We love lemon essential oil for its wellness benefits, its bright and sugary citrus aroma, and its uplifting and energizing constituents. It’s a wonderful oil in skin and hair care formulas and for diffusing in homes and offices.
We also love that this cost-effective oil makes an excellent cleaning agent and leaves our homes smelling deliciously like freshly cut lemons. It’s the 76% (=)-Lionene in lemon oil that makes it so good at polishing furniture and cutting grease and sticky residues. We've created 5 Lemon Essential Oil-based cleaning recipes that are easy to make, safe to use, and leave our homes smelling citrus good.
1. Lemon Spray for Grease Recipe
Lemon helps to cut grease, so lemon essential oil and hydrosol are perfect for adding to surface cleaners and scouring scrubs for the stove top, induction stove top, oven, and non-granite/non-marble surfaces.
Ingredients:
- 85ml Water
- 36 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- 1t Castile Soap (optional)
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to 100ml bottle with a mister.
- Shake well and use as needed.
2. Baking Soda and Lemon Sticky Residue Remover
As well as cutting through greasy messes, lemon essential oil breaks down sticky residues and adhesives, so it’s ideal for removing stubborn stickers and labels.
Ingredients:
- 1T Olive Oil
- 1T Baking Soda
- 10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients.
- Apply to the sticky area and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- Scrape, clean, and repeat if needed.
Pro Tip: This recipe can be increased for larger surfaces.
3. Lemon Wood Cleaner and Furniture Polish
Lemon oil helps to restore the natural beauty of wood grain and keep wood from drying out. Use this wood cleaner and furniture polish for conditioning and nourishing wood surfaces, including oiled wood.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (250ml) Olive Oil
- 25 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a 500ml spray bottle and shake well before each use.
- Spray onto a soft rag or directly onto wood furniture to clean and condition.
- Buff surface dry immediately.
4. Kitchen & Bathroom Spray
Ingredients:
- 225 ml white vinegar
- 225ml water
- 60ml vodka or rubbing alcohol
- 10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
- 5 drops Rosemary Essential Oil
- 5 drops Lemon Essential Oil
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a 500ml spray bottle and shake well before each use.
- Use this aromatic solution for kitchen counters, cabinets, refrigerator shelves, glass, blinds, tile, sinks, tubs, and fan blades.
5. Tropical Carpet Deodorizer Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Baking Soda
- 10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- 10 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil
- 10 drops Ginger Essential Oil
- 1/4 cup Lavender flowers
Directions:
- Mix together in bowl and transfer to powder containers.
- Sprinkle blend onto carpet.
- Allow to sit at least 30 minutes, then vacuum as normal. Makes a wonderful mattress deodorizer, too!
6. Natural Keyboard Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 4 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
- 4 drops Lemon Essential Oil
Directions:
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle and spray onto damp cloth before wiping your keyboard, mouse, and desk. Wipe dry with a clean cloth.
7. Disinfectant Spray
Ingredients:
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 cups of water
- 3 drops Lemon Essential Oil
- 3 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
- 3 drops Eucalyptus Oil
Directions:
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle. (You can use more or less water depending on the size of the bottle, but keep the water-vinegar ratio 1:1). Shake vigorously before each use. Spritz your counter surfaces and wipe down with a clean cloth.
8. Odor Eliminator
Ingredients:
- Lemon Essential Oil
- Peppermint Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
Loaded with antiviral and antibacterial properties, lemon also smells fresh and clean. Add six to nine drops of mixed oils such as lemon, peppermint, and lavender to the water in your diffuser. Set for 3 hours and allow the mist to rise and carry the lemon particles into the surrounding air, purifying and deodorizing as they dissipate.