I personally prefer everything be non-chemical because I have a sensitivity to synthetic fragrances. Since I was a young child, I have always enjoyed mixing flower essences given to me from my Grandmother who enjoyed gardening and cooking for people in the community. Every Sunday morning, I would watch my Grandmother clean our family home with products she handpicked from her garden. My Grandmother taught us the importance of having a garden, and that we can find everything we need for living, from our garden!
Household chemicals and cleaners may be effective but they contain a multitude of toxins and chemicals that are definitely not good for our health and well-being. Some reports have even suggested that our indoor air quality can be ten times more polluted than the air we breathe outside, because of the array of chemical cleaners we use in our homes.
To keep the home clean, and bug-free and give it a fresh scent, essential oils are your friend. Essential oils are gentle but powerful and they are capable of destroying a wide range of different viruses, bacteria, and fungi, naturally and safely while leaving surfaces smelling fresh and clean.
Cleaning your home with essential oils is also great for your health, compared to household chemical-based cleaners. Some of these even contain hormone disrupting substances – but you can easily eliminate the risk of side effects by choosing to go natural and make your own cleaning products. Instead of compromising your health with harsh chemicals, try aromatherapy-based products you get to inhale the benefits while you clean your home!
Some of the most effective essential oils for cleaning
Lemon essential oil is a go-to oil for keeping everything clean and fresh-smelling. When diffused into the room it also purifies the air, clearing it of pathogens, and it’s excellent for getting rid of cooking smells. Use lemon oil for cleaning kitchen countertops, dishes, and cutting boards as well as scrubbing the grime off of faucets, removing tile grout, and cleaning water storage containers and bottles. Lemon essential oil blends well with citrus oils like Bergamot and Lime, and you can also add Tea Tree oil for antibacterial effects.
If you have bugs in your home that you’d like to repel, peppermint oil may be your answer – they hate it. As a bonus, it will leave your home smelling fresh and soothing to the nervous system. Peppermint is a natural insect repellent and pesticide which makes it the best essential oil for keeping bugs at bay. Blend it with Orange oil for an extra bug-busting boost and it will help to keep the fruit flies away. Just add both to a diffuser in the kitchen and keep your fruit bowl fly-free. Peppermint and Orange blend is perfect for spraying into the nooks and crannies of a room where spiders like to build webs.
Tea Tree oil is a great multitasker – it’s antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial, and gets rid of mildew and mold in bathrooms, kitchens, or wherever else it crops up. Tea Tree oil can be used on all cleaning accessories, so just add a few drops to a bucket of water before mopping the floor, and not only will you get lovely clean, germ-free floors but you’ll get an uplifting scent that’s said to boost the immune system. My favorite go to is, rosemary oil, sage and eucalyptus oils. The benefits are amazing and not to gentle on the lung!
If you use fabric conditioner – stop and swap the chemicals for Wool Dryer Balls instead. They have the double whammy effect of reducing drying time and static cling and you can add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the ball and your clothes will smell absolutely divine.