Do you want your clothes to smell good naturally? If you are allergic to scents and perfumes or do not wish to use them for some reason, you can still get a refreshing and mild fragrance from your clothes. The best alternative to artificial fragrances is essential oils, which are made from true ingredients and authentic smells. We will here discuss everything you must know about using essential oils for Laundry.
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What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are the concentrated extracts of plants that are beneficial and have good fragrances. Thus, these oils have a natural smell and flavor, which is obtained directly from an authentic source, such as the flowers, leaves, stems, etc., of the plants and fruits.
Each essential oil is formulated with a little chemical composition, and consequently, their smell and effects on the body and varied. Essential oils are different from synthetic oils, which have smell and effects but are not organic.
Essential oils are plant extracts that are curated through multiple extraction methods, which include pressing or steaming parts of a plant. A tremendous amount of plant extracts are used in creating a single bottle of essential oils, and thus they are quite costly. Most people nowadays identify essential oils as a symbol of luxury and comfort.
Benefits of Essential Oils
Essential oils are well-known for their fragrances, which are known to be used in aromatherapy. The smell of these oils helps improve your health and rejuvenate your mind. Some of the benefits of essential oils include the following-
- Reduce Stress
- Improve Sleep
- Kill Viruses, Bacteria, And Fungus
- Boost Mood
- Make Skin Soft and Glowy
- Reduce Inflammation
- Relieve Headaches
- Lessen Pain And Anxiety
- Reduce Nausea
Essential oils for Laundry
Recently, people have started using essential oils while doing their Laundry to experience their positive effects on their clothes. It was found that essential oils help in removing stubborn stains. They bring out freshness and comfort in the clothes.
They soften the fabric and make your clothes feel good to the skin and the body. Essential oils are also known to kill harmful bacteria and viruses on clothes, making them healthy to wear. Most importantly, they leave an aroma in your clothes, which makes them more desirable.
Thus, essential oils can be used to change the appearance of your Laundry. They can convert your clothes into fresh, new, and desirable clothes every time you wash them.
There are a plethora of essential oils which differ in aroma and are used for different purposes. Some of the most beneficial essential oils that you can use for your Laundry include the following-
Peppermint oil
Peppermint oil is rich in a refreshing aroma, which smells awesome and helps calm down the mood. It promotes feelings of wellness in an individual. With its natural antibacterial properties, it is an outstanding option for your Laundry if you want to stay refreshed and rejuvenated every time you smell your clothes.
Lavender
You must have experienced the fragrance of Lavender at least once in your lifetime. However, essential oils offer you the best and the most authentic lavender fragrance, which has a calming effect on the mind. It suits all skin types and promotes healthy skin. Inhaling lavender essential oil fragrance also helps you sleep well at night. Moreover, it is among one of the best fabric softeners ever.
Tea Tree Oil
The Tea Tree Essential Oil is infused with a rich earthy smell, which enhances the power of detergents and othe laundry cleaners. It has antiseptic properties, which eliminate bacteria and other pathogens from the clothes. It is suitable for cleaning strong as well as gentle clothes and offers them a soothing laundry experience.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass essential oil helps your clothes smell delightfully fresh and look aesthetically clean. Moreover, it is a supremely powerful cleaner with antiseptic, antifungal, and astringent properties. Thus, it boosts deep cleaning of the Laundry and leaves it with a soothing fragrance.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus has an aromatic clean scent, which supports focus in mind and helps in centering the mind. It is a natural germ freshener with an amazing smell, which helps keep your clothes healthy and germ-free.
Ylang Ylang
If you are in search of a stronger and more exotic smell for your clothes, you must try the Ylang Ylang essential oil. It contains a sweet, floral fragrance, which refreshes your mind and soothes your senses. Adding it to your Laundry can help your clothes possess a calling fragrance.
Orange
Orange is amongst the most desired fragrances, which enlightens the senses and freshens the mind. It is an essential oil with a citrusy scent, which is a mixture of sweet and sour fragrances. Adding orange essential oil to your Laundry can help them acquire a fragrance that will stimulate a cheerful mood and help you become more productive.
Rose
Rose is amongst the most desired scents of all time, and having a constant floral aroma from your clothes will be a boon, right? This essential oil can be added to your Laundry to have a light and soothing scent for your clothes, and it also encourages overall wellness and calmness.
Bergamot
Bergamot is another amazing essential oil for Laundry, which is rich in antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties. It safeguards your clothes from germs while also offering them a refreshing citrus floral scent.
Chamomile
With a delicate floral scent, chamomile is amongst the best essential oils for people who like to indulge in an aroma that is neither too obvious nor too dull. It has calming and balancing properties, which have a positive effect on your mind.
Rosemary
The last essential oil for Laundry on our list is Rosemary, which has a rich, spicy scent. It works as a natural deodorant for your clothes, eliminating the need for any artificial fragrance.
Tips to Use Essential Oils
While using essential oils for Laundry, you must consider a few things, the first of them being the purpose of your usage.
- If you want to use them merely for fragrance, you can choose the essential oils based on the aroma they provide, such as rose, orange, lemon, Lavender, ylang-ylang essential oils, etc.
- However, if your main focus is to keep your clothes free of bacteria and other microbes, you must add peppermint, tea tree, or bergamot essential oil.
- For cutting grease and odor from clothes, the most effective essential oils include lemon, orange, and grapefruit.
- Lemongrass and tea tree oil are highly beneficial for removing tough stains and cleaning soft as well as heavy clothes with more effect of the detergent.
- In order to ensure that you get a good sleep and your bed is always cozy and comfy, you can add relaxing scents such as Lavender and eucalyptus while washing your bed sheets and blankets.
How To Use?
To give your Laundry and nice and satisfactory fragrance boost, only a few drops of essential oils are sufficient. If you are washing your clothes with a detergent that has no smell of its own, you can add 2-3 drops of any essential oil. However, if the smell isn’t too strong, you can add more drops according to your preference.
To get the best results, you must shake the bottle each time before pouring out the drops in the Laundry. Also, you must ensure that the detergent and the essential oils mix well to get the best fragrance and effects. You can also dilute them with carrier oils before adding them.
You can also add cotton balls drained in essential oils to ensure the fragrance and effect of the oil equally reaches all the clothes. Else, you can add a few drops of your preferred essential oil to a cotton ball and throw it in the Laundry.
Essential oils pose no harm to the Laundry while washing. However, if you intend to add essential oils to the clothes while dry cleaning, you must be cautious as these oils are highly flammable. If your dryer is too hot, avoid adding essential oils while drying.
Final Words
Essential oils are better alternatives to fabric softeners, stain removers, and artificial fragrances. They are authentic and original and come with no side effects. You can easily choose the perfect essential oil for your Laundry by reading about its features (as mentioned above) and trying to inhale its scent.
And do tell us in the comments what has been your experience in using essential oils for Laundry!
