Cleaning with Herbal Essential Oils

I have been experimenting with new cleaners for the kitchen and bath.  We are finding that commercial cleaners in addition to being harsh are no more effective than herbal cleaners so we have decided the convenience is not worth the price these items seem to cost.  In my research I found three new herbal cleaners that one can use in the bathroom and kitchen for both cleaning and disinfecting.

Lemon Crème Cleanser

This slightly abrasive cleaner is great on baths, basins, and stainless steel appliances, sinks and counter tops, but do not use it on fiberglass bathroom fixtures.

½ cup baking soda

5 to 6 teaspoons liquid Castile soap

½ tsp. lemon essential oil

1 tsp. glycerin

Combine all the ingredients and mix well.  Store in a sealed glass jar.

To use, scoop the mixture onto a cloth or sponge, rub over the surface, then wipe off with a rinsed cloth.

Citrus and Tea Tree Disinfectant

Spray this disinfectant in the kitchen or bathroom or into a smelly garbage bin.  Increase its cleaning properties by adding 1 tsp of liquid castile soap to the solution.  For extra disinfectant power, choose vinegar rather than water.

3 ½ fl. oz. vodka

¼ tsp. tea tree oil

¼ tsp lemon essential oil

¼ tsp. grapefruit essential oil

1 cup water or distilled white vinegar

Pour the vodka and essential oils into a spray bottle and shake to combine.

Add the water or vinegar and shake for several minutes.

Spicy Carpet Deodorizer

Banish pet smells and stale odors.  Be sure to grind the dried herbs very finely in a spice or coffee grinder.  Nothing toxic in this mix, so placing it on the floor even if pets will walk through is not going to injure them.  I have used this to treat carpets and upholstery in the car.

2 cups baking soda

4 Tbls. borax

4 tsp. ground cloves

4 tsp. ground cinnamon

4 Tbls. each finely ground dried mint, rosemary, lavender, and thyme

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  To use, sprinkle the powder over the carpet and leave for an hour or more (even overnight) before vacuuming the carpet thoroughly. 

We make both this Spicy carpet deodorizer and a scented geranium-based carpet freshener which you can get from the Backyard Patch.