Use pine oil to clean floors.
As more consumers investigate making their own cleaning products to save money and help the environment, essential oils become increasingly popular. Many herbs, including thyme and lavender, were used centuries ago to disinfect hospitals. It's no surprise that these herbs top the list of popular natural floor cleaners, along with newer discoveries like citronella and tea tree oils. Herb Companion magazine's basic herbal formula combines 1/8 cup each liquid soap and white vinegar, 10 drops essential oil, and 1 gallon water. Does this Spark an idea?
Tea Tree
"The Green Witch Herbal" considers tea tree oil the essential oil of choice for cleaning and deodorizing bathroom and kitchen floors. The oil, derived from an Australian tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, was discovered to contain antiseptic qualities in the 20th century. Tea tree oil is not only antimicrobial, but also antifungal. For this reason, using it to swab down busy bathroom floors and shower stalls may help reduce the risk of fungal diseases like athlete's foot.
Lavender
Unsurprisingly, Herb Companion uses lavender essential oil in its basic floor cleaning recipe. The herb's disinfecting properties make it a practical choice, while its crisp floral scent makes it a delight to the senses. Aromatherapist expert Jeanne Rose recommends using English lavender essential oil, if possible. "English lavender oil has a high linalool content, which makes it ideal as an antibacterial [and] it repels fleas and flying creatures like mosquitoes," Rose notes.
Lemon, Lemongrass and Citronella
Lemon and lemongrass oils not only add a refreshing citrus tang to the air, but also act as powerful disinfects to kill germs on floors. A 2009 study conducted at the University of Kiel in Germany found that lemon and lemongrass were among the top four of the essential oils tested for killing germs, including streptococcus, staphylococcus and candida strains. While citronella oil doesn't boast quite that level of germ-killing power, it nonetheless makes a strong cleaning agent, according to aromatherapist Jeanne Rose. Citronella also has deodorizing and insect-repelling properties, qualities especially appreciated during the warm months.
Thyme
In the same German study, researchers also found thyme to be effective against the tested bacterial strains; the fourth essential oil to get high marks, cinnamon, may stain some floor types and isn't recommended for this purpose. If the scent of thyme seems overpoweringly herbal to you, replace a few drops with other powerful but sweeter-smelling essential oils, such as lavender or orange.
Pine and Spruce
It's no coincidence that so many commercial floor cleaners come scented with real or synthetic pine oils, notes Rose. Not only does pine needle essential oil kill germs effectively, but it also refreshes and deodorizes the air, while repelling insects. Rose suggests replacing pine with spruce if you'd like to take a new twist on an overused household cleaning scent, because spruce boasts the same disinfecting and deodorizing properties as pine essential oil.
Tags: essential oils, English lavender, floor cleaners, Herb Companion, Jeanne Rose, kill germs, lavender essential