Cleaning with Essential Oils

Tips for "Greener" Spring Cleaning

Spring is finally here, and it's time for some spring cleaning!  Although I am not a big fan of doing the actual cleaning work, I do appreciate a clean house.  Especially after spending a long winter with five pets and closed up windows!

I really don't like using a lot of harsh chemicals, so this year I"m cleaning with essential oils and other natural products.  I haven't gone so far as to make my own laundry detergent and dish soap yet, but I'll let you know if I try that in the future.  For now, I'll share a few cleaning tips I've learned:

Windows: Add 20 drops of lemongrass essential oil to 1/2 cup of water.  Put it in a spray bottle and use it to shine up your windows and mirrors.  Apparently, lemongrass oil is also a natural insect repellent, so this is an added benefit.


Surface Cleaner:  Mix 2 cups of water with 2 tsp. tea tree essential oil.  You can either put this in a spray bottle or use it with a sponge.  Tea tree oil is especially good for getting rid of mildew and mold.  (If you have mold or mildew, you should let this mixture sit for a while before wiping it off.)

Tile Floors:  Add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a gallon of warm water.  Lemon oil is good for removing stains and it's also a disinfectant. 

Wood Floors: Mix 2 tablespoons of unscented liquid soap with 4 drops of lemon essential oil and 2 drops of tea tree oil.  Add this to 1 gallon of warm water.

Carpet Deodorizer:  Mix 1 cup baking soda with 18 drops essential oil.  (You can choose any oil, depending on what you like.  Lavender or citrus are good possibilities, but feel free to experiment.)  Sprinkle the powder on your carpet, let it sit for a few minutes and vacuum.

Bath Tub or Shower:  Mix 1 cup baking soda, 24 drops tea tree essential oil and 24 drops grapefruit essential oil.  Rinse the tub or shower with water, sprinkle the powder and let it sit for a few minutes.  Scrub with a sponge or brush and rinse again.