The benefits of using essential oils have been known for quite some time. Nowadays, they are so widespread that you can hardly find a perfume or an air freshener that does not contain some kind of essential oils.
Surprising or not, the essential oil makes an excellent cleaning solution when it comes to maintaining your house in an excellent condition. They are famous for their antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, and they could well replace your cleaning chemicals, saving you money in purchasing household agents. Plus, your home smells good after cleaning.
Benefits of using essential oil in cleaning
Apart from massage and aromatherapy, essential oils can kill dangerous microbes and eliminate bad odours hiding in your carpets, furniture, drapes and other upholstery possessions. Since essential oils are concentrated, you will need no more than a couple of drops for the disinfection of your entire home.
Here's how you can prepare them in the comfort of your home by including a few simple ingredients.
Bathroom
Essential oil: Tea-tree
The bathroom usually collects more grime than every other room. Therefore, the tea tree essential oil is a useful all-purpose cleaner, capable to kill germs and dangerous microbes. Simply mix several drops with water in a bucket or in a spray bottle and you can use them for every corner of your bathroom.
Disinfect Carpets
Essential oil: Tea-tree
It is not easy to keep carpets and rugs perfectly clean. Hiring professional cleaners every once in a while is a good option, but a costly one. The cheaper alternative for your upholstery possessions - add a few drops of tea tree oil in a bucket with water and scrub the whole surface of your carpets. This solution will not only remove the stains and bad smells, but will also deodorise the fabric of your possessions.
Clean Wood Surfaces
Essential oil: Orange, Olive oil
Orange essential oil can be used for the polishing of wood surfaces. You can combine it with olive oil or a similar product and use it to freshen up of the look of your old wooden furniture and other possessions. You can also add a few drops to the furniture polish products that you use regularly.
Repel Insects
Essential oil: Peppermint / Citronella
Keep away ants and other kitchen pests with these oils. Drop several drops on a damp sponge and wipe your cabinets. Then place 3-5 drops of the same oil in cracks or corners of the cabinets.
For dengue prevention, try citronella oil.
Clean literally everywhere and everything
Essential oil: Lemon
A common agent in household cleaning solutions, lemon is truly an all-purpose cleaner at home. Not only does it have a fresh, clean scent, its antiseptic and anti-fungal properties makes lemon essential one of the super versatile cleaning agents, and it is one of the least expensive essential oils.
Sticky messes, kitchen grease, crayon drawings by kids on wood surfaces, polishing stainless steel, sanitising cutting boards, fresh laundry, clean windows, etc... the possibilities with lemon essential oil are endless!
Before you start cleaning with essential oils...
Here's what you should know before you dive straight in:
- Essential oil comes in various grades. For the purpose of household cleaning, the quality is insignificant.
- Store bottles away from heat and direct light.
- As the essential oils are highly concentrated, adding not more than 5 drops in your cleaning mix should suffice. An overly concentrated mix may cause skin irritation.
- Keep these herbal formulation away from pets and children.
The essential oils can be very beneficial not just for your health, but also for the good looks of your home.
Once you are done with home cleaning, sit back and relax in a clean, fresh home.
Find these tips useful? Share this article with a friend! If you have any cleaning hacks to share with us, tell us about it below!
This article was contributed by Anna Amone, from Top Domestic Cleaners Islington.
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