Creating a healthy home has been a process for me. I started buying more organic ingredients years ago and the more I read about pesticides and toxic chemicals, I started to turn my attention towards the things that I was feeding my home, not just the kids. I slowly realized that I was helping our family in one way but still allowing products in our home that could potentially hurt us. While I still used the other products that I already had, I integrated more natural products into my home cleaning routine. I wasn’t ready to pull the plug until I knew that these new, more natural products actually worked. I mean, could I really consider my home “clean” if I wasn’t using anything toxic to really get in there and do the work?
Well the new products worked and I no longer had to run out of the bathroom to avoid the fumes after I had sprayed down the area. I also continued being cautious about where I store my cleaning supplies but I wasn’t worried about my toddler putting a piece of cereal in his mouth that had just fallen on the floor. My kids don’t eat meals off the floor, but it feels good to know that I am creating a healthy home for them to live in and also a more economical way to clean the home.
Natural cleaners can be expensive but you can also make your own cleaners at home and save a ton. Some of my favorite natural brands are Mrs. Meyers, Honest Company, Shaklee but I also like to make my own ever so often and I wanted to share with you how I use essential oils to clean. There are so many essential oils and recipes that I could feature, but I decided to start with lemon.
The following recipes are sure to bring back your zest for life! Well no, they won’t – but your house will be super clean and that will make you happy, so yeah…
Bathroom Fixtures: Use a towel soaked with several drops of Lemon oil to sanitize bathroom fixtures.
Dishes: I add 2 drops of Lemon oil to the bottom of my dishwasher before the wash cycle. Dishes will shine and the dishwasher smells great.
Window Cleaner: Pour into a glass spray bottle 1 cup distilled white vinegar and 10 drops of lemon essential oil and fill the rest with water. Mix well.
Natural Disinfectant – This also works great for a moldy shower. Add 30 drops lemon oil and 20 drops tea tree oil to a glass spray bottle, add a splash of vinegar and fill the rest with water.
Wood Furniture Polish: Add 4-5 drops lemon essential oil to a small amount of olive oil for polishing wood.
Floor Cleaner: Add a splash of vinegar and 10-20 drops of lemon essential oil to your bucket of water.
Of course, always test a little spot on your furniture before you use a new cleaner.
I encourage you to take small but consistent steps towards creating a healthier home. Enjoy your green cleaning!
Thanks for the green-cleaning tips. I will have to get some lemon oil. Right now I have Lemograss.
I like lemongrass too! Maybe I will share tips on using lemongrass in a future post.
I prefer cleaning with my own homemade cleaning solutions and sometimes add essential oil drops. I like lemon oil, but most of the time i use lavender. Your tips are great and I’m going to try few this weekend. Thank you for sharing them!