Cleaning with Essential Oils

Healthy eating, check, regular workouts, check.

I thought I had things under control and was feeling pretty good about myself. One particular day I even got a crazy burst of energy and decided to get the house clean. Before I lost motivation I made a b-line for the pantry to get the cleaning materials and started spraying the bejesus out of our bathroom. Bent over the tub, huffing and puffing to get the pesky soap scum off, I suddenly got a strange headache that I promptly ignored. With the tub and shower cleaned I then realized I was glistening profusely and would have to rinse off. I started the shower in anticipation of a nice, steamy, relaxing few minutes after all that hard work. I breathed deeply, smelling the fumes that I thought signified cleanliness and my headache worsened as realized I was about to pass out from the vapors. I wondered, what’s IN this stuff anyway?

Chloroform, benzene, formaldehyde. (Yes the stuff they embalm people with.)

Thoughts of my daughter’s bath filled my head. Hmm….is this actually good for us?

As I got out of the shower, brushed on some makeup, rolled on the deodorant, and brushed my teeth I was ready for the day – not realizing I may have come in contact with up to 126 chemicals.

So what is a parent to do? I have three tips for you!

My first tip is to download the Skin Deep app. It is an application from the Environmental Working Group to help you determine toxins in various products. Simply scan the barcode and it will tell you the toxic risk level.

The cleaning product companies have us snowed. It’s not clean until we declare warfare on all germs and knock out 100% right? The issue with this is that it creates antibiotic resistant bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, otherwise known as MRSA.

Tip number two is lose the antibacterial hand wash, hand sanitizer, dish detergents etc. These products also contain a hormone-disrupting agent called Triclosan. Good, old fashioned hand washing with regular soap and hot water is all we need. We require some of the good bacteria so our bodies can continue to build immunity.

Tip number three is to get back to basics with your cleaning regimen.

Here is a list for you. (I promise to save you some of your hard earned money in the end.)

• Glass Containers (Rinse out old salsa or jelly jars and re-use for free!)
• Empty spray bottles
• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Organic Essential Oils – they are worth the investment. A little goes a long way and they have been used for many years for their natural antibiotic, antifungal, antibacterial and analgesic properties.

Why has no one told us about this? Because the cleaning companies would be broke!

Some info about essential oils:

They aren’t actually oils, they are astringent so sometimes they need to be diluted with something called a carrier oil such as coconut oil.

Look for pricing between $10 to $30 per 15ml; they should vary for each oil because harvesting and production costs vary.

The reason I choose organic essential oils is because these oils are highly concentrated. If the fields came into contact with pesticides, they would be concentrated in the plants. There are lots of great companies out there so do your research and don’t buy just any home fragrance.

Learn more at my simple guide to organic essential oils.

Here are two of my favorite simple recipes to get you started cleaning today.

The best part is that you can let your kids get in on the fun without worrying about toxic chemicals. You can thank me later.

Tub Cleaner

Ingredients
1 cup baking soda
25 drops each certified organic lemon, grapefruit, tea tree oil
Water, as needed

Directions

Mix the baking soda and oils in a glass jar; when you are ready to clean, sprinkle the mixture evenly over the tub, add enough water to make a paste, brush with a scrub brush. Prepare to be amazed.

Citrus Window Cleaner

All-purpose; great for counters and appliances!

Ingredients

¼ cup vinegar
2 Tbsp water
30 drops organic orange and/or lemon essential oil

Directions

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. If you need more oils; add them.

Breathe deeply – not only will this aromatherapy increase concentration, lemon essential oils are great to fight urinary tract infections, toenail fungus, bronchitis and coughs, asthma, runny nose.

Want to learn more? Contact me! I help people through hands-on workshops, webinars and coaching.

About the Author

Dawn Hutchins

Dawn Hutchins is a North Florida resident that has been food blogging since 2009, soon after her daughter was born. She is a Holistic Living Coach, health food nut, yoga lover and camping aficionado. Her mission is to promote health in mind, body and spirit throughout the community and beyond. Through her blog,Florida Coastal Cooking, she provides plant based recipes, inspiration and healthy living tips, and offers classes on essential oils for babies and children and coaching on healthy living!