Cleaning is one of those never ending tasks. Sweep the floor. Mop the floor. Vacuum the carpet. Clean the counters. Dust the baseboards. Wash the dishes.Repeat. On and on it goes, until you eventually reach that point where you ask “Why do I bother sweeping the floors and vacuuming the carpets at all?”. My desire is to help you before you get to that question by helping you see that by using antibacterial essential oils for cleaning, your work can become exponentially less exhausting!
But my goal here is two fold: I don’t want to simply make cleaning easier for you – I also want to make it healthier. Check out some of these statistics:
1. According to the Consumer Protection Agency: 150 chemicals found in the home are connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders.
2. According to a United States House of Representatives report from 1989: Liquid dish soap is the leading cause of poisonings in the home for children under the age of six (over 2.1 million accidental poisonings per year). Most brands of liquid dish soap contain Formaldehyde and ammonia. Of the chemicals found in personal care products: 884 are toxic, 146 cause tumors, 218 cause reproductive complications, 778 cause acute toxicity, 314 cause biological mutations, 376 cause skin and eye irritations
3. According to a study done in the U.S. state of California: Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home.
4. According to the Centre for Disease Control: In one decade, there has been a 42% increase in asthma (29% for men, and 82% for women). It is believed that the higher rate for women is due to women’s longer exposure times to household chemicals.
So here’s the deal: I want to make sure that you can clean easily, yes. But even more importantly, I want to make sure that you can stay alive easily! And so, without further delay, I will introduce you to the top five antibacterial essential oils for cleaning. Caution: these oils will blow your mind!
On Guard:
While on guard is a blend of essential oils rather than a single essential oil, it is perhaps the most beloved antibacterial essential oil for cleaning, at least as far as doTERRA products are concerned. DoTERRA On Guard, a proprietary essential oil blend, provides a natural and effective alternative for immune support. As one of doTERRA’s best-selling blends, doTERRA On Guard protects against environmental and seasonal threats with essential oils known for their positive effects on the immune system. It is commonly used used on surfaces throughout the home as a non-toxic cleaner. When diffused doTERRA On Guard helps purify the air, and can be very energizing and uplifting.
For practical use, you can:
NOTE: There are actually a number of antibacterial essential oil cleaning products that dōTERRA has created using On Guard essential oil. These include the doTERRA On Guard Foaming Hand Wash, the doTERRA On Guard Laundry Detergent, and the doTERRA On Guard Cleaning Concentrate.
I would really encourage you to check them out and try incorporating them into your cleaning regime. They are seriously awesome!
Tea Tree/Melaleuca:
More commonly known as “Tea Tree,” Melaleuca essential oil has over 92 different compounds and limitless applications. The leaves of the Melaleuca tree were used by the Aborigines of Australia for centuries. They would crush the leaves and inhale the oil to promote feelings of clear breathing and apply the leaves directly to the skin for a cooling effect.
Melaleuca is best known for its purifying properties. It can be used to cleanse and purify the skin and nails and to support a healthy complexion. Melaleuca is one of the best antibacterial essential oils for cleaning: it can be used on surfaces throughout the home to protect against environmental threats, and diffusing Melaleuca will help purify and freshen the air.
For practical use, you can:
Lavender:
Lavender is perhaps the most aromatically pleasant of all antibacterial essential oils for cleaning. Due to Lavender’s versatile properties, it is considered the must-have oil to have on hand at all times.
For practical use, you can:
Lemon:
Lemon is an extremely powerful antibacterial essential oil for cleaning, making it doTERRA’s top-selling essential oil. Lemon is a cleansing agent that purifies the air and surfaces, and can be used as a non-toxic cleaner throughout the home.
For practical use, you can:
Peppermint:
While Peppermint has many uses, it is another absolutely amazing antibacterial essential oil for cleaning. The high menthol content of the doTERRA Peppermint essential oil sets it apart from others when it comes to quality—making it one of the best-selling favorites among doTERRA essential oils.
For practical use, you can:
So there you have it! These are just five of the best antibacterial essential oils for cleaning. There are so many more I could talk about, but I will leave it at that for now. The truth is, I have some cleaning I need to do myself… so I’m off to use my handy-dandy All-Purpose Spray and Glass Cleaner to conquer some dust bunnies!
Stay clean and toxin-free, everyone!
Source: University of Manitoba
