Updated on March 1, 2018

We are thrilled to introduce a brand new essential oil blend: Clean. Clean is formulated with essential oils known for their ability to clean surfaces and fabrics and to control odors, so it has a wide range of applications. Use it to clean household surfaces, including countertops, floors, door knobs, bathtubs, and toilets. Add it to your laundry to help remove stains and control odors. Put it in trash cans to help keep them odor free. Use it to repel insects. And more!

What’s In It and Why It Works

Clean is a blend of therapeutic grade essential oils of lemon, lime, Scotch pine, citronella, tea tree, coriander, and sweet orange. These oils have antimicrobial properties, making them excellent ingredients for this blend.

Lemon essential oil is commonly used in natural and homemade cleaners. It is a natural disinfectant (source) and can help remove grease from fabrics and even skin. It is useful for brightening white loads of laundry and eliminating odors in laundry as well. Lemon essential can also help remove the “goo” left behind from stickers and gum.

Lime essential oil has a stimulating, refreshing scent. Like lemon oil, lime can be used to remove grease, gum, and the residue from stickers. It is also useful for cleaning dry erase boards (source). Lime oil is a potent antimicrobial and can help eliminate bacteria that may cause food poisoning, diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid (source).

Scotch pine essential oil has a fresh, resinous scent and is a natural air freshener. Pine oil is especially effective at eliminating cigarette odors.

Citronella essential oil has a slightly sweet and fruity scent. It is well-known for its ability to repel insects, but its antibacterial and antifungal properties (source) make it ideal as a natural cleaner, too.

With its strong antimicrobial properties, tea tree essential oil is frequently used in natural first aid products and cleaners. This versatile oil can be used as a laundry freshener and deodorizer (source) as well as a mold remover (source). Tea tree oil is also an excellent insect repellent (source).

Coriander essential oil helps to control odors by inhibiting the growth of bacteria that cause them (source).

Sweet orange essential oil has a fresh, clean, and uplifting scent and is especially well-suited for freshening stale or smoky air. As with lemon and lime essential oils, sweet orange is also excellent for removing gum from various surfaces.

How to Use Clean

With its powerhouse of effective natural ingredients, Clean has a range of household uses. Follow the tips below to get the most out of it!

To Clean Surfaces:

Fill a 16-ounce spray bottle with distilled water. Add a couple ounces of distilled white vinegar for extra cleaning power. Add 20 to 30 drops of Clean to the bottle, and shake gently to mix. Use on countertops, door knobs, and bathroom surfaces. If you’re using Clean to help remove mildew or mold, spray this mixture on affected areas, and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes before cleaning. Can also be sprayed in trash cans to remove odors.

Caution: Be sure to test a small area of the surface you are cleaning for discoloration before using on large areas. Do not use vinegar on granite countertops, as this may damage them.

To Mop Floors:

Add 40 drops of Clean to one gallon of soapy water, and mop as usual.

Caution: Be sure to test a small area of the floor for discoloration before using on large areas.

In the Laundry:

Add 12 to 15 drops of Clean to the recommended amount of laundry detergent, stir to mix, and add to your load of laundry.

As an Air Freshener:

Add the recommended number of drops to any diffuser, and diffuse as needed, or mix 10 to 15 drops of Clean with 8 ounces of water in a spray bottle, and spray wherever needed, including trash cans.

As a Hand Sanitizer:

Mix 40 to 45 drops of Clean with 4 ounces of distilled water in a spray bottle. Shake gently to mix. Spray onto hands, and rub together vigorously. Shake before each use. Use half the amount of clean for children and sensitive individuals.

To Get Grease Off of Skin:

Work hand soap into a lather, then add 1 drop of Clean to the soap. Scrub the affected area of skin, then rinse off thoroughly.

As an Insect Repellent:

To keep insects out of the home, put several drops of Clean on a cotton ball, and place wherever needed.

To use as an outdoor insect repellent, mix 12 drops of Clean per 1 ounce of distilled water in a spray bottle. Spray over exposed areas of skin. Use half the amount of Clean for children and sensitive individuals.

Caution: Some citrus essential oils can cause a phototoxic reaction. Be sure to use proper precautions if you will be exposed to direct sunlight for 10 minutes or more.

Sources:

“Citronella Oil: More Than Just a Bug Repellent.” 9 June 2016. Mercola.com. Web. 2 September 2016.

http://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/citronella-oil.aspx

“Coriander Seed: More Than Just a Spice.” Mercola.com. Web 3 September 2016.

http://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/coriander-seed-oil.aspx

Hudson, Kirsten. “3 Best Essential Oils for Cleaning.” The Huffington Post Blog. 31 August 2012. Web. 3 September 2016.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/organic-authoritycom/3-best-essential-oils-for_b_1847450.html

“Lime Oil: Another Reason to Love Lime.” Mercola.com. Web. 2 September 2016.

http://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/lime-oil.aspx

Miller, Jen. "11 Amazing Uses of Tea Tree Oil – Plus 10 Tea Tree Oil Recipes." Jen Reviews. Web. 1 March 2018.

https://www.jenreviews.com/tea-tree-oil/

“Top 10 Lemon Essential Oil Uses and Benefits.” Dr. Axe. Web. 2 September 2016.

https://draxe.com/lemon-essential-oil-uses-benefits/

“Top 10 Tea Tree Oil Uses and Benefits.” Dr. Axe. Web. 2 September 2016.

https://draxe.com/tea-tree-oil-uses-benefits/

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About the Author

Katie Zapotoczny is a Verefina Affiliate and the creator of An Ever Green Life, a blog that seeks to empower readers to make changes that will improve their health and help protect our environment.