Essential oils to remove odors

Gone are the days when we used store bought room fresheners and scented candles to make our rooms smell like coffee or fresh flowers after cleaning it out. No, now we have something even better- Essential oils. For all the sudden urges or the dedicated Sundays that you have spent on cleaning, using natural deodorizing essential oils is the best way to get your house to look neat and smell amazing. But which essential oils should you use? For that, follow Aromachology's freshly prepared guide  on the top choices of such essential oils and the ways you can use them.

Understanding How Essential Oils Combat Unpleasant Odors

Even if you have not worked with essential oils for cleaning prior to this, it's perfectly alright. But before you begin understanding why essential oils work you will need to know what they are.

Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that have been derived from the different parts of the plant through the process of steam distillation. Though they might not look like it, they smell really great and have potent cleansing properties that can eliminate bacteria, mold and dust from the surfaces. And that is exactly what we need in order to remove that unexplainable odor that is taking your breath away and I mean not in a good way. 

When added to DIY cleaning sprays and other solutions, essential oils make excellent homemade counter to over the top and costly home cleansing services. Not only that, essential oils are a safer alternative to chemical smelling cleaning agents for both kids and pups. 

Top Essential Oils for Odor Elimination

There are hundreds if not thousands of essential oils for eliminating smells. But these few essential oils are the best of lot and get the job done quickly. 

• Lemon Essential Oil

No other essential oil has managed to come even potentially close to lemon essential oil in the cleaning department. Favoured for its airy and refreshing scent it cleanses the air and brightens up the vibe in the room like no other. It can even be used as a soap making essential oil to make soap bars that combat poor body odor.

• Tea Tree Essential Oil

With herbaceous scent and powerful antimicrobial properties tea tree oil makes a top notch ingredient for cleaning all things from dusty windowsills to smelly drains.

• Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Spoilt food in the fridge or dirty dishes in the sink have the foulest and most persisting smells that are hard to get rid of. Using regular spray cleaners is never enough and the remnant smell might attract flies and ants to your house. In such cases, switching to eucalyptus essential oil for cleaning is the best thing you could do for yourself and your place. Its sharp scent can conceal and drive out the rotten smell and save you from a second cleaning.

• Lavender Essential Oil

I love dogs as much as the next person, but the wet dog smell is honestly unbearable for me. Especially when your pup has returned from playing in the rain. Sadly, most essential oils are not pet safe. But some oils, such as lavender essential oil, are renowned for their mild nature and sweet smell. How is this relevant? Because you can use jojoba oil to dilute lavender essential oil and use it to achieve a shiny and clean fur coat for your doggo. Plus it will have your apartments smelling much fresher.

• Clove Essential Oil

Adding clove essential oil in your daily cleansing routine can enhance the therapeutic quality of cleaning and make it more relaxing than ever. An age-old remedy against bad odor, clove essence has often been used in shampoos, toothpastes, body washes and more.

• Lemongrass Essential Oil

As a complete opposite to clove essential oil, lemongrass essential oil is the new go-to scent chosen by the people. Don’t be fooled by its soft fragrance, for it works exceptionally well to make our homes appear clean and home-y.

Effective Methods to Use Essential Oils for Odor Control

Now that we have shortlisted the best essential oils for odor removal, let’s take a look at the ways you can use them daily.

1.  Diffusing Essential Oils

Adding a few drops of any essential oil to water based diffusers is the best option for the times when you’re feeling lazy or do not have a lot of free time at hand to dedicate to cleaning.

2. Creating DIY Room Sprays

Sometimes, all you need is a DIY essential oil air freshener to make things smell right. Prepare a blend of lavender essential oil, neroli essential oil and grapefruit essential oil and spray diligently to mask any kitchen smells and to make your home smell like it's ready to receive guests.

3. Adding Oils to Cleaning Solutions

Making your own cleaning solutions is a wonderful option for a number of reasons. It’s customisable, inexpensive, kid-friendly and smells delightful. But the best thing that your DIY spray can do is prevent the growth of mold and mildew on bathroom walls and wet spaces. If you live in a place where it rains a lot, use essential oils to weekly wipe down surfaces and prevent its growth and smell from permeating your house. 

4. Using Oils in Laundry

If that one pair of gym wear is stinking up your unwashed laundry and in turn your entire room, wash your clothes in lemongrass essential oil infused soapy water immediately. Check out our blog on using essential oils for laundry for more tips and tricks and perfect your DIY washing method to achieve airy fragrance for your clothes.

Precautions and Tips for Using Essential Oils Safely

Note down these few points to make the use of essential oils safe for you as well as your loved ones.  

• If you’re using essential oils in a diffuser or for laundry, they can be used without dilution. Otherwise, it should be essentially diluted with a carrier oil like sweet almond oil or fractionated coconut oil for proper use.

• Do a patch test before spraying essential oil blends on marble surfaces or bedspreads and carpets to prevent staining.

• Allow good ventilation in the house for essential oils to work their magic. 

Conclusion: Embrace Natural Freshness with Essential Oils

Who doesn’t like entering a house that smells like roses or oranges? Honestly, nobody. Using essential oils you will not only remove the dust and bacteria but also the overlooked odor that is coming from your houses. Don’t just let that aesthetic looking and luxurious smelling home remain a wishful thinking. Try using essential oils to remove odors and experience it for yourself.