It may not be possible or cost effective to avoid all of these chemicals in your cleaning and personal care products, but there are plenty of ways to reduce your family’s exposure to them. Using therapeutic-grade essential oils, as a natural household cleaner, is a safe, effective alternative to many store-bought cleaning products. Some of the best essential oils for cleaning include cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, thyme, spruce, lemon, lemongrass, and grapefruit. Try some of the following ideas for a powerful, natural clean:
Household cleaner:
- Fill a spray bottle with water and a squirt of dishwashing soap.
- Add 3–5 drops each of lavender, lemon, and pine essential oils.
- Shake well.
Floor cleaner:
- Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to a bucket of water.
- Add 5–10 drops lemon, pine, spruce, melaleuca, or Purification essential oil.
Fighting dust mites:
- Recent research has shown that eucalyptus essential oil kills dust mites that live in bedding.
- Add 25 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to each load of laundry for an effective dust mite deterrent.
Hot tubs and saunas:
- Use 3 drops per person of lavender, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, thyme, lemon, or grapefruit to disinfect and freshen the water.
- For saunas, add several drops rosemary, thyme, pine, or lavender to a spray bottle with water and spray surfaces. This water can also be used to splash onto hot sauna stones.
Kitchens and bathrooms:
- Mix into 1 quart water: 2 drops rosemary, 4 drops lemon, 3 drops eucalyptus, and 4 drops lavender.
- Shake well and put into a spray bottle. Shake again before using.
Window cleaner:
- Mix in 1 quart spray bottle: 1 cup White Vinegar, 10-15 drops of Lemon Essential Oil, water.
- Mix vinegar and water in spray bottle.
- Add essential oil.
- Shake and use.
Stain Removal:
- Use a drop or two of lemon essential oil on stains.
- Let stand and rub off with a clean cloth or throw into laundry cycle.
In the Dryer:
- Instead of using toxic and irritating softening sheets in the dryer, toss in a dampened washcloth with 10 drops of lavender, lemon, melaleuca, bergamot, or other oils added.
- While the oils will not reduce static cling, they will impart a lovely fragrance to the clothes.
Young Living’s Most Popular Oils for Cleaning
