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’re revisiting five of our favorite lemon 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.

• 3 oz. organic lemon thyme hydrosol
• 36 drops organic lemon essential oil
• 1 tsp. organic Castile soap (optional)

Directions

1. Add lemon essential oil and Castile soap to a 3 oz. bottle of lemon thyme hydrosol with a mister (our 3 oz. size already comes with a mister!).
2. 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

• 1 Tbsp. organic fractionated coconut (MCT) oil, olive oil, or other carrier oil of choice
• 1 Tbsp. baking soda
• 10 drops organic lemon essential oil

Directions

1. Combine carrier oil, baking soda, and lemon essential oil.
2. Apply to the sticky area and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
3. 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 organic olive oil
• 25 drops organic lemon essential oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a 16 oz. spray bottle and shake well before each use.
2. Spray onto a soft rag or directly onto wood furniture to clean and condition.
3. Buff surface dry immediately. 

4. Thieves Household Cleaner Recipe

Sometimes lemon oil works best when combined with other essential oils. This household cleaner recipe with lemon essential oil also utilizes the power of clove bud, rosemary, eucalyptus, and cinnamon bark. Just add a little alcohol, water, and castile soap to create this effective multi-purpose spray.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup 91% rubbing alcohol or 190 proof ethanol
• 20 drops organic clove bud essential oil
• 14 drops organic lemon essential oil
• 10 drops organic cinnamon bark essential oil
• 7 drops organic eucalyptus essential oil
• 5 drops organic rosemary essential oil
• 1 1/2 cups distilled water
• 1 Tbsp. castile soap

Directions

1. Add alcohol and essential oils to a glass spray bottle.
2. Place cap on and shake well to incorporate essential oils into alcohol. 
3. Remove cap and add remaining ingredients. 
4. Shake again and let sit overnight until ingredients finish melding together. 
5. Label with name of recipe and date made. 
6. Shake before use.

Pro Tips

• You can also use 56 drops of the Mountain Rose Herbs "Shield Blend" in place of the DIY essential oil blend. 
• This natural cleaning solution should last upwards of a year, but as with all DIY recipes, inspect before using.

5. Citrus Toilet Bombs

These toilet cleaning bombs utilize baking soda, citric acid, borax, and lemon essential oil mixed with other oils to create a citrus blend with an extra scent boost of peppermint hydrosol (feel free to trade that peppermint for a lemon-thyme hydrosol for more lemon aroma).

Ingredients

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 1/8 cup borax, optional
• 20 drops lemon essential oil
• 20 drops juniper berry essential oil
• 20 drops sweet orange essential oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil
• Peppermint hydrosol

Directions

Note: Mix in a well-ventilated room. You may also want to wear a mask while mixing if you are sensitive. Please keep out of the reach of children and pets!

1. Using a non-reactive spoon and bowl, combine baking soda, citric acid, and borax. Stir to combine.
2. Add 20 drops of lemon essential oil and stir well.
3. Repeat with each essential oil, adding the drops and stirring well after each addition before adding the next.
4. Spray about 5 spritzes or pumps of hydrosol into the mix and stir well.
5. Add a little more hydrosol and stir. (You will want to do this a little at a time, as the liquid will cause the mixture to fizz and liquefy if you add it too quickly.)
6. Continue gradually adding hydrosol to the mixture until it is just damp enough to pack together.
7. Pack into a soap mold, ice cube tray, etc. The mixture will puff up a little once it's in the mold, so allow a little room for this.
8. Let dry for several hours or overnight.
9. The bombs should pop out easily.
10. Store finished toilet bombs in a lidded jar, plastic bag, or other airtight container until ready to use. 

Want Natural Cleaning Ideas to Upcycle Your Herbal Product Containers?

Here’s How to Clean and Upcycle Bottles, Jars, & Other Empty Containers!

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• 8 Natural Cleaning Product Recipes for Your Home
• Green Cleaning Recipes for the Bathroom
• Lavender-Rosemary Herbal Vinegar for Cooking, Clean-up & Body Care