Your Essential Oil short list for home care

[krankedyann]

If you were going to have a few essential oils on hand for use in cleaning and home care, what would you get and what would you use them for? I'm trying to get a basic 'kit' together to have on hand.

I currently have eucalyptus, tea tree and lemon. What else wouldd benefit the household?

[treespeak]

Those three are great e.o. to start with. I'd also add lavender--it's my most used oil. I toss it in the water I use to wipe down counters, scrub floors, wash walls etc. Lavender, like tea tree has anti-bacterial properties, plus it smells yummy.

[redebeth]

Oooh, I like them all. I really like fir needle for my floors and my spray cleaner. I find that it masks the vinegar odor in my cleaning mix a little more than the other ones, so I enjoy smelling it while I am cleaning. In the winter /fall I use alot of clove and tangerine oils. Yum. I could totally break th bank on EO's if I bought them to my hearts content. I think lavender is the gold standard, but I like to mix it up with new ones to keep things fun.

[notwonamesalike]

eucalyptus
tea tree
rosemary
peppermint

I combine all 4 for a vapor rub similar to Vicks in a carrier oil
Tea Tree and Rosemary individually or together for dandruff control
Peppermint added to a cotton ball in the vacuum canister for room freshner

Lemon
Sweet Orange Oil

Either one added to Dr. Bronner's unscented magic soap for cleaning

Lavender
Diluted with water for abrasions
straight massaged onto temples for headaches
With rosemary in a carrer oil for a sore muscle rub
In a warm bath at night to help relax and promote good sleep

[counterGOPI]

:

[Ruthla]

I use lavendar and tea tree oil the most- I have a few more, but those are the ones that get the most use. The TTO gets LOTS of use with a teenager in the house!

I have a few more in the cabinet, but I'm not sure I can remember all of them. I know I have peppermint (good in the tub when I have body aches), jasmine (makes a great purfume) and I think I had lemon or orange but I'm not sure if I still do, it might have gotten finished and not replaced. I think I have more than that but I can't remember which ones.

For your "short list" I'd just add lavendar- I use it in the dryer to make clothes and bedding smell nice, and I use it in the bathtub.

[mgilleran@earth-co]

Lavender - my favorite, use in ceramic light bulb ring for air freshener. Use for purfume, in homemade deodorant & lotions.

TTO- a few drops in laundry, in cleaning solutions, to treat zits, cuts, on toothpaste for fresh breath..etc, I LOVE it

tangerine, peppermint, lemon - used randomly for air fresheners, in cleaners, etc.

eucalyptus, in bath or shower when sich. Rub a drop on upper lip when congested.