Pet Odor Neutralizer

We love our pets. But let’s face it—they stink! It can be tricky to get the odor out of carpets and furniture without damaging them with strong chemicals. But there is a natural solution!

Apple cider vinegar is a great cleaning agent if you are environmentally conscious. Its antibacterial properties make it a natural alternative to bleach. Using apple cider vinegar instead of bleach to clean will eliminate the strong chemical smell and prevent ruining your carpet and upholstery. Once the vinegar solution evaporates, only a sweet and slightly floral scent remains with no fumes!

• Servings: Yield=1 cup (240 ml)
• Time: 5 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 10–20 drops essential oil of choice (We suggest geranium, lavender, and lemon as a great blend.)
• 1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 8 oz. Glass Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. Add 10–20 drops of essential oil to a small spray bottle filled with apple cider vinegar.
2. Shake well before each use, and spray on the smelly surfaces. Let the Pet Odor Neutralizer dry and take the odor away.

 

Odor-Blocking Toilet Spray

Leave the bathroom better than you found it with this odor-blocking formula! Just spray it on top of the water before you go, and you won’t leave behind any odorous evidence. The soap and essential oils create a film on the surface of the water and leave a fresh scent instead!

• Servings: Yield=35 ml
• Time: 5 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tbsp. (7.5 ml) Castile Soap
• 1/2 Tbsp. (7.5 ml) Vegetable Glycerin
• 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) rubbing alcohol
• 10 drops bergamot essential oil
• 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 10 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) Homemade Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Combine castile soap, glycerin, rubbing alcohol, and essential oils in a small glass spray bottle.
2. Shake to mix thoroughly.
3. Spritz toilet water a few times before you “go” to trap the odors.
4. Shake well before each use.

This is great to carry along on trips or while visiting somebody else’s home!

 

Front Loader Washer Machine Cleaner

Front loader washers are great for getting your clothes clean and for conserving water and detergent. But they do have one flaw—they tend to develop an odor. To keep your washer smelling clean, it’s a great idea to run a cleaning cycle once a month—and we have just the recipe to help you do that!

Front Loader Washer Cleaner

• Time: 5 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients & Supplies:

• Washcloth or sponge
• 1 cup white distilled vinegar
• 10 drops lemon essential oil
• 1/2 cup baking soda

Instructions:

1. Use a damp washcloth or sponge to wipe the rubber rim of your washing machine clean.
2. Combine vinegar and essential oil in a glass bowl or measuring cup, and then pour the mixture into the detergent container of the washing machine.
3. Sprinkle the baking soda into the washing machine drum.
4. Run the washer on the hottest setting.
5. Once the cycle finishes, open the washer door, and leave it open until the washer is completely dry.
6. Repeat once a month to keep your washer smelling clean and fresh. Note: It helps to always leave your washer door open to dry out after each batch of laundry.

Microwave Steam Cleaner

One of the easiest ways to clean out a grimy microwave oven is to create a cleansing steam using vinegar, water, and lemon essential oil.  Lemon essential oil is known for its antibacterial properties and will leave your kitchen smelling lovely. This recipe makes it so easy to clean your microwave that it might just become your favorite part of your cleaning routine.

• Servings: Yield=2 cups
• Time: 5 minutes active; 10 minutes inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 5 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions:

1. In a glass measuring cup, combine the water, vinegar, and essential oil.
2. Put the cup in the microwave.
3. Microwave the mixture for 5 minutes. Let it sit in the microwave for another 2–5 minutes to allow the steam to work through the grime and food particles inside of your microwave.
4. Carefully remove the cup from the microwave; the glass will be hot, and sometimes the water has been known to explode because of a shift in the molecules. This can be avoided by putting a wooden spoon or bamboo skewer in the liquid while you heat it up.
5. Once you have removed the measuring cup, use a clean sponge to wipe down the sides of the microwave. The build-up comes off like a dream!

 

Toilet Freshener Tablets

Sometimes our toilets need a little freshening, so why not give them some essential oil love? These tablets are made out of baking soda, citric acid, water, and essential oils and will fizz when dropped in water. As the tablet fizzes in the toilet, it can help loosen grime, making the toilet easier to clean, and provide a lovely scent to help your bathroom smell great!

• Servings: Yield=18–20 tablets
• Time: 10 minutes active; 10 hours inactive
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 2 tsp. water (more if needed)
• 80–90 drops desired essential oils (We used 20 drops each of lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and orange.)
• 15 ml spray bottle (An “empty” oil bottle with a spray top works well.)
• Silicone mold, ice cube tray, etc.
• 16 oz. PET Jars or other air-tight container to store the toilet freshener tablets

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and citric acid.
2. Add the water and essential oils to the 15 ml spray bottle, and shake to combine. A funnel may help with this process.
3. Gently spray the essential oil/water solution into the dry mixture as you stir, until all of the oils have been added. Using the spray bottle helps minimize the fizzing action as the water is added to the citric acid.
4. Once you have sprayed out all of the essential oil/water solution, test the mixture by squeezing a little in your hand to see if it clumps together. If it doesn’t clump well, add a little more water to the spray bottle, and continue spraying the mixture and stirring just until it can can form a good clump.
5. Transfer the mixture to your mold or ice cube tray, and pack down firmly. A silicone mold works really well for this and allows the tablets to come out nicely once dry.
6. Allow the tablets to dry for several hours or overnight before using.
7. Store your toilet freshener tablets in an air tight container such as these PET jars.
8. To use, simply place 1 tablet in the toilet, and let it fizz and release its aroma. Depending on the essential oils used, these tablets may help loosen grime and make the toilet easier to scrub, or they can simply be used to help freshen the scent of the bathroom.

Makeup Brush Cleaner with Essential Oils

This all-natural makeup brush cleaner is effective at cleaning your brushes and leaves the bristles moisturized. Not only do the essential oils in this recipe leave a lovely scent on your brushes, but they are also great for your skin!

Makeup Brush Cleaner

• Time: 5–10 minutes active; 8 hours inactive
• Difficulty: Moderate
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Ingredients:

• Shot Glasses or small glass bowls
• Fractionated Coconut Oil
• 1–2 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil
• 1–2 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1–2 drops grapefruit essential oil
• Castile Soap
• Running water
• Paper towels

Instructions:

1. Pour a little Fractionated Coconut Oil into a Shot Glass. Add essential oils, and stir to combine.
2. Pour a little Castile Soap into another Shot Glass.
3. Swirl your makeup brushes in the oil solution until you see the makeup stored in the brush start to come out (about 15–30 seconds). Rub against the palm of your hand or a paper towel to agitate it a little and loosen the makeup. Keep the bristles pointed down.
4. Rinse the brush under warm running water. Gently squeeze the brush bristles until the water runs clear. Note: Make sure to point the bristles down during this whole process. If tipped with the bristles up, the oils and water may loosen the glue that holds the bristles to the brush and shorten the life of your brushes.
5. Swirl the brush in the Castile Soap for 15 seconds, and rinse again with warm water. This helps remove the oils from the brush.
6. Gently squeeze all liquid from the brush, and hang your brushes to dry (bristles pointed down) or let dry flat on a towel.

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray with Essential Oils

Not only does this cleaning spray work well, but it also smells fantastic and leaves your house with a fresh scent! Clean your house with all-natural ingredients this holiday season!
 

All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

• Servings: Yield=8 oz.
• Time: 2 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Liquid Castile Soap
• 8 drops lemon essential oil
• 8 drops lime essential oil
• 4 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1 cup distilled water
• 8 oz. Glass Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. Mix Castile soap, essential oils, and water together in the spray bottle.
2. To use, spray desired area, and wipe with a damp cloth.

Homemade Room Freshener

Do you enjoy having a lovely scent sprayed around the room but want something more natural than you can find commercially? Well, here is a basic, natural room freshener recipe that you can easily customize to create your desired scent! There are so many essential oil scent combinations you can create, but here are a few to get you started:

Clean & Relaxing: 5 drops lemon 3 drops lavender

Fresh Floral: 5 drops lavender 3 drops geranium 1 drop Roman chamomile

Holiday Aroma: 2 drops cinnamon 2 drops clove 2 drops orange 2 drops fir 1 drop rosemary

Winter Wonderland: 4 drops orange 3 drops peppermint 2 drops frankincense

• Servings: Yield=4 oz.
• Time: 5 minutes active
• Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients:

• 8–10 drops essential oil
• 1 Tbsp. rubbing alcohol or vodka
• 1/2 cup distilled water
• 4 oz. Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. Add essential oil and alcohol to the spray bottle. Screw the spray top on, and shake or swirl until combined.
2. Remove spray top, and fill the remainder of the bottle with distilled water.
3. To use, shake the bottle and spray as needed.

Note: This funnel makes for easy, mess-free, assembly!

Homemade Wipes Recipes

Are you concerned about the chemicals that are found in commercial wipes, including cleaning wipes and baby wipes? Do you get nervous when you read the ingredients list and can’t pronounce anything on it? If so, maybe you should try making your own wipes and utilizing the power of essential oils! Below are recipes for making your own baby wipes and cleaning wipes using all-natural ingredients.

The Omni-Wipe Container is the perfect tool for making homemade wipes. While many other containers tend to dry out wipes over time, the Omni-Wipe Container seals in the solution to help keep your wipes fresh. Other features of this container include the following:

• The container can easily be opened and closed with one hand.
• The container is designed with a rubber seal and lid key to make it spill resistant.
• The container is lightweight, yet heavy duty enough to be impact resistant.
• The container is microwave and dishwasher safe.
• The container is composed of materials that make it eco-friendly and chemical resistant.

When using the Omni-Wipe Container, just follow these instructions:

1. Mix your ingredients together in the container.
2. Cut a paper towel roll in half (the paper towels with half sheets work well because they become small squares when you cut them in half). Place one of the halves in the Omni-Wipe Container, and let the paper towel roll soak up most of the liquid.
3. After a minute, place the lid on the container. Flip the container over (with the handle to the side) so that it is resting upside down on the rubber seal in a sink or container to catch any extra liquid. Leave the container upside down for five minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
4. Once the liquid is absorbed, flip the container back over, pull out and discard the cardboard insert, and pull up the center towel and push it through the lid. Make sure the lid key is aligned in the back, snap the lid back on, and secure the handle on top.

Note: Because these wipes are made from all-natural ingredients, they tend to get moldy after a little while. If you find you don’t use them up before they get moldy, try cutting a half-used paper towel roll instead of a new roll, or simply pull off a length of paper towels (after the roll is cut in half), folding it in a “Z” shape as you go until you get a sufficient quantity.

Baby Wipes

• Servings: Yield = 2 1/4 cups of solution
• Time: 5 minutes
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Ingredients and Materials Needed:

• 2 cups distilled water
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. fractionated coconut oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. witch hazel
• 6–8 drops vitamin E oil (2 capsules)
• 4 drops lavender essential oil
• 4 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together in an Omni-Wipe Container. Stir with a spoon until well combined. Place half a paper towel roll in liquid for a minute until mostly absorbed. Place the lid on with the handle to the side, and flip the container over. Allow the container to rest upside down in the sink for 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Pull out and discard the cardboard insert, and push the center towel through the lid. Secure the lid and seal with the handle when not in use.

Cleaning/Disinfecting Wipes

• Servings: Yield = 2 cups of solution
• Time: 5 minutes
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Ingredients and Materials Needed:

• 1 cup distilled water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 20 drops thyme essential oil
• 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 5 drops oregano essential oil

This recipe for a disinfectant blend is found in the Reference Guide for Essential Oils by Alan & Connie Higley.

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together in an Omni-Wipe Container. Stir with a spoon until well combined. Place half a paper towel roll in liquid for a minute until mostly absorbed. Place the lid on with the handle to the side, and flip the container over. Allow the container to rest upside down in a sink for 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Pull out and discard the cardboard insert, and push the center towel through the lid. Secure the lid and seal it with the handle when not in use.