Cleaning With Essential Oils – Your Big Guide

Here’s all you need to know about cleaning your home sustainably with essential oils – including the oils to avoid using.

I love making my own cleaning products. They’re a great way to reduce my reliance on plastic. Plus the products I make don’t contain any harsh chemicals, making them much gentler on the environment than most conventional cleaning products.

I use an array of natural ingredients – including vinegar, castile soap, and bicarbonate of soda – depending on what I’m cleaning. However, what most of my green cleaning recipes have in common is that they contain essential oils.

I don’t just use these oils because they make my home smell lovely (although it’s certainly a good benefit!). I use them because many oils have powerful natural cleaning properties, and are great at tackling dirt and grease with ease.

Some essential oils even have antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties – making them a great addition to homemade cleaning solutions.

However, if you’re new to the world of green cleaning, or aren’t too sure how to use oils safely and effectively, then it can be confusing knowing where to start. To help you out, I’ve put together my big guide to using essential oils for cleaning. From the oils that work best, to the ones to steer clear of, where to buy oils and more – it’s all here.

What Are Essential Oils Exactly?

First up, you may well be wondering what essential oils are. You might be surprised to hear that they aren’t technically oils. Instead, they are highly concentrated plant extracts that capture the natural fragrance and beneficial compounds of the flowers, leaves, bark, or roots of a plant.

The oils are extracted through two different methods – distillation or cold pressing – to create highly potent oils.

Distillation is the most common technique. Here the plant material is heated with steam. The steam carries the plant’s aromatic compounds into a cooling chamber, where it condenses into a liquid. The essential oil then separates from the water and is collected.

Cold pressing is used mainly for citrus oils. It involves mechanically pressing the peel of fruits like oranges or lemons to release their natural oils without using heat.

A small bottle may seem expensive. However as the oils are so concentrated, you tend to only ever use them in highly diluted solutions. A few drops are often all you need, so a small bottle can go a long way.

The Best Essential Oils for Cleaning

With so many different oils available, it can be difficult to know which ones work best for cleaning. After all, not all plant oils have cleaning properties. To help you out here are what I consider the best oils for cleaning with:

• Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) – With antibacterial and antifungal properties, it’s great at tackling mould and mildew.
• Lemon Oil (Citrus limon)– With its natural degreasing properties, lemon oil is great for cutting through sticky residues and leaving surfaces sparkling. However, it’s very acidic and shouldn’t be used to clean surfaces made from natural stone, granite, quartz, marble, or similar. The same goes for any other citrus-based oil. Even if used in highly diluted amounts, these oils could cause damage to these surfaces. Citrus-based oils can also aggravate people with sensitive skin, so if this is something you suffer from then you may want to avoid using any citrus oils in any laundry products you make.
• Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) – Not only does lavender have a calming scent, but it also has antimicrobial properties that help disinfect surfaces.
• Peppermint Oil (Mentha piperita) – This oil has antibacterial qualities and has a lovely fresh scent.
• Eucalyptus Oil (Eucalyptus globulus or eucalyptus radiata) – A natural germ-fighter, eucalyptus oil works well in bathroom cleaners and can also help freshen up musty-smelling laundry.

Essential oils can be expensive, but there’s no need to buy all the oils. Lavender and tea tree are great all-rounders, so if you can only buy two make it those ones.

The Essential Oils to Avoid

All of the essential oils I use for cleaning my home are readily available. However, some oils are best left out of your cleaning routine due to sustainability concerns. These include:

• Sandalwood – This rich, woody-scented oil is often harvested unsustainably. Both Indian and Australian sandalwood, in particular, have been overharvested to the point where wild populations are endangered.
• Rosewood – Another rare oil that has been overexploited, rosewood is often sourced from endangered trees. Its popularity in perfumery has led to severe deforestation, making it an altogether environmentally unfriendly choice.
• Frankincense – Harvesting frankincense requires tapping trees for their resin, which, when done excessively, can weaken the trees and reduce their populations. Unfortunately, Frankincense trees are being tapped excessively and are now threatened.

Ways To Incorporate Oils Into Your Cleaning Regime

Essential oils can add natural fragrance and cleaning properties to your sustainable cleaning routine without relying on synthetic chemicals.

A few drops of citrus essential oil in with some white vinegar, for example, makes for an incredibly effective natural stainless steel cleaner.

A little lemon essential oil, mixed in with vodka, white vinegar and cornflour makes for the best sustainable window cleaner recipe.

Meanwhile, a couple of drops of your favourite oil mixed in with some bicarbonate of soda can help naturally deodorise even the stinkiest of shoes.

And if you’re looking for a green alternative to tumble dryer sheets, then essential oils can also be used. Simply pop a couple of drops of your favourite oil onto a piece of scrap fabric, and add it to your tumble dryer at the end of its cycle. Then run your machine on a cold setting for a few minutes to naturally scent your clothes. Don’t run the machine on hot though – only cold.

These are just some uses. I’ve got tons of green cleaning recipes involving essential oils ready for you to explore.

Using Oils Safely & Sustainably

Essential oils may be derived from plants, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any risks associated with using them. Here are the safety concerns to be aware of:

• When using essential oils for cleaning, always dilute the oils properly and test your cleaning product on a small inconspicuous area first, before using them on a wider area.
• Always keep your essential oils and finished cleaning products securely stored away from children and pets.
• Store your finished cleaning products in labelled bottles.
• Never mix essential oils, or any homemade cleaning products made with essential oils, with products such as bleach. Many essential oils contain compounds that can react with bleach to produce toxic fumes.
• If any undiluted oils get on your skin, wash it off straight away. Undiluted citrus oils, in particular, can severely burn your skin.

Essential Oils & Pregnancy

You may have heard that some essential oils can be harmful to people who are pregnant. This is true – there are certain oils that are considered safe (including lemon, tea tree and lavender essential oils), and certain oils that are considered harmful during pregnancy. This includes peppermint and eucalyptus oils.

However, all of the safety warnings I’ve read concerning essential oils and pregnancy are based around ingesting them, applying them directly onto your skin, or diffusing them.

I haven’t come across any specific advice that says it can be harmful to make or use cleaning products made from diluted essential oils.

Personally, I was happy to make and use cleaning products made from essential oils when I was pregnant, with some basic safety precautions in place. These were as follows:

• The oils were always diluted – I didn’t use any neat essential oils to clean anything.
• I made and used the products in well-ventilated areas.
• I wore rubber gloves when making and using the cleaning products.
• I didn’t apply the products I made to my skin. If any oils or cleaning products got on my skin I washed them off straight away.

However, if you are pregnant I encourage you to do your own research into whether essential oils are right for you to use or not. If you are in any doubt, speak to your midwife or GP for advice, or feel free to look into other ways to clean your home that don’t involve essential oils. One solution could be eCloths – these microfibre cloths just require water to clean your home.

Essential Oils & Pets

I often get emails from pet owners wondering if it’s safe to use cleaning products made with essential oils around their animals. This is because some pets – particularly cats – are highly sensitive to chemicals, including essential oils. As such, some essential oils are known to be toxic to pets – particularly when ingested or applied to their fur or skin.

Some people say you should not use any essential oils around pets – including dogs, cats and birds. Meanwhile, the PDSA advises that you should avoid using undiluted essential oils for cleaning, particularly if you have cats.

Given that most of the cleaning products I make are highly diluted, I use my homemade products around our pets. However, I have some basic common sense safety precautions in place, that I would adhere to even if I was using conventional cleaning products:

• The ingredients and finished products are stored away from pets.
• Cleaning products aren’t used in the vicinity of pets.
• Pets are kept away from any cleaned areas until the area is dry.
• Any spills are cleaned immediately.
• Wash your hands after making or using cleaning products – and before stroking your pets.
• Don’t clean any pet bowls, toys, etc, with products made from essential oils. Instead, these are cleaned using warm soapy water.
• Do not spray any homemade cleaning products onto dog or cat bedding.

However, I strongly encourage you to do your own research to see if using essential oils would be right for your household and your particular pets. If you have any doubts, please contact a veterinary professional. And if you know your pet reacts badly to a particular scent then don’t use it in your home.

Where To Buy Oils

I’m often asked where the best place to buy essential oils for cleaning is. Here are my favourite places in the UK:

• Tisserand – A top choice for organic, cruelty-free and sustainably sourced oils.
• Neal’s Yard – Another good place to shop for organic and sustainably sourced oils.
• Holland & Barrett – Great for oils on a budget. Look out for offers when you buy multiple oils.

The Bottom Line

Cleaning your home with essential oils is a simple yet effective way to clean your home naturally. Not only do these potent plant extracts help make your home sparkle, but they also leave your home smelling fresh without the need for synthetic fragrances.

Whether you’re making an all-purpose spray, freshening up laundry, or banishing odours from shoes, there’s an essential oil that can help. However, it’s important to use them wisely. It’s vital to choose the right oils, avoid those with ethical concerns, and take precautions to keep your family, pets, and home safe.

I’ve aimed to cover all the main bases – using emails I’ve received from readers as a guide to the most commonly asked questions. However, if I’ve missed any points then do feel free to ask away in the comments below!