Cleaning With Essential Oils

     For many years now, I've used natural ingredients to clean my home.  Vinegar and baking soda have been my mainstays, but adding essential oils to your arsenal can target specific types of problems, enhance the effectiveness of other ingredients, and, of course, make your house smell great.  

I still get amused when I add the baking soda to the vinegar.  It creates that foamy, volcanic mess and I feel like I’m a little kid.  The baking soda gives a little grit to the vinegar and acts like a scouring powder.
     Vinegar on its own is an amazing cleaner.  It cuts grease, deodorizes, dissolves hard water spots and is effective at killing mold.  Its uses are virtually limitless.  Combing certain essential oils to it like lemon, lemongrass, tea tree, and cinnamon adds other beneficial properties as well.

 Lemon and lemongrass essential oils have antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.   Adding them to vinegar makes an all purpose cleaner that can be used on many types of surfaces throughout your home.   It’s a safe way to clean kitchen counters, microwaves, kitchen floors, cupboards, and the refrigerator.  

Tea tree is another essential oil effective for cleaning your home.  It has powerful fungicidal, antimicrobial, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties.  This is a heavy hitter and is effective in places where there are germs or mold.  

Cinnamon is another essential oil that is antimicrobial and fungicidal.  Combined with vinegar which is proven to also kill molds, you have one powerful cleaning agent on your hands.  It's really perfect in the shower or bath on tile and grout.  Sprayed or diffused into the air in small amounts can also help destroy airborne mold spores and microbes.   Some studies suggest this beneficial effect can continue days or even weeks after the first application.  Cinnamon essential oil is immensely strong.  It needs to be diluted greatly.  I would only suggest using this solution in a spray bottle as it is contained and easily applied with minimal skin contact. And of course caution should be used, as it can cause burning, redness and irritation to the skin. I use this with gloves and the spray bottle and have been very happy to have great results without any problems.   

Recipes

All Purpose Cleaning Solution

1 cup vinegar

1 cup water

1 teaspoon lemon essential oil

1/2 teaspoon lemongrass essential oil

spray bottle

Combine ingredients together.  Always shake well before using. If you would like to use tea tree oil in your all purpose cleaner, omit 1/4 teaspoon of either the lemon or lemongrass and add 1/4 teaspoon of tea tree oil.. 

Tea Tree Cleaning Solution

1 cup water

1 cup vinegar

2 teaspoon tea tree oil

spray bottle

Combine ingredients. Shake well before using.

Serious Cinnamon Mold Destroyer

2 cups vinegar

1 teaspoon cinnamon essential oil

¼ tea tree essential oil
spray bottle

Shake the solution well before using, spray directly onto the affected areas, let sit for a few hours, rinse, and wipe off.  Use an old terry cloth towel or microfiber rag to clean off the dark spots after the mold has been killed.

Homemade furniture polish
1/4 cup Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
15 drops of your favorite essential oil : Lavender, Patchouli, Lemon, Orange etc.

Mix together well and dab on cloth.  This actually makes quite a bit depending on how much you need.  Store what's leftover in a glass or plastic container.

Miscellaneous tips to clean the home

-Scouring pads to help in those tough places.

-Hydrogen peroxide  to disinfect ( It's cheap and readily available at most pharmacies and grocery stores)

-Vinegar in the laundry to soften and deodorize
-1:1 ratio of vinegar and water to clean windows and mirrors

It gives peace of mind using natural ingredients such as these to clean our houses.  There’s no place like home after all.   It’s the place we return to after a long day of work and a cozy haven to relax, unwind and enjoy.  It makes sense that we would want to have a healthy, "clean" environment to live in. 

* Essential oils are generally safe, but they are concentrated, so, a little bit goes a long way.   Use safety precautions as you would normally with cleaning products.   If individual allergies or reactions occur, discontinue use….

The Present Moment: A Catalyst for Change

Quote by Annie Dillard 

I came across this sign on a road trip several years ago and it stopped me in my tracks.  It was one of those times where I took a left turn into the unknown, and from there a series of happy accidents ensued.  

This quote has remained meaningful to me.  It was the beginning for me like a little seed taking root or a door opening to a new path.  Sometimes I meditate on it, turning it over like a smooth stone in my hand.  What a reminder it is, a gift, and catalyst for change. 

The present moment is sacred, because it’s the only moment we ever really have.  It's some sort of miracle to be present experiencing life in all it's fullness.  And when we realize that our lives and days are really just moments, it challenges us to think more deeply about the way we spend those moments and how we appreciate them.  

It may change what we think is important. Questions may rise to the surface such as: What brings me happiness?  What brings me joy? What makes me feel alive? And...If not now, when?  As we begin to listen to and trust the voice within, we can begin to transform our lives, taking steps towards the life we want to live.

It’s no easy task to always be conscious of this. We are beautifully human after all.  The wonderful thing though, is that the present moment is always happening.  Right now for instance and we always have a second and third chance to remember, to begin again, and reorient ourselves towards the life we want to live.  

Sometimes it takes practice to be in the moment.  Meditation is a great tool.  You can also start by just slowing down.....here are some ways to begin....

When you eat a favorite meal or desert, take your time...savor all the flavors, the textures and the aromas....

Next time you're with a friend or a loved one, remember how this person is a gift in your life.......look into their eyes, smile at them, actively listen.....

When you find yourself outdoors in nature, take a second or two....look around you, what do you notice? what do you hear?  

When your pet greets you, spend time with them, pet them, feel how soft they are and feel in your heart the love they give!

Related article: Lessons in Exercise - The Present Moment
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