How many of you love having a clean, wonderful smelling home? Personally, there is nothing I love more than coming home to not only a clean house, but a house that smells truly clean. For me, this is the smell of a high quality candle burning or high quality, natural cleaning products. The secret to most of these products, however, aren’t synthetic chemicals but high quality essential oils. Before essential oils became popular, I actually made my own air fresheners by boiling herbs, which was quite a bit of work. Today, I am excited to have a large variety of different essential oils available for freshening the air and for cleaning!
While some may think essential oils are fairly new, they have actually been used for years, especially in herbal medicine. Personally, I know I’m not qualified for making any sort of medical claims when it comes to essential oils, so I leave those complicated questions to doctors and just enjoy the amazing ways that essential oils save my family money and improve our quality of life. Some of our favorite uses for essential oils include:
1) Cleaners – Do you buy natural cleaners? If so, you may not know that the essential oils used in the mix are the real secret ingredient for cleaning. You can make your own all purpose cleaners and antibacterial cleaners using lemon oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, and thyme.
2) Insect Repellents – It may be hard to believe, that mosquitoes and many bugs hate lemongrass oil, citronella oil (what’s used in the candles), and eucalyptus oil. With a bit of coconut oil, you can easily make your own bug repellent or make your own candles to keep the bugs away during the summer.
3) Concentration – Have you ever had problems concentrating on a difficult task, such as doing taxes, reading something educational, or preparing for a test? Classical music and grapefruit oil, bergamot, and peppermint are great for helping improve concentration, especially when used with a diffuser.
4) Fabric Freshener – Okay, fess up. How many of you buy fabric softeners just so that your clothes smell amazing? If you just want the scent, put 5 – 6 drops of lavender on wool dryer balls. Your clothes will smell amazing without the use of harmful chemicals that can actually ruin your clothes.
5) Bath Products – I am a huge fan of making my own soaps, bath balms, and even lotions. Rather than paying big money for awesome smelling products, just make your own at home. If you are unsure where to start, you can buy kits to teach you how to make just about any bath product and add your own preferred scent!
6) Improving Sleep – Having issues falling asleep? One of the best ways to relax is and have a better night sleep is lavender oil. Sprinkle a few drops on your pillow or a diffuser going in your bedroom at night with this oil.
7) Reducing Stress – Do you suffer from anxiety or need a way to relax after a stressful day? Help yourself to relax with chamomile, lavender or peppermint essential oils. Just use with a diffuser or a carrier oil to help you relax.
8) Cold Relief – Tired of dealing with the common cold or sinus congestion? Eucalyptus oil is great at fighting back coughs and can be mixed with steaming hot water or a diffuser to help clear nasal passages.
9) Sore Muscles – Dealing with sore muscles from exercise or being on your feet all day? Help yourself relax with peppermint oil, lavender 0il, or rosemary oil, along with some Epsom salt. Not only will the smell help you relax, but help aching muscles and bruises.
So, where do I get my essential oils? Personally, I like Simply Earth essential oils, not only because of their 100% pure guarantee and third party testing, but because they give back. When you buy their products, 13% of the profit from your purchase goes to help end human trafficking. You can find their full collection of essential oils here.
About Susan Bewley
Susan Bewley is a professional writer who has been writing content online & in print format for over 10 years. As well, she is an alumni of the University of Louisville with a Masters Degree in Special Education. When not working as an online business consultant or ghost writing, she can be found writing on Budget Earth, on her own novel, or working with various entities in the pet industry.
I’m just learning about essential oils,etc. This was great !
I especially like the recommendations for insect repellents – my granddaughter seems to be a magnet for sand fleas in the sandbox at pre-school & mosquitos everywhere – nice to know there is a natural alternative to the chemical solutions.
People are using oils for everything these days. I must learn more.
we use essential oils a little. We are in the process of using them more often.
I use essential oils in my baths but didn’t know about the rest of the uses, thanks for this!
some great ideas! Thanks!
this is a really great articale. im just now learning to use essential oils for all sorts of things.
So many great ideas Lavander is my favorite scent. I am going to try the fabric softener idea.
I use essential oils and just started using the wool dryer balls, I spritz them with lavender oil/water, I want to try making my own mosquito repellent this year for us & our dogs
I love peppermint in the winter, it makes me happy.
How interesting
I use lavender on my wool dryer balls. Haven’t used those ugly chemical sheets in years.
I often use essential oils as household cleaners etc. but never thought of using them instead of fabric freshener! Definitely checking this one out as the standard type affects my asthma.
I have started using essential oils and make my own cleaning sprays. Thank you for sharing!
Great suggestions. I have used the oil combination for a mosquito repellent and had good luck with it.
I am a big fan of essential oils. Mixing lemon essential oil with distilled water is also a good air refresher.
I just received my beginners package of oils and beginning to learn thanks for these helpful tips
I use essential oils inmy home alot. I love for my house to smell really good. And relaxing too
I love to use Essential Oils in my house. I have used lavender in the past for relaxation but, its nice to see the oils to use for sore muscles.
I haven’t used essential oils other than in a diffuser or candle making. The smell of lavender makes me gag. I love the smell of lilac. I wouldn’t mind using that in my laundry.
Oils are so popular right now.
I’ve been thinking of getting into essential oils but the choices are just so overwhelming
I started using essential oils about six months ago. I love it. I learn so much through all the bloggers. Thank you so much for this helpful information
are you sue about this?
so essential oils are mre important, are stronger than bleach ?
i know cleaning with white vinegar is good.
Most are mixed with white vinegar, which is a fantastic cleaner. The EO is mostly for scent. 🙂
Totally useful,there were tons of great ways to use oils,and I’ve got some hanging around can’t wait to try
Essential oils really do help your concentration, I used them on a state insurance exam along with a tape and long story but I came in 3rd out of 1100 people. It does work.
This is a great guide. Very comprehensive–thank you!
I have lavender in my diffuser right now.
I love essential oils, especially how they smell!! These 7 tips are great and I never would’ve thought of all these on my own!! My favorites tips are Concentration, Improving Sleep, Reducing Stress, and Sore Muscles!! I’m going to bookmark this page!! Thanks for all the great info!!
I had to enter my comment a few times before it would actually save it!
Many pratical uses for essential oils. I’ve read that frankincence is a good topical pain reliever. Havent’ tried it out yet but I’m sure I will have a test run soon.
I’m not very familiar with essential oils but would like to learn more. This is really helpful information; thanks for posting!
Love essential oils, great tips
thanks I love oils
Oh EO’s are just magical arent they?!?!?!?! I would use them for anything and everything if I could afford it!!
I am very interested in essential oils and their uses. It’s amazing what they can be used for.
Definitely, what a fantastic website and informative posts, I definitely will bookmark your blog.All the Best! aefeffeaebgg
I want to start using more oils, so thanks for the tips!
I have been using essential oils for years. I just love them, especially the citrus scents in the morning for a nice wake up clean smell.
I’d love to learn more about essential oils and would also like to try them.
We love EO in this house~ our youngest son is Autistic and has texture/tactile sensitivities and these help tremendously
I’ve never thought of using essential oils for Cold Relief – thanks for the tips – I’m sure that will come in useful over the next couple months!!!!
I use Calming the Child Synergy Essential Oil Blend in my diffuser at night to help me sleep (and I’m no child).
I really like using essential oils for cleaning. Thanks for the other great ideas!
I really really want to get into essential oils. Have heard there are so many benefits.
We use essential oils in distilled vinegar for cleaning. Thanks for this post!
thank you for the tips
This is good to know. I guess I’m slow to the essential oils fan club, but I will eventually get me some.
Thank you for all the great ideas. I definitely need some lavender oil.
So many wonderful benefits in utilizing pure essential oils. Be sure to find a trusting supplier for cost and purities.
Great information, thank you for sharing. I have tree tea oil, and will check out Simply Earth’s Essential Oils.
I just love essential oils! There’s so much that you can do with them.
I use lemon & tea tree in the cleaning products I make.
Great review on these essential oils and I have bookmarked your page for future reference.
Thank you.
I thought I knew a reasonable amount about essential oils. I was fascinated to read more ways they can be used great reading thanks for that
I recently started seeing essential oils online, but I wasn’t exactly sure what they were used for. These uses are so practical, and I am all for natural products. It sounds like Simply Earth products are rather affordable as well. I’ll definitely be checking them out after this. Thanks for the post!
I knew essential oils have tons of uses but the insect repellent intrigues me the most. I live in the Delta region of Arkansas so have to deal with mosquitoes. I have my poor Hubby running around smelling like Skin So Soft! Not very manly, LOL- so I am sure that he will fall in love with you for this post and he smells like something less girly!
I’m just starting to make non-toxic cleaners and have been thinking of getting lemon essential oil as that scent equates as clean to me for some reason.
After reading your post, I think a diffuser might be in my future too.
I am looking to effectively use essential oil to improve my health. I have heard wonders about them, and I like your article enlightening me upon the facts of this.
I never knew that these oils could be used for so many different things. I would love to try some of these methods, as opposed to taking “traditional” Western medicine.
I love lavender,lemon,citrus,and some flower scents.I do have oils here!
Everybody knows the value of oil in our life. But here you have gathered in one post and make it more informative. Through you we all come to know more about Oils.
I have only used lavender oil now I am going to check out all the other essential oils and their properties.. Thank you….
Thanks for your excellent review of essential oils. I have been quite intrigued lately about them and have been reading about their uses, but your pist was so helpful and precise.
I love using essential oils. Thank you for all the great tips!
I’m saving up to buy a starter kit. Right now I’m only using tea tree oil for facial masks. I like the uses of EO’s for physical applications, like headaches, relaxation or muscle pain. Thanks!
I just started using essential oils, I will be sure to keep these in mind. Thank you for sharing.