Beyond The Diffuser: 5 uses for essential oils around your home

If you’ve ever read the label on some of your home cleaning products they can be a tad shocking. “Harmful if swallowed”, “Can irritate airways”, “May aggravate asthma and allergies” No thanks! We love that there are more and more natural cleaning products available so it's easier than ever to say buh-bye to those harsh ingredients. But why not take it one step further, have a little crafternoon and make some of your own products? Plus, when you make your own you’ll get to create a scent that you love. So let’s raid your collection of essential oils and get started!

Add Something Special To Your Laundry

Many laundry products are chocked full ingredients that you really don’t want anywhere near your skin. But wanting to avoid chemicals doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy that comforting smell that comes from fresh laundry. To add a fresh scent to your laundry without artificial fragrances, try adding some essential oils in the mix. Sprinkle two or three drops of essential oil on a cotton cloth or your wool dryer balls and toss them into the dryer. For those clothes that you hang to dry, add a couple of drops of essential oil to your unscented laundry detergent. We love Lavender oil, especially for sheets and towels.

Give Your Kitchen Some Love

Did you know that making your own kitchen cleaning spray is as easy as one, two, three?! Just find a spray bottle and fill it with equal parts water and vinegar then top it off with about 30 drops of essential oil. Give it all a good shake and use it like you would any other all-purpose cleaner on wood, glass, stainless steel and porcelain. Wipe it away with a microfiber cloth and voila! We love citrus oils like lemon and orange in the kitchen.

Refresh Your Furniture

Cloth furniture can be tricky to clean, which explains the popularity of all those fabric refreshing sprays. Why not make your own chemical-free spray and fill your home with the scent of your choice? Find a spray bottle and add a ½ cup of distilled water and ¼ of vodka or rubbing alcohol. Mix in about 10 drops of essential oil, shake it up and spray away odours.

Make Your Toilet The Bomb!

Your toilet may seem like the one place in your home that you want a deep chemical clean. But if you have pets or kids that could come in contact with it (why is it that pets seem to think toilet water tastes the best?) then a natural cleaner is definitely a better option. A fizzy toilet bomb is like a bath bomb...but for your toilet. These little guys will help get rid of the odour, disinfect and help get rid of stains. The best part? No scrubbing!

• 1 cup baking soda
• ⅓ cup citric acid
• 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
• 30 drops essential oil eucalyptus or peppermint

• Mix baking soda and citric acid together in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in hydrogen peroxide, mixing as you go. Slowly add the essential oil, mixing constantly. The mixture will bubble and fizz a little bit but that is OK.
• Press the mixture into silicone moulds. Make sure the mixture is packed into the moulds tightly. Let the moulds dry for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Push bath bombs out of the moulds. Store in a sealed container. Keep away from young children who may think they are edible.

Get Rid Of Gunk

Essential oils not only smell amazing, but they’re also hard-working too. For instance, did you know that lemon essential oil is great for dissolving cooled wax, glue, permanent marker and chewing gum? Put a few drops on a microfiber cloth and rub away stubborn messes.

Essential oils: they’re not just for diffusers. Get creative with your own scents and try out different concoctions. We’d love to hear what your favourites are!