Spring is in the air, and the fresh air and sunshine usually inspires us to get going on our spring cleaning. Refreshing our spaces, routines and rituals, decluttering, and finally packing away the winter wardrobes. 

Commercial cleaning products usually contain ingredients like harsh surfactants and strong artificial fragrances, so we wanted to share a few of our favourite essential oil pairings for making our own natural cleaners (that are gentle on you and the planet!). 

Rosemary 

The star of the show this month is rosemary essential oil. Not only for its fresh and herbaceous scent, but for its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial properties. Rosemary works wonders for deodorizing and breaking down grease and grime, and depending on what you pair it with, it's a super versatile natural cleaning agent. 

Lemon

Our first pairing is lemon. Lemon is already a very popular essential oil for cleaning due to its anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties. Citrus essential oils in general are great for breaking down grease and stickiness (great for sticky fingerprints on countertops!), and it's fresh, uplifting scent gets rid of funky smells.

We'd recommend pairing rosemary and lemon essential oils in your own multipurpose cleaner or dish soaps. Not a big DIY fan? No worries. You can find a similar pairing in our Rosemary & Lime Dish Soap.

Lavender

Lavender is a classic and a fan favourite for a reason: it's incredibly versatile and it's gentle scent is great for even the most sensitive noses. Lavender is typically known for its calming effects for an anxious mind or sleepless nights, but it also has strong antiviral, anti-bacterial, and anti-microbial properties, making it a powerful natural disinfectant. Lavender contains linalool, a compound that has been shown to be effective in fighting different bacterias, including staphylococcus aureus, and can help inhibit fungi and mould. 

We'd recommend pairing rosemary and lavender essential oils together in a DIY aromatherapy mist, yoga mat spray, or multipurpose cleaner for countertops and other high-touch areas. You can also find powerful lavender in our Lavender Multipurpose Cleaner.

Grapefruit

Another powerful citrus that is well-loved for its fruity, summertime scent. Like lemon, grapefruit is great at tackling grease, stickiness, and odours, and its uplifting scent is a great mood booster on rainy spring days.

We'd recommend pairing rosemary and grapefruit essential oils together in your diffuser or DIY aromatherapy mist for a powerful deodorizer, or in your mop water to freshen up your home from top to bottom. 

Peppermint

With pest and insect season just around the corner, we couldn't leave out peppermint. It's effective at repelling mice, spiders and ants, and its anti-fungal properties work to fight bacteria like e.coli and mould. It also leaves behind a fresh, clean scent that will overpower funky smells and mildew. 

We'd recommend pairing rosemary and peppermint essential oils together in a DIY bathroom cleaner, bathroom scrub, or toilet bowl cleaner.

DIY Cleaner Essentials

Castile soap is a great, versatile, multipurpose soap. You can use it as a base for many DIY cleaning solutions, you can add a splash into your mop water, or you can use it on its own. Many natural cleaner recipes will also include ingredients like cleaning vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils, like the ones we mentioned above. The beauty of making your own cleaners is that you get to customize them in a way that best suits your home and your family.

Final Thoughts

The combination of essential oils that are effective natural cleaners is almost endless — it really comes down to your preferences! For more natural cleaners, dish soaps, and laundry essentials, shop our cleaning collection.

P.S Essential oils can be harmful to pets. Please explore our Pet Safety blogs for more information and recommendations!