Adding Essential Oils to Laundry

Laundry Day always seems to come around again so fast. As the kids get older the piles grow taller. C’Man is working at Lowes so will come home dusty and dirty. P’Diddy has baseball practice most nights of the week and you know what that means. Sweaty and smelly clothes that you don’t want to keep laying around for long. My laundry load could use all the help it can get, which is why I add essential oils to the laundry every week. 

What is an essential oil? The simple answer is that it is an oil extracted through the steam distillation of herbs and flowers. Essential oils can be used in cleaning all over the house, especially in the laundry room. Natural scents added to your wash can have many benefits, including killing germs and being good for your overall health. And of course they smell fantastic!

Why You Should Use Essential Oils in your Laundry

When you see the word fragrance on any product you probably think ohhhhh I bet it smells good. Things that smell good usually make us happier and give us a better experience with that product. Yes I would love for my clothes to smell like spring flowers! 

But did you know that manufacturers don’t have to enclose the ingredients they use in a fragrance, including laundry detergent? A small study suggests scented laundry items contain carcinogens that waft through vents, potentially raising cancer risk. They can also cause skin irritations and other health issues. Well that’s scary.

Essential oils will give you the natural scent you are looking for, without the harmful chemicals and carcinogens attached.

How to Add Essential Oils to Laundry

There are four easy ways you can use essential oils on laundry day.

1. Drop 1-3 drops of your favorite essential oil into your unscented detergent before you pour. Remember a lot can go a long way when it comes to concentrated oils.
2. Or you can add 100% pure essential oils directly to the load because they will naturally dilute in the water. If any synthetics or carrier oils are mixed in then it may cause a stain on your clothing.
3. Use a diffuser nearby to keep your laundry room smelling fresh. 
4. Drop 1-3 drops of your favorite essential oil onto your dryer ball as you move your load to dry.

Dryer balls are beneficial and take the place of a dryer sheet, which can also contain harmful fragrances. Don’t have any dryer balls? You can still enjoy naturally scented laundry by adding drops to a clean washcloth or old sock. I’ve heard people admit the sock works better than the dryer balls for detecting the scents.

What Essential Oils are Best for the Laundry Room?

I did say to use 100% pure essential oils, but also stick with clear and colorless oils. While most oils don’t stain, sometimes the dark or naturally yellow essential oils can leave a mark (that may fade) because of their original botanicals.

Here are my 10 favorite essential oils for laundry. Don’t be afraid to mix and match!

1. Lemongrass. The partnership between the citrusy + woodsy clean smell.
2. Lavender. The go-to oil for everything because it does it all. Very calming.
3. Tea Tree. Definitely smells clean. Antiseptic to get rid of the unwanted stuff.
4. Eucalyptus. A natural germ fighter with antimicrobial and antibacterial properties.
5. Peppermint. Kick it up with this menthol antibacterial oil.
6. Lemon. Smells fresh and is antifungal, astringent, and antiseptic.
7. Grapefruit. Subtle but uplifting with its disinfecting antiseptic uses.
8. Orange. To make you happy. I can smell it now.
9. Pine. A natural deodorizer that screams clean.
10. Cinnamon. Yes this spicy essential oil is very uplifting. Try it with Orange.

It’s time to get rid of the detergents, fabric softeners, and dryer sheets with the fragrances because they can be harmful to your health. Stock up on a few of your favorite scents and add essential oils to the laundry. Your nose and your family will thank you!

What essential oils do you add to the laundry?