By: Kimberly Daun, Certified Aromatherapist
I love cleaning with essential oils because it leaves everything smelling so fabulous! Our noses have such sensitive mucus membranes and it’s important that we treat them gently. We should be breathing in things that help, and don’t hurt the delicate lining of our nasal passage. Many traditional cleaners have harsh chemicals that burn the nose, prolonged exposure can damage and even cause you to lose your sense of smell entirely. There are also many respiratory concerns with using harsh chemicals. For those reasons I choose to use natural cleaning recipes in my home.
It’s always a good idea to test a small, inconspicuous spot with new cleaners to ensure there are no undesired results.
Here’s a list of 15 of the best essential oils to destroy germs and maintain a sanitary environment (this is by no means an exhaustive list as many essential oils carry these same benefits);
- Bergamot
- Citrus Burst Synergy
- Clove Bud
- Deodorizing Synergy
- Germ Destroyer Synergy
- Germ Fighter Synergy
- Ginger Root CO2
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Orange (both)
- Palmarosa
- Peppermint
- Rosemary 1,8-Cineole
- Tea Tree
- Thyme (I used linalool)
Below you’ll find 6 of my favorite DIY cleaning products.
Carpet & Mattress Powder
What you’ll need;
- 3 ounces baking soda
- 3 drops Essential Oil (My favorite is the Deodorizing Synergy)
- Shaker container
To use;
Shake evenly on the carpet and/or mattress, let sit for an hour, vacuum thoroughly.
Dusting Recipe (Adapted from Linda McCarthy)
What you will need:
- 6 drops Jojoba Carrier Oil
- 10 drops essential oil (I used 7 Lemon, 3 May Chang, it smelled like pledge)
- 4 ounces water*
- 4 oz Spray Bottle
To use:
Simply spray and wipe, I like using a microfiber cloth. Since jojoba is a wax it left behind a nice shine and I loved the scent I was left with!
Multi Purpose Spray (adapted from Michelle Pippin)
What you’ll need:
- 3 1/2 ounces water*
- 2 grams Castile Soap
- 15 drops essential oil (I use Germ Destroyer or Germ Fighter in most batches )
- 4 oz Spray Bottle
To use:
Spray and wipe. I use this on my floors and counters. I have little ones so I only use Germ Fighter if the room is well ventilated and my kids are gone for several hours. This recipe also works great for mirrors and windows!
Soft Scrub
What you’ll need:
- 12 ounces baking soda
- 4 ounces Castile Soap
- 0.5 ounces water*
- 0.5 ounces white vinegar
- 30 drops of essential oil (I used half Tea Tree and half Germ Fighter)
To use:
Spread the paste, let sit for 5-10 minutes, and scrub away!
Carpet Stain Remover
What you’ll need:
- 1 ounce baking soda
- 0.5 ounces vinegar
- 2 drops essential oil (I really think Lemon is best used here as it does a really great job at cutting through the stain)
To use:
Work paste into the stain with a toothbrush, allow to dry and vacuum up, may require a couple of treatments.
Furniture Polish
What you’ll need:
- 1 ounce unrefined (solid) coconut oil
- 12 drops Jojoba Carrier Oil
- 7 drops essential oil (4 Orange Sweet and 3 Lavender)
To use:
Use a very small amount and buff furniture with it until you are left with an even shine. I really love microfiber cloths. If you have streaks, continue to spread and buff until shiny. This is probably my favorite recipe, it left my furniture looking so fresh and vibrant, it also left a gentle and uplifting aroma behind that lasted all afternoon.
Concerned about how castile soap mixes with vinegar, water, and hydrogen peroxide?
*These water-based recipes do not contain an emulsifier or preservative. You will need to shake well before each use (to mix the water and oils or add an emulsifier). Store in the fridge and use within one week (or add a preservative to reduce concerns of bacterial growth, learn more about preservatives here)*
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Would I need to add a preservative to the multipurpose spray if I made a big batch ahead of time? And if so, what would be a good preservative to use? Thank you
If you’re making something water based ahead of time you would want to use a preservative to prevent bacteria growth. I would go to this post to help you research what preservative would be best. We aren’t trained in preservatives so this is a great post to start with. https://www.planttherapy.com/blog/2016/05/17/preservatives/
I found out that white vinegar is a good natural preservative. Is that correct?
Summer, unfortunately vinegar is not an effective preservative in cleaning products. We would generally recommend using either Germall plus or Optiphen plus as a broad spectrum preservative for your DIY products. I hope this helps!
I plan on making a big batch of the all purpose cleaner without water and then dillute as needed. I have seen similar recipes that add a little vinegar or rubbing alcohol…i think I’m going to add rubbing alcohol
I had read somewhere else (multiple places actually) that you shouldn’t mix vinegar and castile soap because they will curdle and leave behind a residue (for example, see: http://www.lisabronner.com/a-word-of-caution-about-vinegar-and-castile-soap/). But I see you have it listed here in both the multi-purpose spray and the soft scrub recipes. Any thoughts?
The vinegar does become cloudy with some white specs. I shake well before each use and make it as I use it. Despite being cloudy it cleans really well and doesn’t clog my sprayer, I haven’t noticed any residue left behind.
What does four (4) grams equal to for ounces for the Castille soap?
4 grams is equal to 0.14 ounces or 0.8 of a teaspoon.
I’d like to make the dusting recipe, I’m struggling with how much preservative to use for the recipe. any help is appreciated. I’m looking at Optiphen plus. Thanks!
Tali, it is recommended to use 0.5-1.5% of the total weight of the recipe.
Do you need to wear gloves for all of these recipes while cleaning?
As these products are for cleaning, contain other products as well as strong oils, that would be a good idea 🙂
what can be substituted for the unrefined (solid) coconut oil? I have grandchildren that have MCAD and cannot use coconut oil.
Terry, I am sorry but as we are not familiar with the specifics or possible complications associated with this condition in which people have trouble with certain fats, we would recommend consulting with the dr to be safe…
So I want to make the Germ Destroyer spray. Without having to add a preservative, it would still be ok stored in the fridge until I use it and it’s all gone? (Not within one week) I have a 16oz. amber glass spray bottle so I wanted to make enough for that, or at least half full.
Thanks!
Hi Plant Therapy,
I am a big fan of essential oil. I will appreciate to be suggested whether can use “germ fighter” in day to day usage of floor cleaner, hand wash, toilet cleaner or liquid detergent. If yes what should be quantity.
Thanks
Okafor Emmanuel
Germ Fighter can be used in DIY cleaning products, though we would recommend using our KidSafe Germ Destroyer if you have children. 🙂 For cleaning purposes, I typically stick with a 1-2% dilution. 🙂
All these recipes sound great! Can’t wait to try them!
That’s great to hear, Jody! Thank you for sharing!
Does the essential oil mask the vinegar smell well?
Yes and no. It doesn’t cover up the smell of the spray in the bottle, but it masks it pretty well once you wipe it up. 🙂
I’m so excited, we are moving into our new home and the carpet powder and furniture polish are just what I need. Can’t wait to try them…thanks
For the furniture polish, can I use fractionated coconut oil instead of unrefined coconut oil?
Yep! Jojoba works nicely as well. ☺️
This may be a difficult question to answer but I’m new to essential oils and am working to learn a lot. I will confess I’m a bleach lover. :/ I don’t like to think of germs in my tub, toilet, countertops (think salmonella). Are there any studies I can look at to compare the quality of natural cleaning remedies compared to their chemical alternatives to know that I’m getting all the bad guys if I put away my trusty bleach and chemicals? Thank you.
Please email us at [email protected] and we can get you some information! 🙂
And sorry for another questions but the link to the preservatives just takes you to the http://www.plantherapy.com site but no article. Do you have the correct link?
Please email us at [email protected] and we can help get you more information. 🙂
Bookmarking this page! I love all the recipes! Cant wait to try!
Have a question about thyme, I bought the thymol for the specific purpose of using it to clean with etc while the kids are in school….what dilution is recommended for it to be effective? And is it a good choice? Flu season is once again upon us!
Tammie, Thyme Thyml is a skin irritant and should be used at less than 1%. I would maybe consider using safer oils for cleaning like our citrus oils, or Germ Destroyer if you have children 🙂