Have you stopped using harsh chemical cleaning products and switched to natural cleaning products to clean your home? Household products like vinegar or baking soda are great for cleaning, but have you tried essential oils for cleaning? Below is a list of some of the best essential oils for cleaning.
Essential oils come from plants and like vinegar and baking soda, can be used in multiple ways. A lot use them for aromatherapy, on their skin, and diffusing in their home. But besides those uses, essential oils also contain properties that make them incredible home cleaners.
From air purification and removing dirt and grime to disinfecting and killing mold – essential oils are reliable cleaners for your home.
#1 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Peppermint Oil (Antifungal and Antibacterial)
Peppermint is refreshing, invigorating, and cooling. It’s one of the most popular essential oil scents.
As a cleaner, peppermint essential oil has antifungal and antibacterial properties, making it one of the top essential oils for cleaning. It is efficient in killing germs and repelling rodents and pests.
Do you need a streak-free cleaner on your glass tables and windows? Use peppermint.
Add ¼ teaspoon of peppermint oil and one liter of water to a spray bottle. Spray the dirty area and leave it for a few hours. Wipe with a clean cloth to finish the chore.
#2 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Lemon Oil (Antiviral and Antibacterial)
Lemon oil is the most common essential oil used in most households because of its wonderful sweet-citrusy scent. But besides its great smell, lemon oil is a great antiviral and antibacterial cleaner.
This essential oil works well to clean carpets, basins, stovetops, bathtubs, counters, tiles, etc. You can also use them to clean wood furniture or as a polish on your leather upholstery.
Add this essential oil to any of your DIY natural all-purpose cleaners. It can also shine wood furniture and floors.
#3 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Tea Tree Oil (Antimicrobial, Antibacterial, Antiviral)
Tea tree oil or melaleuca oil is a versatile all-purpose cleaner used as a disinfectant for tables, floors, counters, and stovetops. You can also use it to clean makeup brushes, exercise equipment, mold stains, and whatnot.
This essential oil also fights germs, fungi, bacteria, and bugs. In fact, one study shows that tea tree oil can kill the influenza virus within two hours after exposure.
Tea tree oil works best for cleaning when mixed with vinegar. Mix four tablespoons of white vinegar, one cup of warm water, and five to seven drops of tea tree oil to use them efficiently. If you are to clean granite or marble countertops, skip vinegar because it can damage the stone.
To clean the sink with tea tree oil, use the same mixture, but add ½ teaspoon of baking soda for a thorough clean.
#4 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Lavender Oil (Odor Eliminator and Disinfectant)
Do you often use essential oils to reduce your stress? Then, you’re probably a fan of lavender oil. Lavender oil is an odor eliminator that can help you sleep and relax.
Lavender oil is a powerhouse against bacteria, viruses, and bugs. You can also use it to disinfect toys for your children or as an air freshener inside your house or car.
#5 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Eucalyptus Oil (Antibacterial)
Eucalyptus oils are commonly used for inflammation – through topical or inhalation application. But did you know you can also use it as an antibacterial all-purpose spray?
To make a spray, combine a few drops of this essential oil with 125 ml of distilled water in a small spray bottle. This essential oil spray kills germs on remote controls, railings, door handles, and busy living spaces.
#6 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Clove Oil (Mold Killer)
Mold will not live long in a house that has clove oil. But before you use it to kill mold, cool your jets. This is the safe way to use clove oil to remove mold in the house.
Mix a liter of water and a quarter of a teaspoon of clove oil to make a mold-banishing solution. Spray the solution into the moldy area, let it sit for around 10 minutes, and wipe away the mold with a clean cloth.
Read our article – Can You Remove Mold from Your House Naturally? to learn what other products can remove mold.
#7 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme essential oil helps with nearly everything, especially for cleaning the house. It has cleansing and calming properties, making you feel good after using it as a cleaner and aromatherapy.
It is effective for cleaning cutting boards and kitchen utensils because this solution kills food-borne pathogens or salmonella. If you ever need to clean the kitchen, look no further.
#8 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Orange Oil (Grease Remover)
Orange oil can be an alternative to lemon oil. Both deliver a citrusy scent, but orange oil gives a much sweeter smell.
Did you know that oranges have enzymes that can kill germs and bacteria and prevent them from growing back? As such, you can use it as an antibacterial spray.
Orange oil can also remove grease on plates and clean utensils.
#9 Best Essential Oil for Cleaning – Cinnamon Oil (Antiseptic And Natural Deodorizer)
Cinnamon essential oil works well for cleaning and is an antiseptic and natural deodorizer. This essential oil provides a warm, spicy, sweet fragrance that makes your house smell fresh and inviting.
Are you looking for essential oil to clean linen? Add cinnamon oil to your washing machine to keep your linen wonderfully fresh.
As an antiseptic, cinnamon oil can also fight fungi and other germs. Use it to keep your home germ-free.
#10 Pine Oil (Antibacterial)
Want a fragrance substitute for lemon? You may want to use pine essential oil. Pine essential oil smells like the crisp, fresh scent of pine trees in the forest. This woodsy oil would remind you of a carefree life in the mountains.
As a cleaner, though, you can use pine oil to remove germs on every surface of your house. This essential oil is excellent for killing germs such as E. coli, mold, yeast, and mildew.
#11 Grapefruit
Grapefruit is one of the best-selling essential oils out there. But as a cleaner, it’s reliable as a natural degreaser and non-toxic air freshener.
If you get tired of the orange and lemon scent in the house, it’s time to try grapefruit essential oil as an alternative.
Grapefruit essential oil is an all-purpose cleaner and perfect to add to your DIY shower spray to remove soap scum in your bathroom or shower area.
Read our post – What are Non-Toxic Air Fresheners? to learn more about Non-Toxic Air Fresheners.
Conclusion
These are some of the best essential oils for cleaning your house and making it smell fresh, clean, and chemical-free. These essential oils are antimicrobial and antibacterial to kill unwanted bacteria in the home.
For best results, mix pure essential oils with water for dilution. Keep the mixture in a spray bottle for safe and better use.
Read – Discover 10 Non-Toxic Dish Soap Alternatives for a Safer and Cleaner Home to learn about other non-toxic ways to clean your home.
