Lemon essential oil is one of the most well-known and used of any essential oil. Follow along to learn the top 10 ways to use lemon essential oil around your home.
As I write this post, I have lemon essential oil going in my diffuser near my desk. The aroma immediately makes me feel uplifted, energized and makes my house smell clean no matter the condition it is in. Somedays, I get fancy with my diffuser blends, while on other days, it is a simple few drops of lemon.
There are so many ways to use lemon essential oil around your home. It is one of my favorite oils for cleaning and DIY recipes. Spoiler alert: If you don’t already have lemon essential oil, you are going to want it after reading this post! 😉
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MY FAVORITE WAYS TO USE LEMON
1. FRESHEN THE AIR
One of the easiest ways to use lemon oil is simply to diffuse it! Its bright, clean scent freshens up a whole room fast. I love diffusing it near my desk, and it is wonderful for making the house smell fresh on cleaning day. You can also add a few drops to a homemade room spray and mist it into the air.
2. REMOVE STICKY RESIDUE
Lemon oil is my go-to for lifting sticky messes. A drop or two on a cloth takes off sticker residue, price-tag goo, and gummy buildup with almost no scrubbing.
3. SHINE STAINLESS STEEL AND FIXTURES
Add a couple of drops to a soft cloth to buff up stainless steel appliances, faucets, and fixtures. It cuts through smudges and leaves a bright, streak-free shine.
4. FRESHEN THE LAUNDRY
Add a few drops of lemon oil to a wool dryer ball, or stir it into your homemade laundry detergent, to give your clothes and towels a fresh, clean scent without any synthetic fragrance.
5. DEODORIZE THE TRASH AND DISPOSAL
Kitchen starting to smell funky? Drop a little lemon oil into the bottom of your trash can, or run a few drops down the garbage disposal, to freshen things right up.
6. DUST AND POLISH WOOD
Lemon oil is lovely for dusting. Add a few drops to a homemade dusting spray to lift dust and leave wood furniture smelling fresh and clean.
7. FRESHEN CUTTING BOARDS
After a good scrub, wipe a wood cutting board with a damp cloth and a drop of lemon oil to leave it fresh and clean-smelling.
8. BRIGHTEN YOUR DIY PRODUCTS
Lemon adds a bright, cheery scent to all kinds of DIY products. Stir it into homemade soap, candles, or cleaners any time you want a fresh citrus lift.
9. DEGREASER
Another lemon oil benefit is that it can be used as a natural degreaser and one I love to use when doing the dishes. You can also add a few drops of lemon to your shampoo if you have really greasy or oily hair. Check out my homemade shampoo recipe and my homemade conditioner.
10. CLEANING
Lemon has cleansing properties making it great for cleaning! Add 10-15 drops of lemon essential oil, 1/4 cup vinegar to a 16-ounce glass spray bottle, and top off with water. This makes the best all-purpose cleaner, and I use it for everything! It even works well on mirrors.
Lemon essential oil can be used aromatically and topically.
AROMATIC USE
ESSENTIAL OIL DIFFUSERS
The most popular way to use essential oils aromatically is with a diffuser. Diffusers disperse tiny essential oil molecules into the air, and as you inhale them, they fill the room with a fresh, clean scent. Depending on the room you are diffusing in and the size of the diffuser will determine the number of drops of essential oil you will add to the diffuser. Check out the chart below to see how much oil your essential oil diffuser needs:
100mL: 3-5 drops
200mL: 6-10 drops
300mL: 11-15 drops
400mL: 16-20 drops
500mL: 21-25 drops
OTHER WAYS TO USE ESSENTIAL OILS AROMATICALLY
Inhale the essential oil straight from the bottle for a refreshing scent.
Add a few drops to a cotton ball or tissue and breathe in the scent.
Apply lemon essential oil to clothing.
Add a few drops of essential oil to a glass spray bottle, top off with water, and mist into the air for an air freshener.
The next way you can use lemon essential oil is topically. To avoid any skin sensitivities, it is best to dilute lemon in a carrier oil before applying it to the skin. Lemon oil is photosensitive, so after applying, you will want to avoid direct sunlight.
You can make a lemon roller bottle or make a salve for easy application.
To make a roller bottle add lemon essential oil to a 10mL roller bottle and top off with a carrier oil. Use this dilution chart to know how many drops of essential oil to use:
Adult: use 15-30 drops of essential oil in a 10mL roller bottle.
Add 10 drops of essential oil to 1/4 cup of coconut oil or olive oil.
Drop 1-5 drops of essential oil into a warm bath.
Add a few drops of essential oil to lotion, shampoo, or moisturizer.
A Few Safety Notes
Essential oils are potent, so always dilute lemon with a carrier oil before applying it to your skin, and do a small patch test first. Lemon is photosensitive, so avoid direct sunlight for a while after using it on your skin. Keep your oils away from your eyes, and store them safely out of reach of children and pets.
So have I convinced you to get lemon oil yet? Are you already a lemon oil fan? What are some of your favorite ways to use it? Share your stories in the comments below; I love hearing from you!
Welcome to Our Oily House, I’m so glad you’re here! Explore DIY cleaners, homemade soaps, skincare and hair care recipes, fragrance-free solutions, and sustainable laundry tips for a naturally inspired home.
Hi , I saw your recipe for your all purpose cleaner would that work on granite/marble tops ? Like I want to make your recipes but I’m not sure which one I should add vinegar to and not add vinegar too ! And as well would tea tree and lemon do good together to clean?
I’m looking for the best way to help relieve joint inflammation due to arthritis. I’m currently drinking turmeric tea but I’m not at all pleased with the taste. I will continue to do that if it is my only option but would love to know if there is something different I can try.
Turmeric will be very helpful, as it is really good at reducing inflammation. You can try turmeric essential oil and capsule it instead so you don’t have to taste it. I would also suggest copaibia and frankincense. I have a whole regimen for arthritis. Shoot me an email at laura@ouroilyhouse.com and I can help you further!
Hi , I saw your recipe for your all purpose cleaner would that work on granite/marble tops ? Like I want to make your recipes but I’m not sure which one I should add vinegar to and not add vinegar too ! And as well would tea tree and lemon do good together to clean?
Check out my granite cleaning spray for natural stone.
Do Lemon oil consists Vitamin C? Coz it comes from the lemon peel..
Yes it does!
I’m looking for the best way to help relieve joint inflammation due to arthritis. I’m currently drinking turmeric tea but I’m not at all pleased with the taste. I will continue to do that if it is my only option but would love to know if there is something different I can try.
Turmeric will be very helpful, as it is really good at reducing inflammation. You can try turmeric essential oil and capsule it instead so you don’t have to taste it. I would also suggest copaibia and frankincense. I have a whole regimen for arthritis. Shoot me an email at laura@ouroilyhouse.com and I can help you further!