EspañolLast Updated on
Avoid toxic cleaners by making DIY cleaning products and homemade disinfectants using the best essential oils for cleaning and disinfecting.
Today I'd like to introduce to you a guest writer, Patricia Cornwell. Patricia is a small cleaning business owner, writer and self-proclaimed home improvement DIY expert, and she has been kind enough to share here her expertise in the area of cleaning using essential oils.
Most of us here like to avoid toxic products whenever possible, Right? And many of you also prefer making your own DIY products, so I know you're going to LOVE her post:
What is essential to know about essential oils:
Perhaps you have already heard that essential oils are very powerful and suitable for a variety of jobs throughout the home. What is so great about them is that they make wonderful home disinfectants and, due to their chemical components, some essential oils are perfect for sanitizing. We will talk about some of the best essential oils for cleaning and disinfecting. and will show you how to incorporate essential oils into a DIY disinfectant.
Before we talk about the best essential oils for cleaning and disinfection, let us point out that the majority of them have antimicrobial and antifungal properties and all of them are antiseptic. This means that almost any essential oil is great for disinfecting. The basic component that makes them so effective against fungi and bacteria is called phenol. It is a weak acid, which dissolves in water and has a tarry and sweet aroma.
Another reason why most essential oils are suitable for disinfection is that they contain alcohol, which gives them bactericidal and antiseptic properties.
Additionally, some of the oils are high in aldehydes, which is another “culprit” for their antifungal properties.
Tea tree essential oil
High in antifungal and antiseptic properties, tea tree is an ideal essential oil for your handmade disinfectants. The main source of this oil is the Australian Melaleuca tree.
It is most effective against mold and mildew, and also works well to get rid of musty smells around the home. Tea tree oil also has antibacterial properties. If you usually prepare natural homemade cleaners, tea tree can enhance their properties and add a lovely aroma.
Uses of tea tree in the household:
- Mix two cups of water and a couple of teaspoons of tea tree oil in a clean spray bottle and you will get the perfect mold and mildew cleaner to use on your moldy areas (e.g. shower head, faucets).
- Enhance the properties of your DIY laundry detergent by adding a few drops of tea tree. Your clothes will come out fresh and sweet-scented.
- Make a solution of water and mild soap and add a few drops of tea tree essential oil to it. Use the mixture to mop your floor.
Peppermint essential oil
Peppermint essential oil is a great complement to handmade disinfectants due to its antibacterial properties, not to mention it has a lovely and refreshing scent. It mixes well with other essential oils, for example rosemary, lemon, eucalyptus and lavender. Many professionals like TenancyCleaners SE3 use these oils in their cleaning routine.
Uses of peppermint essential oil in the household:
- Create blends with other essential oils to prepare a powerful mixture against dirt and bacteria.
- Use peppermint oil to disinfect kitchens and bathrooms. Add a teaspoon or so to your DIY cleaners.
Lemon essential oil
Love the scent of lemons? Lemon essential oil is made with fresh lemons through cold pressing. It possesses antibacterial properties and is suitable for a number of cleaning jobs around the house:
- Brighten your white clothes using a little bit of lemon essential oil, added to your DIY laundry detergent
- Apart from disinfecting, use lemon essential oil to remove stains on your favorite surfaces.
Natural Homemade Disinfectant with Essential Oils
Things you will need:
- 1 cup of rubbing alcohol
- 15-20 drops of essential oils (lavender, tea tree and lemon)
- Clean spray bottle
Preparation:
Mix together all the ingredients in a clean spray bottle and give it a good shake. Use this natural homemade disinfectant around the home. It's recommended that you use it solely on hard surfaces. Once you spray, wipe down the surface with a cloth and allow it to dry. You can add a variety of essential oils in this recipe; choose whatever makes your heart sing.
Notes:
Never blend essential oils in metal or plastic containers because it can create a chemical reaction. When it comes to blending or storing essential oils, it's best to use glass.
The best way to ensure that your handmade disinfectants and sanitizers are effective is to mix a few essential oils together in order to enhance their disinfecting properties. Many of the best recipes also include aloe vera gel and witch hazel.
When mixing essential oils, be careful. Not all essential oils can blend together due to their chemical makeup. Hence, it can be dangerous to mix oils unless you have the know-how. Always consult with a specialist if you are unsure how to proceed.
A little warning for cat owners: Many online sources claim that some essential oils, such as cinnamon, pine, clove, oregano, peppermint, tea tree, thyme and others, are nothing but toxic to cats. Please, be sure to familiarize yourself with the products that shouldn't go near your cat before you make those well-meaning cleaning recipes that may turn into dangerous mixes for your pets.
I hope you have enjoyed Patricia's post about the best essential oils for cleaning and disinfecting. If you want to read more, you may enjoy her post about DIY kitchen cleaning sprays and a homemade laundry detergent. Incorporating essential oils into your cleaning routine ensures that not only are you avoiding toxic products, but that your home will smell fresh and clean.
If you enjoy making your own cleaning products, why not also try your hand at making your own soap?
Or find all of the DIY cleaning products that you could ever need over at Live Simply!
What type of rubbing alcohol (50% 70% 91%) do you use?
Hi Janet,
I normally use 70% because it’s the easiest/cheapest for me to find here.
What can I use on upholstery for stains and smells?
Hello M,
It would depend on the fabric and the type of stain you are trying to remove. I usually just use liquid soap and water, sometimes mixed with hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda can also help neutralize odors, but can leave behind a residue that lightens up the color of the upholstery, so it may not always be the best choice.
I’m just curious as to what oils would be bad to have my small dogs around . I would like to start using peppermint oil in my mop water, is tea tree oil bad for dogs?
Hi Susie,
From what I’ve read, tea tree is generally safe for dogs. Peppermint can be toxic to dogs, though. That said, that’s more in referring to using it on them and in their food. I think it’s generally safe to use either in the mop water.
Hi Tracy,
Might you have a recipe I can make for travelling on airplanes?
Thanks so much!
What type of recipe are you looking for?
I just posted how to make your own shampoo bar and a DIY conditioner bar. (But you posted this comment on a post about cleaning, so I’m not sure what you’re seeking.) 😉
Lemon essential oil is amazing! I really love and appreciate your tips! Thanks for sharing!
I agree! Glad you enjoyed it.
I really love Eucalyptus oil.
Can I mix with Rubbing alcohol for cleaning?
Hi Linda,
Yes, that would probably work quite well. I find that eucalyptus oil is great for removing oil stains in clothing too.
I often make a mix of water and rubbing alcohol with a few drops of essential oils. I also like to add a small amount of a natural surfactant, and it makes a perfect all-purpose cleanser. I’ve been taking several surfactant courses, and I need to start sharing some of what I’ve been learning with you very soon. That part isn’t necessary, but it does help improve the cleaning abilities.
Just adding a note of warning.. I used a combination of about 1 cup rubbing alcohol and about 6 drops of cedar oil spray, all over my apartment to get rid of carpet beetles..i wasn’t able to ventilate/let air flow after finishing the spraying as it was night-time.
I ended up with heart palpitations, chest pain and difficulty breathing. I had to step out of the apartment (for about 30-40 mins) to reduce the symptoms and feel better.
Different people may react differently to various combinations of oils/rubbing alcohol etc, but do it with caution.
Wear a protective mask and ventilate the area.
Hello,
I’m sorry to hear that happened to you. I can imagine that it was a frightening experience. (I’ve had a similar reaction to MSG after eating soup at Chinese restaurants. It took a few scary incidents before I figured out the problem!)
Thanks for the warning!
Why is this site peppered with advertisements? Annoying and distracting
Hi Sharon,
To able to pay for the high costs of maintaining this blog, I need to have a source of income. Plus, I need to earn something for all of my hours of putting together recipes and tutorials, paying for supplies, etc.
I don’t like doing a lot of selling and prefer to use passive ads as a source of income.
I’m sorry if the ads bother you. I work with a company that only uses unobtrusive ads, and I don’t have a bunch of pop-ups configured like most people. I try very hard to maintain a good balance. There are plenty of other sites out there where you can gather your information if mine bothers you this much, but most will probably have the same amount of ads, if not more.
Hello Tracy I am interested in working with essential oils, doing my own blogs, and etc. I am a single mother of four and I really need help. could you please email me or contact me in some way please. I am reaching out to you because I see that you are very active on your blog and I know that my comment will be seen.
Hi Brittney,
I’m not exactly sure how I can help you, but I did send you an email over the weekend.
Thank you for the recipes and information about Essential oils.
I use Castile soap and peroxide and I use dark bottles
Hi Roz,
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
That’s what I use for getting out stains on clothing, and it works wonderfully for that, so I can imagine it works well as a cleaning agent too.
Thanks for your idea! 🙂
I enjoy using essential oil I am going away to a beach house and I can hardly wait to clean with my disinfectant feom your recipe
Thank you
Have fun on your trip! 🙂
I hope you like it.
I would like to add some essential oils to my carpet cleaner any suggestion?
Hi Susan,
I honestly think it’s more of a personal decision, especially for something like carpeting where the scent can linger for awhile. Choose oils whose scent you can not only tolerate, but that you enjoy.
I know it wasn’t mentioned in the post, but I personally love the scent of lavender for linens and that sort of thing. It gives a very calming scent. You could always combine something like lavender, or something you personally like a lot, with other essential oils to give it a more disinfecting punch.
I do like citrus combinations, too, like lemon with orange oil, etc.
Good luck with the carpets!
Please stay away from chemical disinfectants, simply you can try this out.
For floor cleaning simply take a bucket of water pour 1 tea spoon of hair shampoo , or garment shampoo.
add your choice of Essential Oil, like lavender, Lemon, Citronella, Lime, Orange to it. room will smell nice and incest will keep away as well
Hello,
Yes, that can work well. I like to use castile soap or vinegar with essential oils, especially in the kitchen.
Thanks for the tips.
How much oil should I use to mop with?
Hi Pat,
I’m not really in contact with Patricia lately, but I personally just pour in a few drops with whatever I’m using to mop with. I don’t really count, and shake enough in to give the water a nice scent. I hope that helps!
Is it ok to add essential oils to vinegar? I never knew essential oils like lavender were disinfectants. I’ve always used vinegar and have just gotten use to the way it smells because that is what my great grandmother always used. I would love my house to smell fresh and be clean especially since my youngest daughter is medically fragile.
Hi Tiffanie,
Yes, definitely!
I’ve added essential oils to vinegar before and it does help mask the smell. You can do something similar with citrus fruit peels. You can add lemon or orange peels to white vinegar and allow the oils within the peels to infuse into the vinegar, and that helps impart its scent and cleaning power. Adding lemon or orange essential oil to the vinegar is easy and makes the process go more quickly, but, of course, you can also add other oils like lavender instead. 🙂
I have a terrible smell in my child’s room from using a zero-vic paint. Is it safe to spray the disinfectant on the walls?
Hi Carrie,
I would think that once your paint is dry, you shouldn’t have a problem with it. That said, some paints are more washable than others, so it’s probably a good idea to take a look at what your particular paint says in the way of durability and if it’s washable or not.
Some essential oils can be damaging to paints when used in high concentrations and when left for too long, but I think in the case of these disinfectants, they are diluted enough that you shouldn’t have a problem with most surfaces.
If you are in doubt, I’d suggest you test it out in an inconspicuous area or on a sample surface using the same paint to see how it reacts to whichever oils you choose.
I hope that helps!
Great post! I never used essential oils before to clean my house. I am very curious to try them out. Recently I don’t like any of the chemical cleaners I use.
Thanks, Juanita!
I hope they work out well for you. 🙂
I love tea tree oil! Thanks for the tips!
Me too! 🙂
It’s great for so many things.
Thanks for your comment, Heather!