Thank you to the Marshall District Library for letting us come in to lead a program called Household Essentials. Kate Samra and I had the pleasure of talking about natural household cleaning products, some items we stock and shared some recipes to make your own. There were many great questions and we are so encouraged that people are willing to take the steps necessary to live just a little greener! Here are the recipes we shared. We have several resource books available here if you want to look at something we didn’t cover.
Gardener’s Hand Scrub*
- 5 oz (42 gm) pink Himalayan salt
- 1 oz (28 gm) coconut oil
- 1 oz (30 ml) Jojoba wax
- 25 drops Lavender essential oil
- 15 drops Lemon essential oil
Directions:
Blend salt, coconut oil and jojoba in a 4 oz (120 ml) jar, then add your essential oils.
This is a very oily recipe so you may want to shake the jar before using it to mix the salt which will act as an abrasive.
Sticky Residue Remover*
- 1 oz (28 gm) baking soda
- 1 oz (28 gm) coconut oil
Directions:
Coconut oil may be in liquid or solid form, just melt if in solid form. Pour coconut oil into a jar and slowly stir in baking soda. To use it, just put a little on an abrasive sponge and rub. The baking soda offers a nice gentle abrasive action while the coconut oil helps the residue slide off. Add sweet orange essential oil for fragrance.
Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner
- ¼ cup liquid castile soap
- 1 ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons baking soda
- 8-10 drops of essential oils to kill bacteria and freshen (lemon, tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, orange, Thieves or Purification)
Mix all ingredients in a 16 oz or larger squirt bottle or swish. Squirt in the toiler bowl and use a brush to scrub it clean
Daily Sponge Spray
- 5 oz (150 ml) water
- 2 oz (60 ml) hydrosol of choice
- 1 tablespoon castile soap
- 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide
- ¼ teaspoon white vinegar
- 10 drops Peppermint essential oil
- 10 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
- 40 drops White Pine essential oil
- 20 drops Lemon essential oil
Add all ingredients to an 8 oz spray bottle
May be used as a surface cleaner and keeps kitchen sponges smelling fresh!
Antifungal Cleaning Spray*
- 15 oz water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 40 drops Tea Tree essential oil
- 30 drops Geranium essential oil
- 40 drops Palmarosa or Lemon essential oil
Mix in a 16 oz spray bottle and shake vigorously before using
Grout Scrub*
- 1 cup baking soda
- 3 tablespoons castile soap
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 10 drops White Pine essential oil
- 10 drops Tea Tree essential oil
- 10 drops Lemongrass essential oil
Directions:
In a 10 or 12 oz wide mouth plastic container with a fitted top pour the baking soda. Add the castile soap to baking soda and mix. Add the white vinegar and mix (it will bubble a little). Add all the essential oils and mix, put the cover on to store.
Place a small handful of the scrub on an abrasive sponge and clean the grout.
Notes: Although essential oils are very safe some can irritate your skin, cleaning gloves are recommended with this scrub.
Furniture Polish
- 1 fluid oz (30 ml) jojoba oil
- 10 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
Combine ingredients and gently polish .
Wood Polish*
Makes one 4 oz bottle of hard polish for wood floors
- 1 oz beeswax
- 3 oz jojoba oil
- 30 drops Siberian Fir essential oil
Tools:
Kitchen scale
Pyrex style large measuring bowl
Medium stovetop pot
Glass stirring rod
One 4 oz glass jar with lid
Directions:
Use the stovetop melting method to liquefy and combine the beeswax and jojoba oil.
After removing from the heat, add the essential oils and stir.
Pour into jar, add lid and allow to fully cool and harden before using. This should take at least an hour.
Notes: Use a clean cloth or rag to spread a small amount of the polish vigorously over wood. Use a second clean cloth to remove all excess polish. There should be no excess greasiness.
Outdoor Furniture Scrub Spray*
- 5 oz water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 20 drops White Pine essential oil
- 20 drops Lemon essential oil
- 20 drops Juniper essential oil
Pour the water and vinegar into an 8 oz spray bottle. Add the essential oils and shake well to mix. Note: Shake before using. Spray patio furniture liberally. Clean and scrub with a heavy rag. Avoid spraying directly onto the skin.
Cloth Diaper Laundry Booster*
- 4 drops Tea Tree essential oil
- 4 drops Lavender essential oil
Directions:
Add the tea tree and lavender essential oils to the soaking cycle of your washing machine. Notes: Tea tree oil helps to disinfect dirty diapers as they soak. Lavender gives the diapers a subtle, fresh aroma as they rinse.
Diaper Pail Spray*
- 4 oz water
- 15 drops White Pine essential oil
- 15 drops Lemon essential oil
Add oils to the water in a 4 oz PET plastic spray bottle, shake gently to mix.
Notes: Shake before using. Spray liberally onto the diaper pail and onto any plastic surfaces around the diaper changing area. This spray is not for use on the skin. Avoid spraying directly onto the changing pad as baby’s bare skin may come in contact with it. If you prefer, you can use 30 drops of peppermint instead of the blend of white pine and lemon oils
*Recipes courtesy of the Aromahead Institute