Orange and lemon peels help cleanse and clean your space – pic via http://www.mindbodygreen.com

As we are coming to the end of another year on earth it is a wonderful ritual to do some cleaning and get organised, so new energy and abundance can flow into your life in the new year. Even if it’s just cleaning out the kitchen cupboards it can have positive flow-on effects. I’ll be cleaning and tidying my bedroom in detail, and doing a good tidy-up all around.

And what better little helpers to employ but essential oils? Once your tidying is done the most fun part starts – the cleaning (ugh)! I add essential oils to warm soapy water to do all the surfaces and objects, and do the same with the water for mopping. It’s like having an aromatherapy treatment while you clean. Most essential oils will work well but there are a few that are standouts when it comes to cleaning. These oils will have an energetic cleansing effect as well as a great scent, and will help dissolve dirt and collect dust.

To a bowl of soapy water just add  some essential oils – pic via mossymossy.com

Eucalyptus – a good oil remover, dissolves sticky stuff, helps you breathe deeply and works against stuffy sinuses. It breaks down unwanted, thick energy and has a clarifying and stimulating scent.

Tea tree – pic via http://www.eranurseries.com.au

Tea Tree – wonderful for an anti-bacterial wash on surfaces. This fabulous Australian native as an enlightening cleansing effect on the soul, and has been used by some Aboriginals in smoking ceremonies, which purge the bad spirits.

Juniper – a light, spicy oil to clear teary emotions and any type of sadness hanging around. I love using this oil for surfaces in the bedrooms because of it’s enchanting and clear scent.

Lemon – can be used from kitchen benches to the bathroom to give you a bright, happy feeling to your home. It is such a simple oil but has so many great qualities for cleaning, including a lightness and sweetness that appeals to everyone. Or you could just use the lemon rind or whole lemon with some bi-carb soda or salt for benches and bathrooms.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass – another lemony scented oil to wash away the old. It’s a lot stronger than lemon but when you mop and clean with this oil you’ll be keeping away the insects too!

Grapefruit – pink or white grapefruit will work but the scent is very subtle. It’s hard to vapourise this scent well too, as it is so light it will fly away. Remember the energy is still there and grapefruit is the classic cleanser oil. I use grapefruit mostly in body oil blends for this purpose – when someone needs a gentle cleanse.

Pine – fresh, clean and a little herbaceous too this oil is a great cleaner, and makes room for more inspiration to come flooding in. To be creative in your new life next year you’ll need to allow inspiration to come to you, and when you have a clean home you have a clean mind too!

Thyme

Thyme – when you need the big guns of anti-bacterial oils thyme is your friend. Along with oregano these oils are a great disinfectants but beware  USE WITH CAUTION  because the scent is so strong. Mix a little thyme with some lavender and orange and you are in business baby! In fact I’m going to use that combo this arvo (Australian slang for afternoon. “This arvo”, or even “s’arvo” mean “this afternoon”).

Lavender – use it liberally as it will work as a cleaner and will also bring a sense of solidarity and calm to your space. In the wars of the past some hospitals in France used lavender and thyme to clean everything. And of course they worked amazingly!

Don’t worry too much about quantities of oils to soapy water I just chuck them in. You really only need to be careful when you are using them on your body and for those ratios see my latest article here.

I was speaking with a cleaner at a wedding last month and we got talking about essential oils and cleaning. She wanted some advice about how to use them in her work with the specific intention of her clients being able to smell the essential oils when they arrived home from work. She was particularly interested in orange oil because she had seen it in supermarket brand cleaners. I explained to her that they may disappear before the client comes home – just because they are natural doesn’t mean they will be long-lasting – in fact it’s the opposite. The citrus oils will tend to disappear first as they have simple molecular structures so it’s good to mix them with a heavier oil like lemongrass or even cedarwood. Don’t be afraid to use lavender either that will work well with the citrus oils.

Happy New Year my friends and thanks so much for connecting!

Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are cleansing your space. See my article about intention.