You can make your own essential oil kitchen cleaner.
Note: To better disperse the essential oils in water-based blends, you can add a few drops of solubilizer.
All-Purpose Cleaning
All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
Use this blend to clean kitchen sponges or as an all-purpose cleaning spray on surfaces.
- 2-ounce (60 ml) spray bottle
- Distilled water
- 1 teaspoon castile soap
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops eucalyptus globulus essential oil
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
Fill the bottle 3/4 full of distilled water. Add the other ingredients, close the bottle, and shake gently to blend. Shake before each use. Use within a few weeks.
Source: Aromahead Newsletter
Cleaning Spray
- 8-ounce spray bottle
- 3/4 cup distilled water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 15 drops lavender essential oil
- 15 drops orange essential oil
Blend liquid ingredients in spray bottle. Close and shake well. Shake before each use.
Source: Cleaning With Essential Oils
Surface Rinse
- 4 cups water
- 5 drops bergamot essential oil
- 3 drops tea tree essential oil
- 1 drop eucalyptus essential oil
- 1 drop thyme essential oil
Dishwashing
Dishwasher Detergent
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup coarse salt
- 1/2 cup citric acid
- 5 drops lemon or orange essential oil
- Mix all ingredients in a container.
- Use 1 tablespoon of detergent blend for a load of dishes.
Tip: Add white vinegar to your rinse aid dispenser to prevent cloudiness on the dishes.
Tip:
To clean and disinfect the dishwasher, run a wash cycle with several
added drops of lemon essential oil in a bowl with 1 cup white vinegar.
Liquid Hand Dishwashing Blend
Add the following essential oils to one pint (2 cups) dishwashing liquid and shake to blend:
- 4 drops orange
- 2 drops bergamot
- 1 drop lavender
- 1 drop lime
Source: The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy
Kitchen Wipes
- 1 roll high-quality paper towels
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup distilled water
- 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- Container or jar (with a lid) large enough to half a paper towel roll
- Place the role of paper towels horizontally on a counter or table.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the roll in half. (Use 1/2 the roll and save the other half for later.)
- In the container, mix together the water, vinegar, soap, and essential oils.
- Put the half roll of paper towels in the container. Place lid on the container.
- Let sit for a few hours until the paper towels absorb the liquid.
- Remove and discard the cardboard tube.
Keep the container covered. To use, pull a wipe from the roll’s center.
Source: Essential Oils for a Clean and Healthy Home
Garbage Disposal Cleaning Bombs
Here’s a natural way to clean your garbage disposal.
- 2 cups baking soda
- 1 cup salt
- 1/4 cup liquid castile soap
- 15 drops orange essential oil
- 15 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1/2 cup water
- Mix together baking soda and salt in a bowl.
- Blend in soap and essential oils.
- Slowly add and stir water into the mix until it has the consistency of damp sand. (You want to mix to stay together when pressed. If it’s too dry, add more water. If too wet, add more baking soda.)
- Form the mixture into balls and place on wax paper.
- Let the balls dry until hard, usually about 24 hours. Then store bombs in a jar.
When the garbage disposal needs cleaning, drop in one bomb. Turn on the water and then run the disposal.
Source: Cleaning With Essential Oils
Kitchen Floor Cleaners
Floor Cleaning Blend
- 1 gallon water
- 20 drops tea tree essential oil
- 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
- 1/4 cup baking soda
- 1 cup vinegar
Pour the water into a clean bucket. Mix in the other ingredients. Use as you would any other floor cleaner.
Note: Substitutes for tea tree oil include either 20 drops eucalyptus or 15 drops orange + 5 drops lemon essential oil. Source: Cleaning With Essential Oils
Floor Final Rinse
- 4 cups water
- 4 drops pine essential oil
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 drops niaouli essential oil
Stock Blends for Essential Oil Kitchen Cleaner
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy suggests the following two stock essential oil blends for use in any kitchen cleaner.
General Blend
- 15 drops lemon
- 4 drops basil
- 4 drops oregano
- 4 drops rosemary
- 3 drops thyme
- 3 drops sweet marjoram
- 2 drops peppermint
Clean Kitchen Floor Stock Blend
- 10 drops lemon
- 8 drops lavender
- 8 drops grapefruit
- 5 drops eucalyptus
- 5 drops palmarosa
- 4 drops thyme
- 2 drops cinnamon
General household cleaning with essential oils
Aromatherapy Air Freshener Blends
Bathroom Essential Oil Cleaning
Photo by cheriedurbin at morguefile.com