One of the easiest ways to begin creating a more natural home is to look under the kitchen sink.
TIP: I say this a lot --- what I love about essential oils is that they can be used for such a huge variety of issues and areas. I've added some images that give you ideas of what you can use these products besides cleaning! Something you can't do with the industrial or conventional cleaning products!
Most of us have collected an entire cabinet of products over the years—one for counters, another for bathrooms, another for grease, another for sticky messes, another for odors...
Natural cleaning doesn't have to be that complicated.
With a few versatile products, you can create a simple cleaning system for your own home—and if you own a residential or commercial cleaning company, you can use the same philosophy to create a professional plant-based cleaning option for your clients.
dōTERRA's natural home-care approach centers around plant-based cleaners and CPTG® essential oils. Their current
free natural home-care guide/training specifically recommends replacing conventional chemical-based cleaning products with plant-based cleaners and identifies the dōTERRA On Guard® line for home surfaces and laundry.
If you're just getting started, you don't need dozens of essential oils.
I recommend beginning with:
These few products can handle an incredible amount of everyday cleaning.
1. dōTERRA On Guard® Cleaner Concentrate
If I were choosing only one product to begin natural cleaning with, this would be it.
Unlike simply adding essential oils to water, On Guard Cleaner Concentrate contains plant-based surfactants that actually help lift grease, dirt, and grime.
It also contains the dōTERRA
On Guard essential oil blend of Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary. dōTERRA recommends it for hard surfaces throughout kitchens and bathrooms.
Everyday All-Purpose Cleaner
You need:
Add the concentrate to your bottle, fill with water, and gently combine.
Use for appropriate washable hard surfaces throughout the home.
Bathroom Cleaner
Use for appropriate bathroom surfaces, sinks, tubs, tile, and general grime.
For particularly tough jobs, dōTERRA also allows the concentrate to be applied directly to the designated area and left to soak. Do not apply the concentrate directly to hardwood floors or natural stone.
2. Lemon Essential Oil: The Detail-Cleaning Favorite
If you have ever tried to remove the sticky residue left behind from a label, you will understand why Lemon belongs in every natural cleaning kit.
Lemon essential oil is great for cleaning household surfaces and especially for sticky or greasy residue.
Sticky Residue + Grease
Place 1-3 drops of Lemon on a cleaning cloth or cotton pad and gently work it over:
sticker residue
adhesive
grease spots
sticky messes
Then wipe the surface clean.
Simple Lemon Surface Spray
For basic surface cleaning:
3. Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea Tree is another staple I like to keep with cleaning supplies, particularly for bathrooms and areas that need a fresh, clean boost.
dōTERRA identifies Tea Tree as an oil that can be used to clean surfaces and specifically recommends adding a few drops to a spray bottle with water as a cleansing and purifying surface spray.
Simple Tea Tree Surface Spray
Add:
Shake before using.
I especially like Tea Tree for:
4. Lime Essential Oil
Lime is one of the underrated oils in a cleaning cabinet.
Like Lemon, it has that wonderfully fresh citrus aroma.
Lime Detail Cleaner
Place a drop or two on a cloth or cotton pad and work it gently over sticky or greasy residue.
Follow by wiping the area clean.
Lemon and Lime are wonderful to keep together as your citrus detail-cleaning duo.
5. dōTERRA On Guard® Essential Oil
The On Guard essential oil blend itself is another wonderfully versatile addition to a cleaning cabinet.
*TIP: Add On Guard essential oil to water for an all-purpose surface cleaner and diffusing it to freshen the air.
For most everyday cleaning, however, I prefer using On Guard Cleaner Concentrate as the primary cleaner because it already contains plant-based surfactants specifically formulated to lift dirt and grime.
Think of it this way:
On Guard Cleaner Concentrate = your cleaning workhorse
On Guard Essential Oil = your versatile essential-oil companion
A Few More Natural Cleaning Recipes
If you enjoy making some of your own products, here are several simple recipes adapted directly from dōTERRA's Cleaning with Essential Oils guide.
Natural Glass Cleaner
In a 16 oz spray bottle combine:
Shake before use and wipe glass with a lint-free or microfiber glass cloth --- or even some left over newspaper.
dōTERRA recommends several citrus oils—including Lemon and Lime—for this recipe.
Note: Vinegar is acidic and should not be used indiscriminately on natural stone or other acid-sensitive surfaces.
Stovetop Scrub
Combine:
¼ cup baking soda
¼ cup salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
4–5 drops Lemon, Lime, Tea Tree—or a combination
Mix into a paste.
Apply to the appropriate stovetop surface, allow it to sit for approximately 15 minutes, scrub gently, and wipe clean.
Easy Sticker Remover
Combine:
Apply to the sticky area, allow it to sit for approximately two to five minutes, and wipe away with a damp cloth.
Always test specialty surfaces first.
Before Using Any Cleaner
Whether you're cleaning your own home or someone else's:
Read the product directions.
Test delicate or specialty surfaces first.
Don't use On Guard Cleaner Concentrate directly on hardwood or natural stone.
Be cautious with vinegar on natural stone.
Keep products out of reach of children.
Consider pets and fragrance-sensitive individuals.
Follow surface manufacturer's instructions when unsure.
Clearly label every mixed cleaning bottle.
Natural Cleaning Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
One of the reasons people never make the switch to natural products is because they think they have to replace an entire cleaning cabinet overnight.
You don't.
Start with one bottle.
Then add:
That's a beautifully simple place to start.
And if you're a professional cleaner, the same small collection can become the foundation of an organized, repeatable natural-cleaning system your team can actually use.
Whether you want to simplify the products you use in your own home or you're a cleaning professional interested in incorporating dōTERRA into your business, I can help you put together a simple starter kit based on exactly how you'll use it.
No giant collection required.
Just practical products, simple instructions, and natural cleaning solutions you can feel good about bringing into the spaces you care for. 🌿
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**I also earn from all purchases through my doTERRA links. Thanks for supporting my small, mumma-owned business!