Winter is like a houseguest. At first, you welcome her excitedly and delight in her many joys. The cold of the season makes the holidays feel cozier, and you just want to stay indoors, sipping on hot cocoa and cuddling up with a good book. But then the holidays are over, you have consumed far more hot cocoa than is good for you, you have read all your books, and yet she stays. And stays. And stays. Like the houseguest that overstays her welcome, you are ready for winter to go long before she finally does.
Spring Is Coming!
However, March is finally here and Winter’s icy grip on the earth is loosening! Even though Punxsutawney Phil saw his pesky shadow when he poked his beady little eyes out of the ground on February 2, the six weeks of winter that he foretold are closing out at long last.
Spring comes every year, but each time it happens, it feels like a miracle. As the sun lingers a bit longer and touches down a bit warmer, the brown earth begins to thaw, the incorrigible daffodils pop up everywhere, and the monochromatic world bursts into color. Even the birds get excited, and you can hear their joyful warbling from all directions.
As you walk winter out the door, you get to welcome in spring! Can any day be more joyful than the day that you trade your winter coats on the hook for lighter jackets, and box your snow boots to make room for goloshes and sandals? As the bright hope of spring feeds your energy, you will get the itch. The itch to make everything around you as bright and clean as the earth. It’s Spring Cleaning time!
Best Essential Oils for Cleaning
Close your eyes and picture it. The sun is shining through your glistening windows. Every surface of your home is clear of clutter, and several giant bags of donations sit in the back of the car. Your countertops gleam, your toilets and sinks shine, and you can see your smiling face in your polished floors. The vacuum lines on your freshly cleaned carpets are in a perfect zigzag. As you take in a long, deep breath of satisfaction, no harsh chemicals fill the air. Instead, your senses are enlivened by the gentle, fragrant smells of essential oils. Now open your eyes, and let’s get you there!
Cleaning with Lavender
Lavender essential oil is a natural cleanser. With its lovely, floral scent, it is the perfect oil for general cleaning. Because of its ability to improve the appearance of skin, Lavender is especially suited for jobs where your hands might get a little messy. Unlike chemical cleaners, essential oils can make your skin radiate in the healthiest of ways.
Make your own Lavender cleaner with ½ cup distilled water, ½ cup vinegar, and 10 drops lavender oil. Try this on countertops, sinks, and even waste baskets—just like those Lavender infused garbage bags!
Cleaning with Lemon
Lemon essential oil is a natural degreaser. You’ve probably noticed that loads of natural (and chemical) cleaning products use a citrusy lemon scent because it not only works magic on tough grime, but it also smells amazingly fresh and natural! Use it to remove goop, grime, and that greasy film that never seems to leave your stovetop.
To make your own homemade Lemon degreaser blend 1 cup of distilled water with ½ tablespoon baking soda and 10 drops of lemon essential oil. By the time you are done spritzing it everywhere, take a deep, refreshing breath of that deliciously clean citrus!
Cleaning Thyme
Thyme essential oil is a protective agent. This makes it the perfect oil for showers, toilets, and bathroom floors. Thyme and Oregano are very close relatives and Oregano can be used in the place of Thyme, but make sure you like the smell, they are both extremely potent!
To make a thyme bathroom cleaner, mix 1/3 cup hydrogen peroxide, 1 ½ cups distilled water, and 15 drops thyme essential oil in a spray bottle. Thyme is a very potent oil and should be used with care. We’d suggest putting on gloves for this one, especially since it’s around the toilet! haha
Cleaning with Dragon's Breath
Our Dragon’s Breath essential oil blend is a natural deodorizer. No oil blend can fight bad odors like Dragon’s Breath. Freshen the air and create a protective atmosphere by diffusing it. Also, you can use it to deodorize carpets and rugs.
Simply combine baking soda and Dragon’s Breath essential oil blend until it reaches the consistency of slightly wet sand. Sprinkle the mixture over the area, let it sit for several hours, and vacuum clean. Plus, you will LOVE the smell of Dragon’s Breath. A mixture of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus Radiata, Tarragon, and Tea Tree, this blend is a conglomerate of spice and powerful cleaning essential oils!
Cleaning with Grapefruit
With its tangy, fresh smell, grapefruit essential oil is ideal for making your surfaces shine, especially windows and mirrors. As a member of the citrus family, grapefruit (and other citrus oils) will act similarly to lemon as a degreaser, cleaner, and refresher.
In a spray bottle, make your own Grapefruit Shiner by combining 1 cup distilled water, 2/3 cup rubbing alcohol, and 24 drops grapefruit essential oil. Spray on your windows and wipe clean. Try anywhere that needs a facelift like counters, cabinets, stove tops, etc.
Cleaning with Green X
We’ve talked all about how to clean garbage cans, windows, counters, and homes, but this last one is more about you! Last, but not least, our Green X essential oil blend is great for cleansing skin. People with sensitive areas or spots of skin can greatly benefit from topically applying Green X.
If you need a bit of intense skin cleansing, simply add a few drops of Green X to a carrier oil like fractionated coconut before applying topically. This combination of Tea Tree, Litsea Cubeba, Geranium, Lavender, Melissa Leaf is designed to be a beacon of cleanliness when it seems like skin is acting up and needs an extra potent clean kick.
Brighten Someone’s Day!
March 8 is International Women’s Day! This is the day when everyone comes together to fight gender bias and discrimination, and to celebrate the astounding contributions made by women all over the world. What better way to show the woman in your life how much you appreciate her than to pull out the essential oils and do some cleaning! Nothing makes a woman’s eyes sparkle quite like not having to lift a finger to have a shiny kitchen sink, an empty, fragrant trash can, and a dazzling white toilet!
If you are still cleaning with harsh, toxic chemicals, now is a great time to take those products to your local household hazardous waste center and replace them with natural, homemade essential oil cleaners. Your house and health will thank you!
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