essential oils to use. The Latin root of the word lavender literally means to wash. It is antibacterial and has a very pleasing floral and herbaceous scent.
Sweet Orange is great for working on grease spots or glue residue. It is antibacterial and antiviral. Orange blends well with other oils and has a happy smell. It may discolor some surfaces.
Lemon has a light clean scent. It is naturally antibacterial and antiviral and works well on greasy spots. The light scent may disappear or be overpowered by other scents.
Tea Tree is antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, and naturally repels bugs. Some may not like its medicinal smell but it blends well with other oils.
Pine Needle has been used in household cleaners for decades. It is antiseptic, antibacterial, fights mold and mildew, is great for sinks and bathrooms, and adds a fresh scent to floors. Use well diluted.
Thyme is a powerhouse against germs. It fights salmonella so is great to add to dish soap and to use on cutting boards. It also smells lovely. This very potent oil should be used well diluted.
Rosemary is antibacterial and antiseptic. It blends well with peppermint, and brightens up a room.
Eucalyptus is a natural germicide and fights dust mites and helps to clear the air. Works well to combat kitchen odors and to repel bugs.
Peppermint is antibacterial. It has a fresh cool scent and works well to deters ants and other bugs. Use well diluted.
Cinnamon Leaf is antiseptic and antifungal, fights mold and mildew, repels bugs, as has a warm spicy aroma. It can be a skin irritant.
Have fun experimenting with different oils to get the combination you like best.
Caution:
- Never use essential oils straight up. Always dilute them. In the recipe below we are diluting the essential oils with liquid Castile soap and distilled water.
- Some pets may be sensitive to certain essential oils. This cleaning spray is diluted enough that it shouldn’t bother them. Don’t be tempted to add more essential oils than the recipe calls for.
DIY Essential Oil Cleaning Spray Recipe
Here is a recipe for a DIY all-purpose cleaning spray you can easily make at home:
Ingredients
16-ounce amber glass bottle with spray top (do not use plastic)
2 tablespoons liquid Castile soap (I used Dr. Bronner’s unscented)
15 drops of essential oils (I used 8 lavender, 5 sweet orange, 2 lemon)
Distilled water
Directions
Pour 2 ounces of unscented liquid Castile soap into the glass bottle. Add a total of 15 drops of essential oils of your choice. Fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water. Shake well to combine ingredients.
Shake before each use. Spray on surface. Wipe with a clean damp cloth.
For your convenience I listed links to some of the supplies I used below:
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Liquid Soap
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