4 Ways You Can Use Orange Oil Around Your Home

Orange oil, an essential oil derived from orange rinds, is the perfect overall house cleaner.

It can be used in kitchen degreasing, polish, general cleaner and even a stain remover, and is also an effective deodoriser, antiseptic and weed killer. That’s right, all of that from one little oil!

Now, you can purchase orange or sweet orange oil from most health food stores and chemists or reputable essential oil websites.

As with all essential oils, you should not use orange oil while pregnant unless you consult a medical expert such as your GP or a natural therapist. It is a skin and respiratory tract irritant, so those with skin or lung conditions should exercise extreme caution using this oil, unless they have been given the go-ahead by their healthcare provider. Orange oil must be kept out of reach of children and pets, and immediate medical attention should be sought if swallowed.

With that out of the way, here are a few ways you can use orange oil around your home:

1. General All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

Orange oil makes a wonderful all-purpose spray cleaner for general use around your home. We really like using this one because it really gives our home a lovely citrus scent, and it’s much more natural than other over-the-counter cleaners. Living with chemicals all around us, we’re happy to find alternative uses whenever we can!

To make the spray cleaner, pour 1 litre of water into a large spray bottle, then add 3 tablespoons of baking soda and 15 drops of orange oil. Then just screw the top onto the spray bottle and shake the bottle well to mix the contents. Use it on your kitchen benches, in the fridge and even pantry.

2. Degreaser

When it comes to kitchen degreasing, few things do as good a job as orange oil. To remove grease from kitchen bench tops, range hoods or splash back tiles, just drip a few drops of straight orange oil onto the surface then wipe with a damp sponge or cloth. Remember to patch test first to ensure your surfaces don’t stain! For a deeper clean, sprinkle bicarb soda on the grease first, then put a couple of drops of orange oil on that and scrub with a brush. This works well for barbecues too but you’ll still need to put your back into it for that shiny-new look.

3. Wooden Furniture Polish

Orange oil can be used to polish wooden furniture, and it can really shine up a treat. Along with that, it gives a yummy orange scent that freshens up the entire space. To try it for yourself, just add about 10 drops of orange oil to a cup of linseed or olive oil, dip a polishing rag in and wipe over the furniture. Get a good coverage, but not too much that it drips. Then, all you need to do is use a separate soft cloth to buff it up to a shine.

4. Natural Weed Killer

Weeds are a terrible bane for gardeners, particularly when they threaten properly planted items or even vegetable plants. Luckily, orange oil has the solution. You can make your own garden weed killer by mixing 4 litres of white vinegar, 30mls orange oil and 30mls dish washing detergent in a bucket. Pour it into a large spray bottle and shake it until mixed. Then spray it directly onto weeds, ensuring you don’t spray it onto the plants you want to keep!

There are a few ideas on how to use orange oil around the home not only is it an effective cleaner, but it smells beautiful and will give your home an uplifting aroma!

Have you found any other nifty uses for orange oil?