Have you ever considered adding essential oils to your laundry? I use oils in all of my homemade cleaning products, so it only makes sense to use them in my laundry as well. Today, I’m sharing a few tips on how to do this and which scents you should try.
Posts may be sponsored. This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you should you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Can You Add Essential Oils to Laundry?
As long as you do it right, yes! You can definitely add essential oils to your laundry. I have very sensitive skin and asthma, so many artificial fragrances give me a rash or make me sneeze. We usually use a clear and unscented laundry detergent, but I did miss having a nice scent. So I decided that using essential oils would be a great solution!
I like to make my own diffuser blends to enjoy them around the house. Get the full list right here.
What Essential Oils Should You Use in Laundry?
There are different essential oils for different purposes. You should also take into consideration what types of scents you like.
For example, if you like citrus scents, you could use lemon, orange, or grapefruit. These smell amazing and are great for cutting grease and odor (I used lemon essential oil for my son’s sports uniforms all the time).
When you wash sheets, blankets, and towels, you can use relaxing scents like lavender or eucalyptus. The best essential oils for laundry are lavender, lemon, and tea tree oil.
Aspen Clean has a variety of laundry detergents made with essential oils. My favorite is lavender. Check it out here.
Here are a few more scents you could try and what they can be used for:
- Peppermint and spearmint – These have anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties. Peppermint essential oil is great to use along with tea tree oil when someone in your house is sick.
- Rosemary – This is great for boosting your immune system. It also has anti-fungal properties, so if anyone is dealing with athletes’ foot, this is a great option.
- Lemon/basil or rosemary/peppermint/lemon – Don’t be nervous to mix scents. These are some of my favorite combinations for fresh-smelling laundry. Make your own essential oil blend.
Essential oils for disinfecting laundry
When you’re looking for essential oils, make sure you’re getting pure essential oils instead of fragrance oils. If you get fragrance oils, they won’t do anything except add a nice scent.
If you want a good disinfecting essential oil, here are some of the best options:
- Tea tree oil
- Peppermint
- Spearmint
- Rosemary
- Lavender
- Thyme
Do essential oils ruin clothes?
When you think of the word “oil,” you might think of oil from a motor or a greasy hamburger. If you get pure essential oils, they shouldn’t leave any type of stain on your clothes.
How Do You Put Essential Oils In Your Laundry?
You only need a tiny amount of oil to give your clothes a nice boost of fragrance. You’ll take your bottle of unscented laundry detergent, then add two or three drops of your essential oils of choice.
Next, shake the bottle well and smell it. If it’s to your liking, that’s it! If it’s not quite strong enough, you can keep adding a drop at a time until it’s perfect. Make sure you shake the bottle each time you do laundry to keep the oil and detergent combined.
You can also use essential oils on wool dryer balls.
Can Essential Oils Catch on Fire in the Laundry?
Since your washing machine fills up with water, your essential oils won’t catch on fire. However, use caution if you’re adding them to your laundry in the dryer.
Essential oils are flammable, and this article explains the risks of putting essential oils directly on your laundry before they go in the dryer.
You Might Like These Laundry Articles
If you’re looking to step up your whole laundry game, here are a few helpful articles you can refer to:
- Learn how to organize your linen closet and keep it fresh.
- Make your own powdered laundry detergent.
- How to eliminate laundry odor naturally.
- Benefits of a front-load laundry center
- Three steps to laundry odor removal.
- How to organize your laundry room.
- Make natural laundry boosters.
How to use essential oil in laundry and cleaning
Ellen is a busy mom of a 24-year-old son and 29-year-old daughter. She owns six blogs and is addicted to social media. She believes that it doesn’t have to be difficult to lead a healthy life. She shares simple healthy living tips to show busy women how to lead fulfilling lives. If you’d like to work together, email info@confessionsofanover-workedmom.com to chat.
Hello,
I just am wondering want brand(s) you recommend of essential oil?
Hi Samantha – I don’t recommend a specific brand of essential oils. I often use Plant Therapy but there are many others that work well too. Thank you for stopping by.
How many drops of EOs can you use in a 32 oz bottle of free and clear detergent ?
Thank you
It really depends on how much scent you want and what types of oils you will be using. I would start with 3-5 and work up depending on how you like the scent.
Good Morning, will you elaborate on the amount and when to add to the cycle in order to get the most medicinal effect? For example, battling athletes foot. When in the cycle and how many drops?
I generally add 8-10 drops once the tub is full of water. I would not say that amount has any medicinal effect at all. It is more for scent.
How would I add essential oil if I use powder detergent? I use tide/borax/arm &hammer detergent booster with vinegar instead of fabric softener. I still find that items smell of set in body oil (mainly sheets) and clothes start to smell “old” if you will? After a little while. I don’t want to use fabric softener so I’m just trying to find a natural way to keep clothes smelling fresh
Hi Krystin – I would fill up the washer with the water and the powder. Then, add the essential oils, agitate for a second and add your clothes. That way the oils would be mixed in with the water as much as possible. Thank you for stopping by!
Can I add Glade scented oil meant for a plug in device in my washing machine? I’m having trouble finding a product that can go into the wash. I don’t think it is an “ essential oil”.
Hi – Please do not do that. These types of oils can be flammable. It is not safe to put this on your laundry or against your skin. You can find essential oils on Amazon or even at stores like Walmart. Best of luck!