Over the years, essential oils have gained popularity. Looking back on when I first started using them, I remember not even knowing what I was looking for and I came home with a commercial cleaner that claimed to used oils.
To this day, I don’t know if it did or not, but it was my entry point.
It smelled different enough I kept exploring. And I found that I was looking too big.
To my surprise, it didn’t come in a 32oz container, but more like a half ounce.
And from there my first attempt at using said essential oils was in the kitchen. And it’s such an easy jumping off point because it trains you to use less harsh, man-made chemicals and cleaners. And over time, it’s easy to replace more and more around the home with a small, but growing collection of oils.
If you are already a fan of using essential oils, then chances are you already have a few of these at least in your home and are currently using them. And if you’ve heard about them, but don’t even know where to buy quality essential oils, I have an oils buying guide for all price points to get you started.
Some oils get a reputation for specific benefits and it is easy to just use them for the one thing you know they are good for, but in reality, most of them have multiple uses and benefits.
10 common essential oils and how to use them in the kitchen
This list is intended to help you get more use in your daily routines & get the most benefits for your family you can. This will not only help you health-wise but also help you save money as well!
Lemon oil
Lemon is one of the most popular oils and it is for good reason.
It is for anything cleansing.
It helps break down toxins and can even be used to remove a residue or as a furniture polish. It works the same way goo-gone type cleaners do or polish. It can help clean any surface, from a counter top to your microwave oven and even in your dishwasher!
Lemon is also known for its beneficial properties when used aromatically as well. It cleanses the air and purifies it, supports respiratory function & can also be helpful to relieve seasonal discomfort.
Clove Oil
Clove is a favorite when it comes to building up the immune system but is also great as a cleanser. Favorite uses for it are to use it on surfaces to get rid of bacteria, add to some of your decor (like pine cones in the fall and winter) for some wonderful added fragrance with a benefit.
[color-box]Using Lemon & Clove both, you can make a great all-purpose cleaning spray.
Combine 12 drops of lemon, 8 drops of clove in a carrier such as vinegar or even rubbing alcohol. Or add to salts to help disperse the oils in water. Be sure to use a metal or glass spray bottle of at least 8 ounces in size. Shake well and spray on surfaces to get rid of germs and bacteria.[/color-box]
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint is a great oil, but is definitely potent, like all essential oils and will go a really long way. It’s also known to not be 100% kid friendly, so we use it sparingly around our children. But it’s great to have on hand to freshen the kitchen or clear up a headache.
Use it in your diffuser when your family is suffering from seasonal issues or add it to a cup of steaming hot water and sit over that and inhale deeply for relief. Place a drop on a steamy wash cloth and then cup your nose to inhale.
[color-box]Diffuser recipe for seasonal relief & to banish bad aromas in the kitchen:
3 drops peppermint
2 drops rosemary
2 drops lemon
All in distilled water.[/color-box]
Bergamot Essential Oil
This citrus oil is not as well-known as some of the others but is a wonderful oil to keep on hand. If you’ve never smelled it, to me it’s like taking a whiff of an old book while wearing flannel (especially when combined with galbanum).
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As a citrus, it’s great for cleaning. And it also wards of insects. So if you have little pitter-pattery feet leaving crumbs behind on your floors, this is a great kid-friendly bug repellant (peppermint usually gets all the attention, but we use it sparingly around our kiddos under the age of 10).
It has calming benefits for your body and mind, is great in a diffuser as a wonderful aroma that blends well with lavender, lemon or any woody oils. So come up with your own great concoction for kitchen floors and baseboards!
Cinnamon Oil
Best known for its wonderful spice and for good reason. It’s a great addition to kitchen oils because as a spice, it blends well with citruses.
[color-box] Holiday Diffuser blend
3 drops cinnamon
3 drops orange
1 drop lemon
Gives wonderful aroma for Thanksgiving, autumn, or Christmas time gatherings![/color-box]
Cilantro Essential oil
Cilantro is one oil that is underrated. When diffusing it, it gives a wonderful, fresh aroma that cleans the air and it combines very nicely with citrus oils in the diffuser. So along with lemon or another favorite citrus in the diffuser, it can help clear the air after burning dinner or enjoying an oriental dish with a strong scent.
Read about safe dilution for essential oils & save the visual dilution rate chart.
Melaleuca
Also known as “tea tree” oil, this oil is an excellent cleaner and probably the oil I have known about and used the longest.
I have often made my own countertop clean with 2 quarts vinegar, 3 drops peppermint, and 30 drop tea tree oil. (Quick tip: make in a designated pitcher and pour into a spray bottle that’s already half warm water to make it last longer)
It has a strong aroma is exactly the smell I think of when imagining a health food store. In the kitchen, it is a great anti-fungal cleaner. Kills mold and bacteria and can be a great freshener in your fridge along with lemon.
[color-box]Make a mold and fungus cleaning spray
Combining 12 drops melaleuca, 8 drops peppermint, 8 drops orange and 3 drops rosemary in a glass spray bottle and top off with purified water or witch hazel. Spray on surfaces and let sit if mold is present, and spray to use for preventative use as well. Works well in both kitchen and bathrooms.[/color-box]
Orange Oil
Orange, along with most other citrus oils are inexpensive and full of great uses and benefits. I sometimes mix up my homemade cleaning sprays between orange and lemon.
This oil is wonderful for mood uplifting and helps to relieve tiredness and fatigue. So it’s great to diffuse in the middle or right before starting dinner to push through the end of the day.
It is heavenly in the diffuser when combined with any woody oils such as cedarwood, or white fir, or along with lavender. I almost always do orange with a woodsy scent and a spicy scent in the diffuser before dinner parties in the fall and wintertime!
Lavender Oil
Lavender is the most popular of all essential oils.
It is overall a calming oil and can be used for many things related to this. The kitchen can be a place of chaos at times because many people tend to hang out there, especially when gatherings are happening in your home, so feel free to diffuse it just to help create a calm environment.
Lime Oil
Lime is one tasty oil as well as a great, fresh and uplifting scent for use in the home. It, like other citrus oils is a natural cleanser but it is milder than lemon, but a perfect scent to diffuse in the morning for a fresh start to the day.
More essential oil uses and guides
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Kara is an author and advocate for positive, grace-filled parenting. She is homeschooler to her 4 children living in Boston, MA and believes in creative educational approaches to help kids dive deeper into a rich learning experience. She has her degree in Secondary Education & Adolescent Childhood Development and is passionate about connecting with and helping other parents on their journey to raise awesome kids!
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