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Get ready to restock your essential oils drawer for an unexpected new reason: In addition to chilling you out on a flight, amping up your workout, or getting you in the mood, the handy little liquids can also be used to clean your house.
In her new book, Whole Beauty, beauty and health guru Shiva Rose makes the case for adding essential oils to your cleaning arsenal. The book focuses on how to shift your life toward cleaner, more natural materials, and in it, she proposes that your daily (ok, weekly) scrubbing routine should be no exception.
“Whole Beauty encompasses eliminating all toxic chemicals in your home including cleaning products,” says Rose. The book is chock-full of natural recipes for everything from a faux “bleach” to all-purpose cleaner. “Traditional chemically laden cleaners could potentially lead to hormone disruption, which can lead to problems,” she says.
Essential oils play a huge part in Rose’s recipes, not only because they smell great, but also because many scents act as natural antiseptics and also have mood-boosting properties. And despite the fact that essential oils are, well oils, you won’t have to worry about leaving a greasy film behind when you use it to clean. Some of Rose’s favorites? Orange, lemon, lemongrass, and lavender. Watch them work.
Read on for a sneak peek of Shiva Rose’s recipe for dishwashing liquid from Whole Beauty. Your plates never looked (or smelled) so good.
Dishwashing liquid
Ingredients
2 cups water1/4 cup soap flakes1/4 cup castile soap1 tsp glycerin2 tsp washing soda (easy to find at hardware stores or superstores)Essential oils of your choosing (see below)Glass bottle with spout
Directions:
Bring the water to a low boil in a pot, ten add the soap flakes and stir until they’re dissolved. Remove from the heat to let cool, add the castile soap, glycerin, washing soda, and the essential oils of your choosing, and pour into the glass bottle. Shake well before each use. Store out of direct sunlight, it will keep for up to 6 months.
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