During this NZ COVID-19 lockdown, our diffusers have been running non-stop and one thing that popped in to mind was using essential oils to clean around the house. In our local supermarkets, we have found that certain cleaning products are low on stock and considering that the whole country is on lockdown, others may be facing a similar issue. Whether it’s your favourite cleaning agent that’s out of stock, you’re not wanting to line up at the supermarket or you just have lots of essential oils lying around; essential oils are a great natural alternative to commercial cleaning products.
Before we get on with the blog, remember to take caution when handling essential oils. Keep out of reach of children. Any essential oil may cause skin sensitivity. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician first. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas. Store essential oils in a safe area, out of reach of children and pets.
Essential oils are great alternatives for cleaning products, they have natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties which make them very versatile. One benefit of making your essential oil cleaning solution is that you can use your preferred oil and scent. Whether you like the smell and calmness of Lavender, the bright and tangy scent of Lemon and Grapefruit or something minty like Peppermint; there are endless choices to choose from. Because essential oils are naturally strong and potent liquids, you do need to mix them with a water solution. Here at D:FUSE NZ we like to use a simple water and vinegar solution with our essential oils. This is a great base to get started. Below are some recipes we like to use. Of course, you can mix and match with what you like and have available at home; there are endless recipes available online.
The water and vinegar base we like to use is 1 cup of water to ½ cup of white vinegar, a 2:1 ratio. We then add essential oils to this base mixture and generally recommend around 15 to 25 drops of essential oil per 2-3 cups of the base solution. Of course, you can add or decrease this amount depending on your desired scent strength. With this 3-ingredient recipe, you can get started very easily; simply mix well and use it in a spray bottle. Feel free to try different recipes out there! There are more complicated recipes that involve adding baking soda, salt, extra soaps etc. Please note that any brand of essential oils can be used, as long as it is 100% pure essential oil.
Simple essential oil cleaning recipe:
Lemon essential oil cleaning solution:
1 cup of water
½ cup of white vinegar
12 drops of Lemon essential oil
Lavender Essential oil cleaning solution:
1 cup of water
½ cup white vinegar
12 drops of Lavender essential oil.
Mix and Match:
1 cup of water
½ cup white vinegar
6 drops Lavender essential oil
6 drops Lemon essential oil
If you would like to mix and match, there are lots of combinations that work great together. Lemon and Lavender are a great combo we like to use along with Eucalyptus and Peppermint. We understand that for some, the solution may be a bit to vinegary, in this case you can reduce the amount of vinegar in the recipe slightly; however, it is important that it remains in the recipe. Ideally, you want to store your essential oil solution in a dark glass spray bottle as this reduces the amount of sunlight which can deteriorate the essential oils.
With all that said, we do understand that different individuals will have different ideas and thoughts when it comes to using essential oils as a cleaning agent, and that is totally fine by us! This blog is just a way for us to share our thoughts and ideas with our aromatherapy community. Stay safe New Zealand and happy diffusing!
Please note when using any essential oils:
Keep out of reach of children. Any essential oil may cause skin sensitivity. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications or under a doctor’s care, consult your physician first. Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas. Happy diffusing!
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