How I use essential oils to clean my home

It's been said that cleaning your house while your children are growing is like shoveling the drive while it's still snowing. I fully believe this! Yet, I love a good, clean smelling home. Enter essential oils. Before my discovery of them, cleaning my home, especially the bathroom, felt like a toxic undertaking. The cleaners bothered my nose and my lungs. I felt like I needed to wear a mask for some tasks! But now I use vinegar, baking soda, even vodka and some essential oils to keep things sparkling and smelling nice. The fact that I'm not inhaling fumes is an added bonus.

The picture above is the furniture spray that has replaced my Pledge. It smells so much more naturally like lemon than commercial dusting sprays, simply because it is natural. Another one of my new must have's is my Thieves and Vodka counter spray. So simple! In your choice of spray bottles, mix a ratio of 1/2 water and 1/2 vodka. Add 10-20 drops of Thieves, depending on the size of your spray bottle. Shake before each use and disinfect your countertops with this germ killing combo.

Since adding Purification to my laundry detergent, my old towels have new, fluffy life! I also like to add whatever scent I'm in the mood for to a wet washcloth and toss it in the dryer to make everything smell delightful once its dry.  Purification or Lemon are my oils of choice to add to a cup of vinegar and pour into the bottom of the dishwasher before running a load. Adding Thieves to a spray bottle of distilled water works great as an air freshener and airborne germ killer. Misting Lavender water over bedding makes a room smell nice and is also relaxing at the day's end.

The possibilities really are endless, but here are some other great ideas, most of which I have done so I can attest to their worthiness:

• Put 5 drops of your favorite scent on a cotton ball and place in your vacuum cleaner bag. Geranium can help with animal odors.
• To dispel of household cooking odors, add a few drops of clove, cinnamon, or a citrus based oil to a simmering pot of water.
• Kitchen sink scrub - Mix 1/2 cup baking soda, 1/8 cup vinegar, and 5 drops each of Bergamot and Lime. Put mixture in sink and scrub. Rinse with warm water.
• Place 1-3 drops of Thieves or Purification on a cotton ball and place on bottom of trash can or diaper pail. Helps eliminate odors and kills germs.
• To clean and increase shelf life of fresh fruit, fill a bowl with cool water and 2-6 drops of Lemon. Drop rinsed fruit into the water and stir.
• Use 1-2 drops of Lemon to remove gum, oil, glue, adhesive, or crayon from most surfaces.
• For a carpet deodorizer, add 5-10 drops of your favorite oil to a box of baking soda. Mix well and sprinkle over carpets. Let sit for an hour or more and then vacuum. 
• Soak dishcloth overnight in a bowl of water with a few drops of Lemon to disinfect and kill germs.
• Bathroom refresher - Place a few drops of Purification or your favorite scent on a cotton ball and place behind toilet. 
• When washing out the fridge, freezer, or oven, add Lime, Grapefruit, Bergamot, or Lemongrass to the final rinse water.
• For general purpose cleaning - Mix 1 cup vinegar, 2 cups purified water, and 10 drops of Thieves or Purification in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Great for mirrors, countertops, and general cleaning.
• To help keep ants, squirrels, spiders, or mice away, place 3-6 drops of Peppermint on a cotton ball at the place they enter.
• To help keep flies away - Mix 25 drops of Peppermint or Lavender with 16 oz. purified water in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use.  Can be used on counters, windows, and doors. 

The last two suggestions regarding critters really do work, by the way. We used to have terrible problems with ants. Not since introducing them to peppermint oil! They stay outside now, where they belong.

Cleaning the toilet is fun, said no one ever. But here is a way to make a science experiment while you scrub the commode. Do these steps in this exact order: first pour 1/2 cup white vinegar in, followed by 10 drops of Melaleuca A (tea tree oil), and finally 1/2 cup of baking soda. Watch the fizz, then scrub away! Fun for the little ones to watch, no chemicals, and smells great.

I hope someone gets a fun cleaning tip from this posting. If you have any other great, all natural ways to clean, please do share!