If you’re just getting started with essential oils, a great way to incorporate them into your daily life is to use them in your cleaning routine! There are lots of ways to utilize the strength and versatility of oils as you tidy, disinfect, and deep clean your home — and today I’m going to give you 10 ways to try them out!

10 Ways To Clean With Essential Oils

10 Ways To Clean With Essential Oils

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01. Freshen your laundry

Have you accidentally left your wet clothes in the washer post-cycle? Add a drop or two of lemon essential oils to your wash as you toss it into the dryer or before you hang it on the line to avoid that musty smell.

02. Clean your countertops, shower, or tile surfaces

Want to avoid harsh cleaners like bleach to disinfect areas of your home? Fill a spray bottle with water, a dash of vinegar, 40 drops of lemon essential oil, and 20 drops of melaleuca alternifolia (or tea tree oil) to make a multi-purpose cleaner. Give it a shake and spritz away.

03. Boost the antiseptic power of your dish liquid

Add 10 drops of lime, bergamot, lavender, or orange to a natural dishwashing liquid and shake well.

04. Make your own air freshener

Mix about 8-10 drops of essential oil to a spray bottle filled with 2 ½ cups warm water. You can use a single scent, or try mixing up a combination, then using about 8-10 drops of that mix. (A few ideas for combinations: lavender and lemon, cinnamon and bergamot, or orange and cinnamon. Experiment to find your favorite combinations!)

05. Clean your floors

Mix up your own special essential oil cleaner to make those floors sparkle! Try a mix of white vinegar ( about ¼-½ cup) with 10 drops of lemon oil and 5 drops of oregano oil. Add your mix to a bucket of warm water. If your floors are really in need of a scrub, try a few drops of dish soap, but be sure to follow up your cleaning regime with a clean, wet mop so that you don’t leave soap on your floors.

06. Make your own dryer sheets

With a handful of fabric scraps, some vinegar, essential oils, and a mason jar, you can make your very own, all-natural dryer sheets! Check out The Spruce for a quick and simple DIY!

10 Ways To Clean With Essential Oils

07. Keep your ducts microbe-free

You know those air filters you pop on your furnace once in a blue moon? (We really all ought to change those more often, eh?) You can add a few drops of essential oils right on the filter before putting it in its place — this helps to kill microbes in your ducts and keeps your home smelling fresh! Lemon, eucalyptus, or lavender would be a great choice for this application.

08. Get rid of permanent marker stains and sticker residue

All you need is your lemon essential oil and a little elbow grease! Rub, rinse, rub, repeat. You’ll be amazed at how well just one simple oil will work on stubborn stains like these. (For more heavy-duty sicker messes, try this DIY Goo Gone recipe from Simple Is Pretty.)

09. Freshen your vacuum

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a cotton ball and pop it in your dryer bag or canister for a wonderful smell each time you vacuum! I prefer lemon or melaleuca for this application — though lavender might also be a nice choice!

10. Get rid of soap scum in the bathroom

All you need is baking soda, water, and some lemon essential oil to make a paste that’ll get rid of all that yucky soap scum that builds up all along with your faucets and glass shower stall doors. Scrub the paste in with a cloth, let it sit a few minutes, then rinse with warm water.