2 min
During this chilly time of year, we’re focused on doing everything we can to keep the air warm inside our homes. Too bad that also means breathing the same musty air over and over—and any germs and bacteria that have been hanging out in your home along with it. It’s important to refresh the air inside your home every so often, especially if anyone in your home has been sick.
Homemade air fresheners made with essential oils can do the trick. Essential oils are good for more than just making your home smell nice. Many of them offer antiviral, antifungal and even antibiotic properties. Dōterra compiled a handy list of essential oils by property type. Take a look:
Antibacterial Essential Oils
Cypress, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Marjoram, Melaleuca, Peppermint, Roman Chamomile, Rosemary, Sage, Sandalwood, Wild Orange, Wintergreen
Antiviral Essential Oils
Cinnamon, Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Melaleuca, Oregano, Sandalwood, Thyme
Antifungal Essential Oils
Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Melaleuca, Patchouli, Sage, Sandalwood, Thyme
Antibiotic Essential Oils
Bergamot, Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Melaleuca, Oregano, Patchouli, Roman Chamomile
It’s easy to make your own spray to mist around your house and freshen the air. Fill a spray bottle with 8 drops each of three different air-freshening essential oils. (We recommend mixing wild orange, sandalwood and clove essential oils. Tea tree, eucalyptus and lemon also make a fragrant combination.) Also add in 1/2 to 1 cup water. Mist the spray around your home whenever the air smells a tad stale.
Disinfect the surfaces in your home with this natural cleaner made using pure essential oils. Simply combine 4 tablespoons white vinegar, 3 cups water and 10 drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. Use the cleaner anywhere that needs sanitizing—counters, toilets, door knobs—it’s a mild cleaner good for any room in your home.
Add a few drops of an antimicrobial essential oil to a couple of cotton balls and stick them in your vacuum’s canister. As you vacuum, the essential oil will diffuse throughout your home, cleansing the air and making your whole house smell fresh. You can also douse cotton balls in a refreshing essential oil, like lemon, and stick them in closets and drawers to keep closed off areas fresh.
Spread a fragrant—and powerfully purifying—combination of essential oils throughout your home by using a diffuser or oil burner. Mix a few drops of your favorite essential oils into a portable or plug in diffuser and breath in the spa-like scent.
If you don’t own a diffuser or an oil burner, you can create your own using a pot of boiling water. Simply simmer a pot of water on your stovetop and add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice. The scent of this homemade air freshener will permeate throughout your house. Just remember to keep adding water and essential oil as the water evaporates.
