Blend recipes
Essential Oil Blends for a Fresh Home
Fresh-home blends are about the air and the room, not the body. Lemon, lime, lemongrass, tea tree, eucalyptus, cedarwood and juniper give a clean, bright smell that suits kitchens, hallways and wardrobes. These are scent recipes, not disinfectants: they make a room smell fresh, but they do not replace ordinary cleaning. Room sprays need some high-proof alcohol so the oils mix into the water, and a good shake before every use. Many of the sharpest cleaning oils, including tea tree and eucalyptus, are the ones veterinary poison lines flag most often, so if you share your home with pets, read the notes on each recipe before you spray.
Room spray
Lemon, tea tree and eucalyptus spray
| Oil | Note | Drops |
|---|---|---|
| Lemon | 5 | |
| Tea tree | 4 | |
| Eucalyptus | 3 |
Mix with 15 ml of high-proof alcohol and 15 ml of water in a glass bottle; shake before each use. Spray into the air or onto a cloth, not directly onto stone, varnish or skin. Tea tree and eucalyptus are on Pet Poison Helpline's lists for both dogs and cats: use it only in rooms pets cannot reach, and air the room before they return.
Diffuser
Kitchen lemongrass and lime
| Oil | Note | Drops |
|---|---|---|
| Lemongrass | 1 | |
| Lime | 2 | |
| Ginger | 1 |
Lemongrass is strong, so one drop is enough. Lime is a citrus oil, which pet poison lines list as toxic to cats; keep cats out of the kitchen while it runs.
Diffuser
Cedar, orange and juniper
| Oil | Note | Drops |
|---|---|---|
| Cedarwood (Virginian) | 2 | |
| Sweet orange | 2 | |
| Juniper berry | 1 |
A warm, woody freshener for living rooms and hallways. Orange is flagged for cats, and cedarwood and juniper are pet cautions, so diffuse briefly with a way out for animals.
Room spray
Wardrobe and linen spray
| Oil | Note | Drops |
|---|---|---|
| Lavender | 6 | |
| Cedarwood (Virginian) | 6 |
Mix with 15 ml of high-proof alcohol and 15 ml of water; shake well. Test on a hidden patch of fabric first, as oils can mark silk and pale cotton, and let linens dry fully before use. Lavender is flagged for cats, so spray where they do not sleep.
Sources
- Updates on essential oils, Pet Poison Helpline
- Is the latest home trend harmful to your pets? What you need to know, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Safety guidelines, Tisserand Institute
- Safety, National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA)