Green Cleaning with Essential Oils

It is time for Spring Cleaning and what better way then to do this with all natural cleaning products. This is one of my favorite topics to share. Remember, I knew nothing about essential oils 3.5 years ago. I have attended tons of classes and I love learning and sharing. 

I used to clean with all of the traditional, over the counter cleaners. I remember dreading going to the store to buy them, they are so expensive and such horrible smells and fumes. I dreaded cleaning, but it had to be done. Then I went to a Green Cleaning Class and my cleaning routine changed. Now I teach the same class and enjoy sharing these tips and recipes. I have saved a ton of money and enjoy cleaning.

To view my webinar on Green Cleaning {Click Here}

Now I clean with all natural cleaners. 

I found out that I had a lot of the natural ingredients already had home. 

I had no idea how harmful cleaners and the fumes can be. I am so grateful to have learned this information and happy to share. I feel it is very important topic. Now I only clean my home with all natural cleaners. I have added my supplements in this photo as a reminder to not only Spring Clean your home, but do an internal cleanse for yourself. 

{Click Here for DR. Hill Cleanse and Detox Recipes}

Essential oils have potent antimicrobial effects along with their clean, pleasant natural aromas. Here are a few “classic” homecare essential oils: lemon (clean, sweet, uplifting scent; deodorizing), peppermint (minty, fresh; air purifier; mild pest repellent), eucalyptus and tea tree (air and surface sanitizers; fresh, therapeutic aromas).

Here’s a shopping list of key ingredients for making your own homecare products: 

* Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) - Gently abrasive scouring powder, odor absorber and an excellent base for making your own cleaning preparations. 

* Washing soda (Sodium Carbonate) 

* Borax (Sodium Borate) - Natural mineral compound, laundry booster, multipurpose cleanser, fungicide/insecticide. 

* White distilled vinegar (Acetic Acid) 

* Liquid soap (Sodium Hydroxide) - Choose from vegetable oil-based soaps such as olive oil or sweet almond. 

* Distilled water - Clean, distilled water acts as a better carrier and dirt solvent. Tap water will often contain salts and minerals that can lead to spotting and build-up.

* Essential oils 

* Spray bottles 

* Natural bristle scrubbing brushes 

* Squeeze bottles 

* Cotton dusting cloth 

* Hemp or jute fiber scrubbing cloth 

* Tote to put it all in 

Green Cleaning with Lemon Essential Oil 

Lemon essential oil (Citrus lemon) is a natural cleanser and has many household uses and health benefits. dōTERRA’s Lemon essential oil is the highest quality available on the market--it is cold pressed from the rinds of lemons grown in Italy. Italian lemons are much larger and sweeter than domestic lemons, and higher in limonene as well.

Lemon essential oil boosts the effectiveness of cleaning with natural products and leaves a fresh, clean scent around your home. Why switch from off-the shelf products with ingredients like bleach and ammonia? Because those cleaners can irritate your eyes, airways, skin, and nervous system, and they also pollute and contaminate your indoor air and the streams they wash into.

Lemon essential oil will give you all the deep cleaning power you want, plus it is ALL-NATURAL, SAFE, AFFORDABLE, and leaves an UPLIFTING aroma in your home. Below are some recipes to deodorize, disinfect, degrease, polish, and brighten your home with lemon essential oil.

Recipes

Furniture Polish:

• Add 4-5 drops lemon

essential oil to a small amount of

olive oil. (Olive oil is a natural oil that helps to

nourish and polish wood).

• Mix, apply lightly to furniture, and buff for a

nice shine.

Basic Household Disinfectant:

• Fill a spray bottle with water and a squirt of

plant-based liquid soap 

• Add 5-10 drops each of

lemon, lavender, and white fir essential oils 

• Shake well and apply to all surfaces

Floor Cleaner:

• Pour 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar to a bucket of water (1 gallon)

• Add 10-20 drops lemon essential oil 

• Add 3 drops oregano essential oil

Mold & Mildew Spray:

• Pour 2 c distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle 

• Add 2 drops lemon essential oil and 2 drops

melaleuca essential oil 

• Shake well and spray on infected area

Window Cleaner:

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar 

• 10-15 drops lemon essential oil 

• 1 gallon of water 

• 1 tea spoon liquid soap (my dad's recommendation)

• Mix well in a spray bottle, apply to windows, and wipe

Green Cleaning with dōTERRA Essential Oils

Our doTERRA team is having great success with their “Green” Cleaning workshops and classes. They are showing families how to save money AND save the planet with these all-natural, effective cleaners using dōTERRA essential oils. Here are a few of our favorites:

 All-Purpose Cleaner

• 2 c. vinegar

• 2 c. water to 1 gal water

• 10 drops Lemon Essential Oil

Tip: Shake well before each use.

Mirror or Window Cleaner

• 1 1/2 c. vinegar

• 1/2 c. purified or distilled water

• 8 drops ANY Citrus Essential Oil of choice

Shake well before use.

Mold and Mildew Cleaner

Pour 2 c. distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle.
(OR combine one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water). 

Add 2 drops Lemon Essential Oil and 2 drops Melaleuca Essential Oil

Shake well and spray on area. Leave on area for half an hour, then rinse.

Stainless Steel Appliances

Spray all purpose mixture, add 5 drops Lemon Essential oil to moist cloth,
wipe and then buff with dry cloth.

Here are a few more favorites recipes:

For Washing Dishes:

Liquid Castile Soap (fill 22 oz bottle)

15 Drops Lemon or Lemongrass 

6 Drops Lavender

5 Drops Bergamot

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons to dishwater

For very greasy dishes, add 1/2 C vinegar or lemon juice.  Add baking soda to pots and wait 15 minutes

Kitchen Sink Cleanser:

• 1/4 C baking soda or Borax

• 1/2 C vinegar

• 3 Drops Lavender, Rosemary, Lemon, Lime or

Wild Orange Essential Oils

Earthy Bathroom Scouring Powder:

• 1 Cup baking soda

• 1/4 C dried, crushed, rosemary leaves

• 5 Drops Thyme Oil

• 3 Drops Oregano Oil

For Toilets 

Use same mix plus add Lemon and let sit for 1 hour. 

For toilet bowls pour 1 cup Vinegar and let soak over night 

with ¼ cup Borax and 5 drops of lemon.

For Removing Dark Colored Stains:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 2 Drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil

• 1 teaspoon Glycerin

Make into a paste, spread on stain and put garment in sun to dry.  

Reapply until stain is gone then launder.

Remove Butter or Oil Stains:

• 1 tablespoon baking soda

• 2 drops Lemon, Lime or Wild Orange Oil

• Water

• Make a paste and apply to stain.  Allow to dry then wash.

Fabric Softener

• 1 gallon vinegar

• 10 Drops of Lavender or Peppermint Essential Oils

Just add the oil to the vinegar container then add to the rinse cycle.  

1 Cup for large loads and 1/2 C for small loads

Clean Mattress - Get rid of Dust Mites 

• Remove Sheets and bedding and wash in hot water 

• 1 Cup of Baking Soda

• 10 Drops of doTERRA Essential Oils 

(Eucalyptus, Peppermint,  Wintergreen)

Add Baking Soda and Essential oils in a Mason Jar and put the lid on (I couldn't find my lid so I used Press and Seal and that worked just fine) Shake and distrubute evenly with a sifter over the mattress. I just tried this the other day on all our beds. It was so easy to do.

Here is a pdf download of {Green Cleaning recipes} (all but the dust mites)

Cost Comparison

Product                                             Cost               Compare

Mirror/Counter Spray - 32oz.

Essential Oils with ingredients            $0.80 

Windex                                                                       $2.74

Laundry Detergent  - 2 gallons                        

Essential Oils with Ingredients            $0.70

Organic                                                                       $30.72

Fabric Softener - 1gallon

Essential Oils with Ingredients            $3.40 (20 drops wild orange)

Snuggle                                                                       $9.30

Bath Salts - 22oz.

Essential Oil with Ingredients             $3.68

Organic                                                                       $10.98

Deodorant - 2.65oz

Essential Oil with Ingredients             $0.25

Organic                                                                       $6.25

Lip Balm

Essential Oil with Ingredients             $.60

Burt's Bees                                                                  $3.00

Additional Recipes available at www.clean.essentialoilhelp.com

Too Busy, but want to clean naturally?

Sometimes life is busy and it does take time to make all of these wonderful recipes, but if you do not have time, there is always Protective Blend Cleanser. Also they have Protective Blend Handwash with foaming dispensers that are 10% off the Month of March 2013.

Since they came out with the Concentrated Protective Cleaner this is all I use Now. My dear friend gave me a glass cleaning bottle (available at Aromatools.com). I enjoy cleaning so much more now than I ever did using all natural products. I feel so much better after cleaning and my house smells so good and keep in mind you are diffusing while cleaning. 

Diffusing the Oils can also help get rid of Mold and airborne pathogens. For those of you fighting mold, OnGuard works great. If you have it in the ceiling, diffuse. If you have it in the shower, apply the concentrated cleaner or straight Protective Blend. 

Doterra's Concentrated Cleaner is available {here}

Here are some additional resources for Green Cleaning

Additional Recipes available at www.clean.essentialoilhelp.com

Enjoy Cleaning, I promise you will feel better using all natural products. Plus the money you will save, you could go out for a nice dinner with a loved one or save for a vacation.

References: doTERRA Green Cleaning Tear Pad, Jens youtube video above, doterra blog, Modern Essentials Book, my dad, myoilbusiness.com, aromatools.com

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.