October 13th, 2009
9 Ways To Use Essential Oils In Place Of Toxic Chemicals.
You could go to the store and buy a whole bunch of toxic air fresheners, laundry detergents, cleaning supplies, or personal care products…but why would you? Using natural essential oils in place of some of those products is better for you and the planet, so it’s a no-brainer!
Here are a few ways to use essential oils at home instead of products containing chemicals. If you have your own recipes and/or uses, please let us know about them in the comments!
- Instead of scented laundry detergent, put a few drops of an essential oil onto a small cloth and put it in the dryer with the clothes.
- Stinky shoes? Put a drop of anything smelling better than your shoes, into your shoes!
- Is it fall yet? Add clove oil to a simmering pot of water.
- Mix a favorite oil and water in a spray bottle to make a non-toxic air freshener.
- Ease headaches by rubbing Lavender essential oil onto your neck or your temples.
- Deodorize your carpet with baking soda and your favorite essential oil. Add a few drops to a box of baking soda and sprinkle on the carpet. Wait an hour or 2 and then vacuum the carpet.
- Mix white vinegar with a few drops of oil for a homemade cleaner.
- Citronella oil makes an amazing mosquito repellent. Add to existing candles to keep them away.
- Tea tree oil mixed with water does a great job of cleaning windows and mirrors.
- Why Buy Toxic Products When There Are Healthier Alternatives?
- Non-Toxic/Non-Lethal Ways To Keep Squirrels, Gophers And Groundhogs Away.
- How To Find A Green Dry Cleaner Near You.
- Do One Thing: Take Off Your Shoes.
- Simple Shoes Clearance Sale – Now 50-85% Off.
What would you add to the list?
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I would add, use them to keep infections at bay esp. with swine flu about – an oil burner with 2 drops each of lemon, tea tree and lavender as a powerful anti viral and anti bacterial.
- Mix a few drops of lavender & sweet orange oils with baking soda for a simple cleanser that won’t scratch countertops.
- Mix pure distilled water with a few drops of orange, lemon, lavender and eucalyptus oils in a spray bottle for natural cleaner/disinfectant.
- Mix 1 cup of course salt & 1 cup Epsom salts with 10 drops lavender oil & 6 drops ylang ylang for fabulous soothing bath salts.
Enjoy! Susan
I put a few drops of eucalyptus oil in the bath or shower to help my sinuses when I’m sick. Kinda like a natural vick’s vapor rub.
Buy a good, unscented eco-friendly laundry detergent and add 2 or 3 drops each lemon and lavender essential oils every time you do a load of laundry.
Use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. It whitens whites, protects colors and gets rid of detergent residue. You’ll really notice a difference!
I posted a web page with some of my favorite aromatherapy cleaning recipes. http://www.easy-aromatherapy-recipes.com/aromatherapy-kitchen-recipes.html
It’s got green floor cleaners, glass cleaners, dish soap recipes and a great disinfectant all-purpose spray.
Not all people know the relevance of essential oils in our body nor the benefits of essential oils especially on its relaxing power. Generally, essential oil are distilled liquid by water or steam from different flowers, leaves, bark, stems, roots and all other elements of plants. A lot of people would mistakenly think that essential oils are oily when in fact, it’s not, most of them are clear.
I’ve yet to find an essential oil that blends with vinegar and smells decent…anyone got a suggestion?
Thyme is a great anti-bacterial that you can add to all natural cleaners to fight infections this time of year.
@Wife mom maniac: I love lemongrass added to vinegar, or grapefruit extract. In addition to smelling amazing it also gives you a lift!
Lavender or everything! Cuts, scrapes, burns, hangnails, pimples, headaches, bug bites… love it! And it smell great.
White Thyme for a stronger disinfectant. Tea tree for stronger (less pleasant aroma) purposes similar to lavender. Works for getting rid of lice too. A few drops of tea tree in your shampoo and I swear it will keep the lice away from your kids head! Every kid in my son’s class had lice last year except him…just sayin’.