8 Simple Green Cleaning Recipes For Your Home

Essential oils have been used for healthy living, cleaning and enjoyment since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Today, more valuable uses for essential oils are still being discovered. I first learned about the powers of essential oils from my grandmother, and today I am grateful to share some of my favorite essential oil-based cleaning recipes with you here.

Advice for Using Essential Oils in Cleaning

Essential oils earn their name honestly. I was shocked the first time I learned that just a single drop of peppermint oil equals 30 brewed peppermint tea bags! The good news is, you can get a lot of mileage out of a very small vial of essential oil (which boils down to just pennies per cleaning session).

10 Essential Oils for Green Cleaning & Sanitizing

I picked 10 of my favorite essential oils to focus on for these cleaning recipes. I picked each essential oil because it contains properties specific to what you will need for keeping your home clean, sanitized and fresh-smelling for your family and guests.

• Lemon: Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic.
• Lavender: Antibacterial, antifungal, antimicrobial, antiseptic.
• Rosemary: Antibacterial, antiseptic.
• Tea Tree: Antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic.
• Peppermint: Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral.
• Eucalyptus: Antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, disinfectant.
• Cinnamon: Antiseptic, antibacterial.
• Pine: Antimicrobial, antiseptic, antiviral, antiviral, antifungal.
• Chamomile: Antiseptic, antibacterial.
• Grapefruit seed oil: Antibacterial, antiseptic.

Combining Essential Oils in Cleaning Recipes

I love the scent of essential oils either on their own or combined. Each essential oil listed here is great for cleaning on its own or in these suggested combinations:

• Lavender, Pine, Grapefruit.
• Rosemary, Peppermint, Pine.
• Cinnamon, Lavender, Lemon.
• Eucalyptus, Pine.
• Tea Tree, Peppermint.
• Chamomile, lavender.

Other Ingredients You Will Need

These additional all-natural ingredients will boost the green cleaning and sanitizing power of each listed essential oil.

• Baking soda.
• Washing soda.
• Vinegar (white or apple cider).
• Olive oil.
• Fresh lemon juice.
• Salt.
• Pure liquid castille soap.

Cleaning & Sanitizing Recipes for Each Room in Your House

Each recipe is labeled by its use. I have used each one of these recipes and am very pleased with the results – I hope you will enjoy them too!

Recipe 1: Essential Oil Scrubber & De-Stainer

Use to scrub the sink, tub or tiles – great for removing stains.

• Combine 1/4 c. washing soda, 1/4 c. baking soda, 3/4 cup white vinegar and 8 drops eucalyptus oil (can substitute tea tree or rosemary).
• Combine all ingredients in a sealed container and shake well. Sprinkle the powder on any surface and scrub with a wet sponge, then rinse with hot water.

Recipe 2: Sanitizing Commode Cleaner.

Toilets respond very well to this cleaning solution – you can use it for the surface areas and the bowl.

• Combine 2 c. water, 1/4 cup castille soap, 10 drops peppermint oil (can substitute eucalyptus), 1 TBSP. tea tree oil.
• Pour mixture into a spray bottle and shake well. Spritz on the toilet surfaces and bowl and wipe clean.

Recipe 3: Clean, Fresh Carpet Foamer.

If your carpet develops stains, this foam should lift them away.

• Combine 3 c. water, 3/4 c. castille soap, 10 drops peppermint oil (can substitute lemon).
• Blend in a blender or mixer until foamy. Wet a sponge with the foam and scrub the carpet to remove stains.

Recipe 4: Grime-Away Oven & Microwave Cleaner.

A grimy oven, microwave or toaster oven is no fun to cook with – use this cleaner to freshen things up.

• Combine 1/2 c. salt, 1/4 c. washing soda, 1/4 c. water, 3/4 c. vinegar, 2 c. baking soda, 10 drops lemon oil, 10 drops rosemary oil.
• Use the dry ingredients with the water to make a spreadable mixture. Take out the oven racks (you can clean these separately). Preheat the oven for 10 minutes. Open the door for 15 minutes. Then spread the mixture on the soiled areas. Leave for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the wet ingredients into a spray bottle. After 30 minutes, spritz the dried paste with the wet ingredients and wipe it all away.

Recipe 5: Grease Away Stove Cleanser.

Send stove and counter grease away with this cleanser.

• Combine 2 c. water, 2 TBSP. baking soda, 2 tsp. castille soap, 20 drops lemon oil.
• Shake well in a spray bottle. Spray and wipe as needed.

Recipe 6: Dusting spray.

You can use this spray to lift away dust (so it doesn’t just float up into the air instead).

• Combine 1/4 c. vinegar, 1 c. water, 2 tsp. olive oil, 10 drops lemon, grapefruit or lavender oil.
• Shake well in a spray bottle and spritz and wipe as needed.

Recipe 7: Wood Polisher.

This will polish and nourish wooden furniture, surfaces and floors naturally.

• Combine 1/4 c. vinegar, 1/4 c. olive oil, 10 drops pine oil (can substitute cinnamon, lemon).
• Shake in a spray bottle – spritz on and wipe away as needed.

Recipe 8: All-purpose surface cleaner.

This antiseptic, sanitizing surface spray cleaner works well pretty much anywhere.

• Combine 1/4 c. vinegar, 1/4 c. water, 10 drops of chamomile oil (can substitute lemon, lavender, peppermint).
• Shake in a spray bottle and spritz and wipe as needed.

About the Author

Sally Wong from ThinkOily.com is a professional massage and manual therapist with 15 years of hands-on expertise. Her additional passions include Yoga, Tai Chi and the many applications for essential oils. As a young girl living in South China, she first studied about essential oils at her grandmother’s knee. Today, she lives and works in Vancouver, Canada.