ESSENTIAL OILS FOR CLEANING

Cleaning was never one of my favourite things, but now, I am starting to really enjoy it! Why? Well, the beautiful, natural scents as I clean sure help, and they tend to linger in the air, making my home smell super fresh. Essential oils that bring feelings of relaxation, and calm, or energise me. Can anyone say multi-purpose cleaning products?!
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I never liked chemical cleaning products, but just bought them as that was what was available, not realising there were safer choices for our family. Now I know better! There are so many natural choices and plant-based products coming to market, which is so lovely that the world is catching up to where our "natural" hearts have been for a long, long, time.
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Although I love my natural cleaning products, I am again changing the way I do things a bit and switching to something else. Yes, I'm still buying natural cleaning products, but I am also starting on the journey to make my own. The reusable packaging, verses buying a new container every time, and the ability to buy in bulk and save money for other things is definitely appealing... if I can find the time that is!

Essential Oils for Cleaning

​Making your own home cleaning products are where essential oils really come into their own, especially high-quality, pure essential oils. A good quality essential oil should have a strong, very natural smelling scent. Geranium essential oil really should smell like you stuck your face into a big bunch of geraniums! Making the switch to natural products, I am now finding it easier to "smell" when something is synthetic or chemical based. These unnatural synthetic products are nasty. AVOID.

Even so called "natural" products, or "organic" products are labelled as such sometimes just as a marketing ploy. So how can we know the difference? Check the ingredients, make it yourself, or find a natural community online who can steer you in the right direction. ​There are a lot of essential oils that I use for cleaning. Some are used for their fresh scent, some used to deter pests, and some used for their actual cleaning properties, and some do all three!  Fancy that!

Here is a list of my favourite essential oils for cleaning purposes to add to your DIY cleaning collection. I cannot list their powerful actions, (see my About Oils page for why) but a bit of online research will tell you all you need to know about their multi-purpose benefits.They can all be switched up and changed around, in window wash or dishes, it doesn't really matter too much, get creative and have some 'fun' with it! Thats the benefit of essential oils really, they can be used for a variety of uses!

EUCALYPTUS: Brilliant for removing sticky residues, such as sticky tape "leftovers",  using around bins or other "stinky" areas. Good in a hard floor cleaning recipe. Wonderful in the shower and bathroom, as the scent invigorates with the steam of your shower. Bonus!

THIEVES: A unique Cloves and Cinnamon blend, this is great diluted for spray and wipe cleaning of wet area ceilings, vents, and wherever mould might occur. Diluted CLOVES, ROSEMARY, or CINNAMON OIL will work for this purpose on their own if you don't have the blend. This Thieves blend is part of our core range of essential oil cleaning products. Find THIEVES Essential Oil Blend in our store.

LEMON: Lovely in DIY dish soap, mop bucket recipes, or DIY laundry powder, Lemon is one of our cheaper "under $25" range, so is a perfect starter bottle if you're new to essential oils. Find LEMON Essential Oil here.

PEPPERMINT: Fresh scent and cleaning properties, gives a boost of positivity as you clean! Again a great essential oil for DIY hand soap recipes, mop bucket additive, great for adding to your cobweb broom to deter spiders. 
SPEARMINT is a wonderful substitute.

CEDARWOOD: Wonderful warm-scented Cedarwood is good for putting in cupboards to deter "eaters". Make fabric pouches for your pantry or clothing drawers with Cedarwood essential oil. DIY "how to" to come in another post.

PURIFICATION: A great oil blend if you have pets. Dilute and use to clean up messes, or messy areas around food bowls or kitty litter. Wonderful if mixed with bicarb and sprinkled on carpets for a carpet deodoriser, let sit, then vacuum away.

​LIME: Lime is a favourite for dish soaps, spray and wipes, and hand soaps for its fresh scent, and bargain price at under $25. Diffuse after all your cleaning is done to let you know that you're a success, with its positive and clearing aroma.

If DIY cleaning is your jam, then this is the blog for you! I will be posting more on DIY cleaning recipes soon. You can also check out our other DIY posts to get you started. There's an easy DIY Foaming Hand Soap, DIY cleaning recipes with Thieves Household Cleaner, and a DIY Linen Spray.  See our Essential Oils List for more oils you might like to start making cleaning recipes with, and do some DIY creations of your own. Put on your favourite tunes and get creative!

If making your own DIY cleaning products is your worst nightmare, that's ok. The mess I make does seem a bit counter productive sometimes, so I get it. It's just easier to have the beautiful packaged product ready to go. Switching to a natural way of cleaning is still possible! Find our ready made, essential oil infused cleaning products with our Thieves Cleaning Range here. You can purchase all these essential oils for your DIY cleaning here at The Oil House. What tunes are you rocking out to as the vacuum cleaner hums? Do you make your own cleaning products? Have a favourite DIY cleaning recipe to share?

Eucalyptus Blue Essential Oil

Lemon Essential Oil

Lime Essential Oil