Learn some easy recipes for wonderful smelling homemade cleaners that you can use in your home, made with simple ingredients and essential oils.
I don't know if it's because I have allergies or just a sensitive nose, but sometimes I just cannot stand commercial cleaners. Still, I do want to make sure that my home is clean and safe from bacterial problems, especially in the kitchen.
So, I've researched and tested some homemade cleaners using essential oils and other simple ingredients to be able to clean well, without dealing with harsh chemicals.
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Homemade Cleaners with Essential Oils
My two favorite essential oils are lemon
and lavender
. Lemon because nothing could smell fresher, in my opinion, and lavender because it is the queen of all essential oils and provides a calming effect on the mind and body.
Both are great for cleaning because they are anti-fungal, antibacterial, and antiviral. I have also started using bergamot
which is the scent of an orange, native to the Mediterranean, and used to scent Earl Grey tea. I just love the way it smells.
Countertop Spray
I use it every day on our granite countertops. You probably have heard that vinegar and citrus are bad for your granite countertops, but a little bit of essential oil is not acidic and should be safe for granite.
- 1/3 cup of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl)
- 1/2 teaspoon of dish detergent
- 50 drops of essential oils
- 28-ounce spray bottle
Pour the alcohol, detergent, and essential oils into the bottle. Then fill the rest of the way with water. Shake it up and spray.
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Citrus Scrub -Baking Soda and lemon essential oil
Use this as a great gentle scrub for sinks and tubs. It's also good as a carpet freshener. Just sprinkle lightly on the carpet wait for about 20 minutes and then vacuum.
- box of baking soda
- Lemon essential oil
Find a nice glass jar. I bought this one at dollar general but even a recycled pickle jar works well. Then pour 1/3-1/2 of a box of baking soda in the bottom. Next liberally shake several drops of lemon essential oil, 10-20 drops. Repeat until the jar is full.
Linen or Room Spray
Here's where lavender comes in. You are sure to have a good night's sleep with lavender on your pillow.
- 2 teaspoons of witch hazel
- 15 drops of lavender oil
- 4 ounces of distilled water
- small fine mist spray bottle
Use 2 teaspoons of witch-hazel, combined with 15 drops of lavender oil and 4 oz. of distilled water in a small, fine-mist spray bottle
. You don't have to use distilled water. It is just a precaution, in case you have any heavy minerals in your tap water that might stain your good linens.
Bonus: Here are the labels I used for my cleaners. Feel free to print them out for your own use.
Kris Weiss
Okay I buy at Costco which products are huge. So in your Citrus Scrub you list 1/3-1/2 box I more accurate measurement for this recipe. I am anticipating great cleaning from these recipes
Patti Estep
Hi Kris,
For the citrus scrub there really are no specific measurements.
The reason I stated 1/3 to 1/2 of the box is just to show you how to layer the baking soda with oils, because otherwise it's hard to mix them in.
I'm sure I used the standard 12 oz box of baking soda which is equivalent to about 1 1/2 cups if that helps.
Enjoy your new cleaning products.
Patty Davenport
How long do the air fresheners you make with essential oil usually last?
Patti Estep
Hi Patty,
The freshener itself lasts a long time especially if kept in a dark bottle away from too much light. The scent once you spray it will only last for a little while, maybe a few hours, and that also depends on the type of oil. The citrus probably dissipate the fastest while stronger scents like patchouli or sandalwood will linger longer.
Chiane
And I have Palmolive dish soap. Will this work as well? I'm also waiting till Friday to get Castille soap. So I will use this dish soap if I have too because I know alcohol does not clean dirt
Patti Estep
Hi Chiane,
All I can say is that I have been using the countertop spray for two years on my granite and love it. I don't see why it would not work as an all purpose cleaner. Palmolive should work great. I actually use Dawn because I find that it's good for cutting grease. Some people prefer castile because is gentle and organic however I cannot attest to its effectiveness.
Good luck and I hope you have a very Happy Birthday!
Patti
Chiane
Can I use the countertop spray as an all purpose cleaner as well? I'm out of vinegar for two days and tomorrow's my birthday so all I have is the dishsoap, alcohol, witch hazel and essential oils. But definitely trying to do all the cleaning I can tonight so I don't have to do anything on my birthday! Lol especially since I have two kids and want to take them out! Thank you!
Beth mishne
Hi!! Love your recipes!! I have my own cleaning business so I'm using cleaning supplies all day long so it's very important for me to clean with safe ingredients both for me, my employees and most importantly my clients!! What dish detergent do u recommend for your countertop spray?! I thought I was using an organic one but it has a preservative in it that when I googled it the articles said to avoid it......it's less than 1% but I want to avoid it. Most organic dish soaps have this ingredient....I am currently using dr. Bonners castile soap it's pure but makes the countertop spray recipe look milky....help!! Is this ok to use?
Patti Estep
Hi Beth,
So glad you like my cleaning recipes. I use the countertop spray all the time. It's my favorite and my granite seems to keep it's shine. I use Dawn for the dish soap. I don't think that it is organic but it does well with dirt and grease and I'm only using the smallest amount. I wish I had a better answer for you. Thanks for stopping by and good luck on your quest for the perfect cleaning supplies. Maybe you'll start a line of your own. 🙂
Patti
April Buttner
Young Living has a fabulous organic essential oil dishsoap called Thieves. I love it and am excited to try it in this recipe.
pestep81@gmail.com
Thanks Blair, I hope you like it
Blair @ The Seasoned Mom
I love these ideas -- especially the lavender spray. I use a store-bought lavender and chamomile spray on my pillow at night, so a homemade version sounds even better. Thanks for sharing!
Denise Wright
This is a great article. I just bought some new essential oils and am trying to incorporate them in my daily life. Also we just got new granite countertops so these recipes will be very helpful! Thanks!
pestep81@gmail.com
I hope you like them. I find using a soft cloth or paper towel helps the granite shine without any streaking. Also I shake the bottle before spraying the countertop.
Steph
Would you be able to use eucalyptus for the linen spray? Is eucalyptus safe for a 2 year old in bed and the shower?
Patti Estep
You could use eucalyptus in a linen spray. I can't say whether it would be an issue for a young child. Please check with your physician first.