Essential Oils For Cleaning
When it comes to essential oils for cleaning, they are a great natural alternative for those who are wanting to avoid products containing harsh chemicals or fumes.
With antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-viral properties, essential oils are known to be an effective cleaning agent, leaving your home smelling clean and fresh. Various essential oils act as a protectant, working to reduce the spread of germs and infection across all areas of the home.
Benefits Of Essential Oils For Cleaning
Essential oils are extremely versatile in their ability to offer protection against germs in the household. In fact, a 2019 study found that essential oils can offer significant protection against bacterial, fungal and microbial properties.
Furthermore, a 2012 study found that essential oils can not only help prevent exposure to allergens but may also help prevent the spread of bacteria.
The use of essential oils are known to help in a number of ways, including:
- Serving as a powerful disinfectant and germicide
- May prevent the spread of air-borne bacteria
- Combats the spread of viruses and infections within the home
- Carry antimicrobial properties
When diluted with everyday household products or paired with other oils, essential oils may offer a natural and simple solution to keeping your home clean.
Best Essential Oils For Cleaning
The best essential oils for cleaning are known for their multi-function uses when cleaning the home. Below are some of our favourite essential oils that may help protect your home from germs:
Lemon Essential Oil
With an energising, refreshing and tangy scent, Lemon Essential Oil is known to be one of the best essential oils for cleaning.
Lemon Essential Oil carries powerful antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic properties, making it a fantastic natural cleaning agent that can be used in kitchens, bathrooms and even garages.
How To Use Lemon Essential Oil for Cleaning
- Multi-purpose cleaner: Combine the following: ¼ cup of white vinegar, 1 – 1 ½ cups of water and 25 drops of Lemon Essential Oil. Shake well to combine, spray, and use a cloth to clean the surface.
- Paste: For stubborn grease removal, add 10-15 drops of Lemon Oil to 1 cup of baking soda and 3 tbsp of liquid soap. Mix to combine ingredients and apply with a microfibre cloth to any surface. Be sure to test with a small test patch first.
For a more intense clean, Lemon Essential Oil also works well when combined with Eucalyptus Blue Gum Oil.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
With a rich history in Australian Indigenous culture, Tea Tree Oil has been known to carry significant antibacterial properties, making it a favourite when using essential oils for cleaning.
According to a 2006 study, Tea Tree Oil has proven to have powerful antiseptic properties. This essential oil also contains terpinene-4-ol, a natural compound that is known to fight against bacteria and viruses.
Tea Tree Essential Oil can be used to create a variety of cleaning agents:
How To Use Tea Tree Essential Oil for Cleaning
- Surface cleaner: Add 10-15 drops of Tea Tree Oil to ½ cup of white vinegar. Shake well before use.
- Floor cleaner: Add 10-15 drops of Tea Tree Oil to your existing floor detergents and cleaners.
- Laundry: You may add a few drops of Tea Tree Oil to laundry detergents to enhance existing benefits.
- Paste: Combine 1 cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of natural dish liquid soap, 1 tbsp white vinegar and 10-15 drops of Tea Tree Oil in a bottle to clean sinks, showers, and toilets, using a microfibre cloth. Allow to sit for roughly 5 - 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing.
Peppermint Essential Oil
With a crisp yet pleasant aroma, Peppermint Essential Oil is one of the more popular choices of essential oils for cleaning with its refreshing scent and antiseptic properties. A 1996 study has also noted its powerful anti-fungal properties.
Peppermint Oil is known to be an effective deodorizer and can be added to floor cleaners and natural detergents for household cleaning. Peppermint Oil can also work well when combined with Lavender and Lemon essential oils.
How To Use Peppermint Essential Oil for Cleaning
With a high concentration of menthol, Peppermint Oil can also help to rid your home of unwanted insects and rodents. Adding 10 - 20 drops of Peppermint Oil to a small spray bottle with 2 cups of water may be used to deter ants, spiders, or prevent the infestation of rodents around the home.
Eucalyptus Blue Gum Essential Oil
Eucalyptus Blue Gum Oil is one of the best essential oils for cleaning your home. With a native aromatic scent and antiseptic properties, it is incredibly versatile in its ability to clean and decongest.
Eucalyptus Oil can cut through grease and stains on a variety of surfaces from carpets, leather, kitchen benches and bathroom tiles. It is also known to be helpful when added to existing laundry and washing detergents. As such, it’s one of the most versatile and best essential oils for cleaning your home.
As a bonus, it will also leave a pleasant aroma that may help decongest and fight against infections.
It can also be added to Witch Hazel Extract and Tea Tree Oil to make a natural room spray and air freshener.
Essential Oil Packs for Cleaning
When it comes to cleaning the home, the Home Defence Pack contains five of the best essential oils for cleaning that are known to help provide natural protection against bacteria and germs.
Various essential oils found within these packs such as Lemon Myrtle, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender, and Tea Tree, contain natural antibacterial, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, making them great essential oils for household cleaning.
Other Tips For Cleaning Your Home
Other than essential oils, there are many ways to clean your home safely using the following ingredients:
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Citrus fruits
If you are pregnant, you may want to speak with your GP or health care professional to ensure your safety when considering cleaning options for your home.
Where To Buy Essential Oils For Cleaning
While essential oils are generally available to purchase at health, wellness and retail stores, it is important to keep in mind that the purity and quality of these essential oils will vary. That is why we recommend finding a reputable supplier.
Here at AWO, we have a wide selection of 100% pure essential oils and organic essential oils that are sold at reasonable prices. Because our stock is purchased in bulk quantities our costs are significantly less, which allows us to offer our high-quality products at affordable prices. We are also based right here in Australia!
Essential Oil Safety
Whilst essential oils are natural products, they are extremely potent and can cause serious harm if used incorrectly. For this reason, we recommend the following:
- In line with the Therapeutic Goods Act, we do not recommend ingesting essential oils without the guidance of a registered Aromatherapist or Naturopath.
- Avoid using essential oils during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding.
- We recommend storing your essential oils in a cool, dry place at room temperature, ensuring that they are not directly exposed to sunlight and are out of reach of children or pets.
- Essential oils can be very concentrated and are likely to cause irritation or reactions if applied directly to the skin. For this reason, it is important to first dilute your essential oils before using topically (on the skin). Our recommended dilution percentages can be found under the ‘Best Essential Oils For Cleaning’ section.
Resources
Carson, C. F., Hammer, K. A., & Riley, T. V., 2006, Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clinical microbiology reviews, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 50 – 62.
Yang, H, Koo, T.H, Hong, C.Y., Choi, I.G & Jeung, E.B., 2012, ‘Analysis of the effects of essential oils on airborne bacteria in a customized bio-clean room’, Molecular Medicine Reports, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 651 - 656.
Pattnaik, S., Subramanyam, V.R.& Kole, C., 1996, ‘Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro’, Microbios, vol. 86, no. 349, pp. 237 - 246.
Antibacterial and antifungal activity of ten essential oils in vitro - PubMed (nih.gov)
Tariq, S. et al., 2019, ‘A comprehensive review of the antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral potential of essential oils and their chemical constituents against drug-resistant microbial pathogens’, Microbial Pathogenesis, vol. 134.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any illness.