26 of the Best Ways To Use Essential Oils
Essential oils have a multitude of wonderful traits, but our favourite has to be their versatility. From cleaning to freshening to topical applications, we could practically write a book on all the potential uses of essential oils.
We did our best to narrow it down to our favourites with our list of the 26 ways to use essential oils.
1. Freshen Your Fridge
Keep your fridge smelling fresh with two simple, natural ingredients: baking soda and lemon essential oil. Add 15 drops of lemon oil to a small box of baking soda to keep in your fridge to help absorb food odours. Replace with a fresh box of baking soda one per month.
2. Eliminate Stale Odours
If last night’s dinner or other unwanted smells are hanging around your kitchen, boil a small pot of water on your stovetop along with a few drops of lemon essential oil. The lemon-scented steam will quickly eliminate odd smells.
3. Enjoy a Natural Energy Boost
Need an energy boost to make it through a long afternoon or the rest of your workday? Add some peppermint essential oil to your diffuser for a quick, natural pick-me-up.
4. Deodorise Smelly Shoes
Smelly shoes don’t stand a chance against tea tree oil. Take a spare sock, fill it with a handful of baking soda, and add 5 drops of tea tree oil before tying off the sock with a rubber band. Place your DIY shoe freshener into any offensive shoes and it will immediately start absorbing and neutralising odours.
5. Freshen Up Your Car
If the air in your car feels a little musty or stale, simply add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to a cotton ball and clip it to your air vents.
The scent of the oil freshen your car quickly and naturally. Peppermint oil is especially great for this since it has the added bonus of helping promote alertness while you drive.
6. Create Your Own Unique Essential Oil Perfume
Create your own signature scent and avoid the toxic compounds found in store bought perfumes with homemade essential oils perfume.
7. Make a DIY Carpet Refresher
Mix a few drops of your favourite essential oil in a cup of baking soda. Sprinkle the mix on your carpet and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Vacuum the mixture up for refreshed, subtly scented carpet. Repeat once a week to maintain results.
8. Clear Musty Cabinet Odours
Place a few drops of frankincense essential oil on a cotton ball and place in your cabinets to help diminish musty, stale odours.
9. Naturally Scent and Freshen Your Home
Diffusing essential oils is a great way to naturally make your home smell fresh, clean, and inviting. You can diffuse one scent, a pre-mixed scent, or make your own blends.
Using essential oils instead of store-bought air fresheners allows to you avoid the potential toxins found in artificial fragrances.
10. Freshen Laundry
Add natural freshness to your laundry with your favourite oils (lavender is particularly excellent for scenting laundry). Simply place several drops of lavender oil on a clean cloth, toss in the dryer along with your just-washed clothes, and you will end up with fresh, subtly scented clothes.
11. Make a DIY Bath Soak
You can make your own soothing bath soak simply by adding a few drops of your favourite oil (lavender is a wonderful choice for the bath) to a handful of Epsom salt and tossing it in the bathwater.
12. Fight Off Nasty Pests
Peppermint oil is believed to help deter critters such as mice and spiders. Try filling a spray bottle with water and 10 to 15 drops of peppermint oil and spraying it around gaps, cracks, under the fridge, or places you have spotted pests around your house.
13. Fight Musty Smells in Closets
Fight off musky, stale smells in closets by adding a few drops of tea tree oil to a cotton ball and placing wherever unpleasant odours linger. This potent oil will help neutralise musty scents and absorb unwanted odours.
14. Improve Focus
Inhaling the scent of certain essential oils can help keep you alert and boost concentration.
Some of the best essential oils for boosting focus include peppermint or eucalyptus.
15. Promote Restful Sleep
Lavender essential oil is notorious for its proven ability to promote restful, deep sleep. Try incorporating it into your bedtime routine by adding a few drops to a diffuser.
16. Make a DIY Fabric Refresher
Make your own “DIY febreeze” with this easy fabric refresher spray recipe:
DIY Fabric Refresher Spray
Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons vodka, white vinegar, or witch hazel
- 20 to 30 drops of your favourite essential oils
- 2 oz water, preferably distilled
Directions:
In a high quality glass or plastic spritzing bottle, mix the essential oils and vinegar, witch hazel, or vodka. Add water, shake well, and get spritzing!
17. Deodorise Trash
Place a few drops of lemon essential oil onto a cotton ball and place on the bottom of your trash before adding a new bag. The lemon essential oil will help neutralise odours and keep your home smelling fresh.
18. Clean Produce Naturally
Add a few drops of lemon essential oil to a large bowl of water and swish your fresh vegetables and fruits around to help clean them and remove residues.
19. Make a DIY Microwave Cleaner
Lemon oil is amazing for cleaning microwaves and leaving them sparkling and fresh. To naturally clean your microwave:
- Fill a bowl or large measuring glass with water (be careful not to fill it too close to the top)
- Add 4 drops of lemon essential oil
- Microwave for several minutes (3 to 4 minutes is usually enough, depending on your microwave, as you do not want to superheat the water)
- Carefully remove the bowl or measuring cup and wipe down the microwave with a damp cloth
20. Freshen Toilets
You can use essential oils to make our fizzy toilet bombs to keep your toilet naturally clean and smelling fresh. This article shows you how you can make your own DIY toilet bombs.
21. Create a Soothing DIY Foot Soak
This simple DIY foot soak is a great way to soothe tired, sore feet. To make, simply add a few drops of peppermint oil along with a handful of Epsom salt to a bucket of warm water.
22. Ease Headaches
Some people swear by lavender and peppermint essential oils for easing headaches. To try this trick, add a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil to a small roller bottle along with a few drops of peppermint and lavender oils. Shake it up to mix it and then roll it over your neck, temples, and forehead.
23. Scent Letters
Add an extra special touch to cards and letters by scenting them with essential oils. Simply add a few drops of your favourite essential oil to a spray bottle of water and lightly mist your envelope or paper.
24. Add Fragrance Faux Flowers
Apply a few drops of your favourite oil to a small spray bottle of water and spray directly onto faux flowers. Spray periodically to refresh the scent.
25. Neutralise Paint Odors
Here’s a great trick for controlling paint fumes: Add 10ml of peppermint oil to 1 gallon of fresh paint.
26. Make a DIY Bathroom Spray
Essential oils are an excellent option for DIY bathroom freshening sprays. Simply mix a few drops of your favourite essential oils (or a favourite custom blend) in a small spray bottle with water and use to freshen your bathroom as needed.
Finding High Quality Essential Oils
Not all essential oils are created equal. Some use added ingredients or inferior oils that affect the purity and potency. Isagenix essential oils feature only the purest oils available to ensure you get the best results possible.
An Important Note
While essential oils are natural, it is important to use them with caution around certainly populations such as pets, children, individuals with compromised immune systems, and the elderly.
Always use a carrier oil before applying essential oils to the skin. Most importantly, never ingest any essential oil without first ensuring it is safe for consumption.
What Are Your Favourite Ways to Use Essential Oils?
Clearly, the ways to use essential oils are practically endless. Do you have any favourite uses for essential oils that we missed in our post? We’d love to hear them!