1. Remove grease stains with lemon essential oil
Grease stains from fries, salad dressing, or cooking oil don’t have to ruin your clothes if you act quickly. Dab a few drops of lemon essential oil onto the stained area, gently rub it in to start breaking up the grease, then wash as usual. After washing, inspect the garment before drying. If any trace of grease remains, repeat the process and rewash—drying can set stains permanently.
2. Keep spiders away with peppermint essential oil
Spiders dislike the scent of peppermint. To discourage them from settling in, mix about 15 drops of peppermint essential oil with one cup of water in a spray bottle. Lightly mist around baseboards, door and window frames, porches, entry points, and corners where spiders appear. Use sparingly—avoid soaking carpets or drywall to prevent mold. The goal is to transfer scent, not moisture.
For a concise reference of all 31 essential oil tips and hacks, you can download a free printable to keep or share.
3. Simple 2-ingredient DIY toner
To remove the last traces of makeup and tighten pores, add a few drops of melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil to witch hazel. Shake well before each use, saturate a cotton pad, and wipe your face upward from jawline to forehead, avoiding the eye area. This gives a refreshing, gentle cleanse.
4. From sluggish to energized
If you need a quick pick-me-up, place a drop each of lemon and peppermint essential oil in your palms, rub them together, and inhale deeply for about 30 seconds. The invigorating scent can help you feel alert and ready to go.
5. Diffuse through vents
An easy way to fragrance your whole house is to put a few drops of essential oil on wooden clothespins and clip them to the underside of floor vents. When your heating or air system runs, air passing over the clothespin disperses the scent. Refresh with additional drops as needed—just avoid saturating vents.
6. Plump your lips
Add 1–2 drops of peppermint essential oil to a tube of lip gloss, mix with the applicator, and apply as usual. The peppermint produces a slight tingle and temporarily enhances the appearance of fullness.
7. Add scent and benefits to unscented lotion
If you prefer to avoid artificial fragrances, add a few drops of essential oil to an unscented, natural lotion. Try combinations such as eucalyptus with spearmint for stress relief, bergamot with grapefruit for an uplifting scent, orange with cedarwood and ylang ylang to calm and balance, or lavender with lemon for a fresh aroma.
8. Make your own cuticle oil
Fill a 15 ml bottle with olive oil and add about 10 drops of frankincense essential oil. Close with a dropper or roller top, shake to combine, and massage a small amount into cuticles to soften and help prevent hangnails.
9. Freshen while you vacuum
To leave your home smelling clean after vacuuming, add a few drops of essential oil to a small piece of tissue or a cotton ball and vacuum it up. Alternatives include placing a few drops on each new vacuum bag or adding oil to a washable filter. This disperses aroma as you clean.
10. DIY car diffuser in seconds
Put 2–3 drops of essential oil on a wooden clothespin and clip it to your car’s vent. When the fan runs, air passing over the clothespin circulates the scent through the vehicle. It’s an inexpensive, easy diffuser.
11. Wake up energized
Add 2–3 drops each of rosemary and spearmint essential oils to your shampoo or conditioner to stimulate the scalp and help you feel more alert during morning showers.
12. Make aromatherapy tissues
To scent tissues, open the cardboard sides of a tissue box and add two drops of essential oil to each flap. Close and tape the box. The scent will infuse the tissues for a pleasant, portable aroma.
13. Strengthen nails
For brittle nails, mix one drop of melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil with about 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil. Massage a small amount into each nail to help hydrate and strengthen them.
14. Refresh shoes and boots
Eliminate shoe odor by placing a cotton ball with a few drops of essential oil deep inside each shoe overnight. Effective choices include melaleuca, lemon, lemongrass, eucalyptus, pine, cypress, lavender, or orange.
15. Cut drying time and add scent
Use wool dryer balls to reduce drying time and soften laundry without chemicals. Add a few drops of essential oil to the dryer balls before tossing them in the dryer to leave clothes lightly scented. Orange and lavender make a pleasant blend.
16. Natural moth repellant
Drop cedarwood essential oil onto a few cotton balls and place them in closets and drawers to help deter moths and keep clothes smelling fresh.
17. Happiness hack
Brighten your mood by smelling orange essential oil directly from the bottle or diffusing it—its uplifting aroma is an instant mood booster.
18. Customize homemade salad dressings
Make simple dressings using one part vinegar to three parts oil, a bit of mustard or honey to emulsify, and 1–2 drops of essential oil for flavor. Citrus oils work well in small amounts; for herb oils use the tip of a clean toothpick. Try basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, lemon, or lemongrass for fresh dressings.
19. Keep pantry pests away
Wipe pantry shelves with white vinegar mixed with a few drops of essential oil. Citronella, eucalyptus, melaleuca, and peppermint are effective choices for discouraging pantry bugs.
20. Boost your mop water
Add a few drops of pine, lemon, or melaleuca essential oil to mop water for added cleaning power and a fresh scent while mopping.
21. Enhance your moisturizer
Add one drop of geranium or myrrh essential oil to your face moisturizer to support a healthy-looking complexion.
22. Improve sleep
Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the rinse cycle when washing bed linens. Lavender’s calming scent can help promote restful sleep.
23. Stop trashcan odors
Place a cotton ball with two drops each of melaleuca (tea tree) and lemon essential oil at the bottom of a trashcan to disinfect and deodorize between cleanings.
24. Freshen clothes without washing
To freshen garments that can’t be laundered, add a few drops of essential oil to a clean cotton washcloth and toss it into the dryer with the clothes on a fluff cycle. The fabric will smell refreshed.
25. Boost your toothpaste
Enhance a natural toothpaste by adding one drop each of rosemary and peppermint to a couple ounces of paste to support fresh breath and a pleasant taste.
26. Clean your microwave
Remove splatters and grease by microwaving a bowl of water with about five drops of lemon essential oil for three minutes. Carefully remove the hot bowl and wipe the interior clean—the steam loosens grime and the lemon leaves a fresh scent.
27. Remove sticky messes
Lemon essential oil works well to remove sticky residues like label adhesive, gum, crayon, and permanent marker from many surfaces. Test an inconspicuous area first to ensure the oil won’t affect the finish or paint.
28. Productivity boost
Diffuse lemon essential oil while working to reduce stress and enhance focus—many people report increased concentration and fewer mistakes when using citrus aromas.
29. Keep bugs away
Create a simple bug-repellent bracelet by braiding cotton or leather, wrapping it around your wrist, and applying a few drops of citronella, lemongrass, or lavender essential oil to the material to help deter mosquitoes and flies.
30. DIY personal diffuser
Add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil to a scarf for a gentle, personal diffuser you can wear throughout the day.
31. Rescue neglected laundry
If laundry sits in the washer too long and develops an off smell, add 2–3 drops of lemon essential oil and rewash. The scent helps freshen and the wash removes any musty odors.
You might also like these other posts on essential oils:
DIY Peppermint Foot Cream {to refresh tired feet}
How to Make an Essential Oil Diffuser Necklace for Less Than $1
20 Favorite Roller Bottle Recipes with Free Printable Labels
Ultimate DIY Sugar Scrub for Softest Smoothest Skin EVER {15 essential oil recipes}
Kid-safe and effective DIY bug spray recipes using essential oils
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Please note: Products mentioned in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a medical professional for health concerns.
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