Essential Oils to Help Keep Your Home Fresh and Clean
We share some ways in which you can clean and refresh your home with sustainable homemade recipes.
They are simple and economical to make as well as being very effective to use - and they all include a few drops of essential oil to fill your space with a lovely fragrance too.
Toilet Fizzers
Give your toilet a quick refresh by dropping in one or two of these toilet fizzers into the bowl and let it fizz away! The citric acid ingredient will quickly get to work on any limescale while removing any staining. At the same time, bicarbonate of soda or baking soda will deodorize and act as a gentle abrasive.
You will need:
- 5 ounces citric acid
- 10 ounces bicarbonate of soda or baking soda
- 20 drops of Lavender Oil or Tea Tree Oil
- Spray bottle with witch hazel or distilled water
- Ice cube tray
Directions:
Combine the citric acid and bicarb in a bowl before adding the essential oils. Spray twice with the witch hazel or distilled water and combine, adding more sprays as needed, until the mixture comes together and is moldable. Transfer to the ice cube tray, firming into place and leave to set for about four hours. Turn out the tablets from the ice cube tray, giving them another few sprays to help them set. Allow to dry overnight before storing in a glass jar to use when needed. To use, simply drop one or two into the toilet bowl, leaving overnight.
A Natural Surface Cleaner
While this cleanser can include white vinegar, it should not be used on surfaces such as quartz or marble. In such circumstances, the white vinegar can be replaced with vodka.
You will need:
- 1/3 pint of white vinegar or vodka
- 1/3 pint of distilled water
- 20 drops Tea Tree Oil
- 20 drops of Lavender Oil
- Funnel, jug and spray bottle
Directions:
Pour all liquids into a spray bottle, screw on the top and shake thoroughly. Then spray to use.
Cleaning Cloths
These cloths produce zero waste and offers the perfect, sustainable alternative to those wet wipes that can take over one hundred years to decompose. They will provide having a cloth on hand to clean any spills before they stain.
You will need:
- Recycled cotton fabric (old clean handkerchiefs, washcloths or from old T-shirts or other material) cut into squares. Pinking sheers can help to stop any fraying.
- Large glass jar
- Distilled water
- Tablespoon of Castile soap
- 20 drops of Lavender Oil
Directions:
Fill large jar with distilled water, the castile soap and then the essential oil. Submerge your cloths and shake the jar to ensure the cloths have absorbed the liquid. Store in the refrigerator and remove a wipe when needed. When used, the wipes can be washed in the washing machine and the process can be repeated.
SOURCES:
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.