It’s April! Spring is upon us! The trees are budding and have come back to life. The daffodils and crocuses are sprouting heralding the arrival of warmer weather. On the first warm sunny day, I love to open all the windows and doors and allow the fresh air of early spring to sweep the heaviness of winter out of the house. The whole house begins to come alive again and it motivates me to start my spring cleaning! This is when I break out my essential oils for spring. I love to choose the ones that have a happy sparkly energy. Essential oils are a great way to clean your home, they are safe when used properly and help to support your body and immune system too! More and more people are ditching the chemical-based cleaners and opting for healthier options.
If you are intrigued by essential oils and want to start exploring how to incorporate them into your cleaning routines, let me share with you a few of my favorite essential oils for cleaning. Here are four oils that are fabulous for disinfecting and cleaning you home while energizing and supporting your immune system too! Let’s begin with a one that most people know well…
Lemon
Lemon essential oil is a favorite for some many people because it supports you on multiple levels: it’s an antibacterial, an antiviral and an antidepressant. It naturally disinfects and eliminates odors, making it a fantastic choice for cleaning. Not surprisingly, lemon is a natural mood enhancer, helping lift away stress and anxiety. It also helps with focus and clarity and it is supportive of a healthy immune system.
Peppermint
Peppermint essential oil has a clean uplifting aroma that awakens and refreshes. It’s antimicrobial qualities also make it a great choice for cleaning the air and transmuting stagnant energy in your home. It is also a fantastic natural bug repellent. Creepy crawlers, such as spiders and ants, run the other way when they get a whiff of peppermint essential oil. Much like lemon, peppermint helps with focus and clarity…and it opens up those airways too, helping you to breathe easier.
Lemongrass
Contrary to what its name may suggest, lemongrass essential oil is actually derived from a species of grass rather than a fruit. It has a lemony yet herbaceous aroma that uplifts yet calms at the same time. Lemongrass is a powerful anti-fungal that purifies and cleans. It is great at disinfecting and neutralizing odors making it very popular for use in bathrooms and spas. Like peppermint, lemongrass is also a wonderful pest deterrent. Misting window sills and doorways will keep the critters outdoors!
Eucalyptus
There are a few varieties of eucalyptus essential oil. Today I will be referring to Eucalyptus Globulus which is a wonderful essential oil to purify, awaken and refresh the air. It has a fresh camphorous quality that is supportive of mental clarity and focus. Like peppermint, it opens up airways and clears congestion. It also is a natural disinfectant and with its strong camphorous aroma it can also be a good pest deterrent.
Incorporating essential oils into your cleaning routine is easy to do. There are tons of recipes online that you can try. Here are two easy ones you can make using ingredients from your closet and pantry. It is best to always make all natural recipes in small batches to ensure their quality and freshness.
DIY Fresh Lemon Scrub for Tub & Tile:
1 cup Baking Soda
¼ cup Castile Soap
10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
10 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil
Mix ingredients together in a glass or ceramic bowl until it forms a paste. Apply to tub and tiles using a sponge or brush. I like to give an extra scrub to grout or other areas that begin to show signs of mildew. Let sit for 15 minutes then rinse thoroughly. Discard the unused portion and make a fresh batch when needed.
DIY Room Refresher Spray
8 oz. Distilled Water (do not use tap or spring water)
2 TB Vodka or Witch Hazel (emulsifies the essential oils to water)
15 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
15 drops Peppermint essential oil
Combine Vodka or Witch Hazel and essential oils together. Using a clean 8 oz. glass spray bottle, add distilled water, then add vodka/essential oil mixture. Shake vigorously to disperse the essential oils into the mixture. Be sure to label the bottle with the ingredients and date it was created. Use it for two weeks then discard the unused portion and make a fresh batch. Just a reminder that this spray is intended to freshen the air, so avoid spraying directly on people and pets.
You can give these recipes a try as is or you can try mixing and matching different oils. Whenever we are talking about essential oils, it’s always good to be aware of safety concerns.
Today we have been talking about using essential oils for cleaning, however, essential oils are also great options for personal use too. Here are just a few safety concerns to keep in mind when making recipes and blends that will be applied to skin:
- Always dilute your essential oil with an appropriate carrier oil to avoid skin sensitization.
- Avoid sunlight when using cold pressed citrus oils. Cold pressed oils can be phototoxic and cause severe reactions when exposed to UV light.
- Never take essential oils internally unless advised by a healthcare professional.
- If you have pets, be mindful of diffusing essential oils. Cats especially are sensitive to essential oils. It’s a good idea to educate yourself on which oils are safe to use around pets.
If you have any questions about essential oils or aromatherapy, feel free to come by The Curious Heart located at 11 North Union Avenue. I love talking about the different ways that essential oils can support your healthy lifestyle. Happy cleaning!
