How to Incorporate Essential Oils into DIY Cleaning Products | Green Cleaning
"We’re excited to introduce you to Tracey Grant. In her own words, “I geek out over all things food and health related!” Tracey currently works as a registered dietitian and essential oil consultant. She takes a holistic approach to wellness. She knows that making small day-to-day choices for healthy living has a huge impact on one's ability to thrive. She regularly seeks out opportunities to enjoy and share what she learns; you can follow her on instagram to get daily tips on healthy joyful living! Today she's going to share some of her essential oil expertise and explain how to incorporate essential oils into Green Cleaning products."
Essential oils are aromatic compounds that are derived from the roots, stems, bark, leaves, flowers, or seeds of a plant. These oils are collected from their plant sources (primarily via distillation) and are highly concentrated. They are the plant’s natural defense mechanism, and as such, have a variety of protective and health promoting properties. Each oil contains hundreds of these aromatic compounds, affording it a myriad of potential effects. Furthermore, as organic material, they have the ability to traverse our cells easily, allowing us to likewise benefit from their inherent properties.
How did you get started using Essential Oils?
I have been using essential oils for over a year. I started my journey out of curiosity, intrigued by the research studies that demonstrated a multitude of benefits from the use of pure essential oils. I began by using them aromatically, topically, and internally to promote healthy immune function, alleviate discomfort from minor ailments, and ease stressful feelings. I grew to love them and the empowerment that they brought. I started to make several of my own cleaning products, replacing the conventional ones I had used for years. In doing this, not only was I able to get rid of the harmful toxic chemicals, I replaced them with something that actually benefited my health with their use!
How to Use Essential Oils in Green Cleaning
I generally change up the oils that I use each time I make a new batch of product, but some of my staples are lavender, orange, lemon, clove, melaleuca, and eucalyptus. These oils have strong protective properties that help combat environmental threats. Furthermore, they each bring their own unique attributes: lavender helps to promote relaxation and is good for the skin, orange and lemon are uplifting to the mood, eucalyptus benefits respiratory health, and clove contains powerful antioxidant properties. I also regularly mix and incorporate oils such as basil, grapefruit, lemongrass, lime, rosemary, and many others, depending on my mood and my need! It used to be thought that oils had to be blended in a certain order to maintain their chemical qualities, but while there is an art to blending oils to achieve a long lasting pleasant aroma, the chemical nature of oils is not affected.
While essential oils are very potent compounds that need to be respected, they are also quite forgiving, so don’t be afraid to give them a try! Choose a brand that maintains the utmost purity and quality standards, as this has an impact on the effectiveness and health benefits of the oil. (Unfortunately, many oils on the market these days are adulterated, diluted, or improperly handled.) If you’re interested in learning more about the essential oils that I use and recommend, or in getting some of your own, send me an email at wholedailylife@gmail.com!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
** Content and photos provided by Tracey Grant for Dunn DIY.
