There’s no better feeling than having a good old deep clean of your house. Having all counters sparkling clean and smelling wonderful is somewhat close to heaven for some (including me).
Although conventional cleaning products are great at eliminating germs, grime, and all other unwanted…stuff, these products can be pretty toxic.
Are Household Cleaning Supplies Toxic?
Many household cleaning products can contain chemicals that are harmful to human health and can pollute the air. Some are even flammable and corrosive.
Other chemicals you may be familiar with, that are quite harmful, are bleach and ammonia.
Exposure to these chemicals can irritate your eyes, throat, and skin, and can cause some allergic reactions in people, and headaches.
People who already suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses should actively avoid products that contain these chemicals.
Some products that include these chemicals are:
Aerosol spray products such as cleaning products, health and beauty products.
Chlorine bleach.
Detergent and dishwashing liquid.
Furniture and floor polish cleaners.
Oven cleaners.
Air fresheners.
You can find some products that have less harmful chemicals in them, for example, some may have reduced amounts of VOCs, and they will often state that on the bottle.
However, there is no law that states that cleaning products must list all their ingredients, so it is best to be safe and avoid them altogether.
Do Essential Oils Work As Cleaning Products?
Essential oils do much more than just smell good and make you feel calm. Many of them have antimicrobial properties.
If you get your hands on some pure essential oils, they are very potent, meaning they can destroy certain fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
On top of this, they smell delightful and won’t have posed any risks to your health, and you won’t be left with a chemical smell after cleaning!
Which Essential Oils Are Good for Cleaning?
Lemon Essential Oil
Not only does lemon have a refreshing citrus scent, but it is also very effective in removing grease from surfaces, as well as disinfecting. It blends wonderfully with other oils such as vanilla, rosemary, and bergamot.
If you can’t get your hands on lemon essential oil, then orange is a good replacement. It’ll help with degreasing, but not disinfecting.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea Tree Oil, also known as Melaleuca, is a perfect oil for cleaning! It does have a strong scent, but it is one that smells of cleanliness and refreshment.
This essential oil is antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral!
If there’s an essential oil you’re going to use for cleaning, it without a doubt needs to be this one. It pairs very nicely with clary sage, bergamot, clove bud, lavender, and rosemary.
Lavender Essential Oil
While lavender essential oil is exceptionally popular for its calming properties, many people aren’t aware of its cleaning properties.
Lavender can prevent mold and mildew from building up, so it is great to mix in with your laundry detergent. This enables it to clean your washing machine and prevents those musty odors from building up.
It is also a great oil to use as a spray for bedroom linen. It is very versatile and mixes well with orange, peppermint, rosemary, clary sage, and many more.
Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme essential oil is used in many natural cleaners due to its antibacterial properties. It is popular for kitchen and bathroom cleaners and if you really want to use it for its effects, it should be used in a higher concentration.
It mixes very well with rosemary, lemon, lavender, and bergamot.
Essential Oil Blends For Cleaning
There are many more essential oils out there that are good to use for cleaning. We are going to list some blends that you can put together yourself.
Get ready to throw out all those conventional sprays and products that have been sitting around in your cupboard for years, and replace them with these non-harmful and delicious smelling blends.
The two combined will not only produce a lovely smelling cleaning product, but will also leave you with spotless surfaces due to the antibacterial properties these oils have.
These oils are mixed with white vinegar, a commonly used non-toxic household cleaner.
What you’ll need is 20 drops of tea tree oil, 30 drops of lemon oil, 1 teaspoon of natural dish soap, 2 cups of water, and 2 cups of white vinegar.
Mix the ingredients together in a spray bottle and shake well to ensure they’ve combined. You can use this cleaner for all areas of your home.
Window And Mirror Cleaner
This blend is perfect for windows, mirrors, and any stainless steel appliances or surfaces. Once you’ve sprayed it on the desired surface, simply wipe off with a paper towel for ultimate shine!
This blend uses rubbing alcohol, another household cleaning item that is a less toxic version of conventional cleaning supplies.
Simply mix 20 drops of peppermint essential oil, ¼ cup of vinegar and rubbing alcohol (you can use vodka also), and 3 cups of distilled water.
Shake them all together in a spray bottle and voilà!
Combine the two ingredients in a container, cover tightly with a lid, and shake well. Let it sit for around 6 to 8 hours, and then sprinkle it on any carpets you’d like cleaned.
Let it sit overnight and vacuum it up the following morning!
Shower Spray
This blend has been designed as a preventative spray, to prevent build and mold!
The ingredients are 15 drops of tea tree oil, 15 drops of lime oil, 1 teaspoon of natural dish soap, ½ cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of white vinegar, and 1.5 cups of water.
This is a super-easy way to keep your shower clean!
Final Thoughts
As stated earlier, conventional cleaning products can be dangerous for you, your family, and the environment.
Making your own little blends with essential oils and other non-toxic ingredients is not only better for your health, but is also a fun little activity.
Who else can say they handmade each and every one of the cleaning products in their cabinet?
Hi, my name is Hannah Shiftle, and I started using essential oils 15 years ago. At first, I was dubious of them, much like a lot of people. However, as I began to use them on a daily basis, I quickly discovered how much of a difference they had on both my physical and mental health.
Through Oil Health Benefits, I will be sharing my knowledge and passion for essential oils with you, providing readers with all the information they need to know. From the best oils to use for illnesses, to understanding what makes essential oils pure, I have covered all these topics.
