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It's easier than you might think to make homemade dish soap with essential oils. Just using household products, you control the ingredients and the scent!
This is a slightly different kind of post here on My Sequined Life, but one that is certainly related to the 250+ recipes this site houses (geez - 250 already!?). While I mainly talk about food, a lesser-discussed area of interest that has grown for me over the last year or so has been making my own home fragrances and household supplies. You can customize them any which way you like, and you can pick and choose the ingredients that are used. That works for a semi-control freak like me! 🙋
One big part in these DIY projects are essential oils, of which I'm excited to be sharing ways in which Nature's Truth Essential Oils can easily integrate into your holiday preparations. They're versatile in home fragrances, homemade soaps, homemade candles (which are on my to-do list for holiday gifting), cleaning supplies, and more.
Essential oils can be used in aromatherapy through a variety of diffusers, in a roll-on bottle diluted with a base oil for topical application (*always dilute before applying topically*), or in even more household uses than I mentioned above. Lately I've been making my own dryer sheets by adding a few drops of an oil or oil blend to a piece of terrycloth and adding it to the dry cycle. I love to use an oil that features a soothing scent like lavender (in the Nature's Truth Good Nite™ blend) for drying blankets and sheets - especially for overnight holiday guests! Nature's Truth offers a diverse line of oils and oil accessories, including both single oils and oil blends, that can work in many different areas of your life.
If you've been a reader of My Sequined Life for some time, you'll know that I rarely fry things. I've been burned - literally and figuratively - by recipes that result in soggy, overly-saturated bites. And that's besides the fact that fried things aren't exactly the healthiest...
However when the holidays roll around, my family must make struffoli, a traditional Italian dessert recipe consisting of fried dough balls that have been coated in honey and sprinkles. Over the years we've perfected the process to result in perfectly crispy dough balls that we love to share with family and friends, but there's one thing that crimps our style when it comes to inviting people over to partake - that 'fry' smell.
The worst! Without fail it overtakes the kitchen and lingers for some time...not the most inviting environment for guests stopping by for holiday sweets. This year though I'm prepared with Nature's Truth 4 Thrive Essential Oil, a warmly-scented blend of lemon, rosemary, clove, and eucalyptus oils, that will kiss away kitchen odors in a hurry. Once added to your diffusing mechanism of choice, the spiced fragrance quickly wafts around your kitchen and mitigates the need for you to be apologizing to your guests for a less-than-savory kitchen.
I made a test-batch of struffoli earlier this month as I wanted to bring the recipe to the blog this year (check back after Thanksgiving!), and afterwards I added distilled water and Nature's Truth 4 Thrive Essential Oil to the Nature's Truth Mini Diffuser according to the package instructions. The Mini Diffuser plugs into a USB port, which makes it ideal for traveling and on-the-go uses. I always have my computer with me in the kitchen, so I was able to position it wherever without cords running across the floor. Love that portability! Goodbye, fry smell. 👋
The recipes on my site are varied, from appetizers and drinks all the way through to desserts, but there's one thing in common with with all of them: DISHES. Is there anyone out there who truly enjoys washing the dishes? Don't think I've met anyone. As a food blogger and an avid homemade food consumer, the dishes pile up quickly and without remorse.
Another way I've worked Nature's Truth products into my kitchen tasks is by making homemade dish soap with essential oils. Have you ever tried it? It's so easy! Equal parts water and unscented liquid castile soap are mixed with baking soda for some degreasing action and your essential oil of choice for fragrance. With its warm, spicy scent, 4 Thrive is my essential oil of choice as it lends a holiday-like and refreshing crispness to your cleaning that works for this time of year. Plus using it in dish washing and a diffuser? That's a one-two fragrance punch I like.
You can find Nature's Truth Essential Oils in the vitamin aisle, or on Target.com like I did. You can learn more about Nature's Truth on their website, Facebook page, or Pinterest, and receive a $1.00 off coupon to Stimulate Your Senses.
How to Make Homemade Dish Soap with Essential Oils
This "recipe" yields 16 oz of soap
You'll need:
8 oz unscented liquid castile soap
8 oz warm water
2 tablespoon baking soda
20 drops Nature's Truth 4 Thrive Essential oil, or more
Instructions:
- Whisk together all ingredients until baking soda dissolves, then pour into your dispense of choice. Use for hand washing only, aka don't put this in the dishwasher!
Beck says
Hi,
I have hemp citrus pure-castle soap, just wondering if it would work? Also, which essential oils would you recommend to go with it? I have kids that do washing up here too, incase that makes a difference.
Thanks,
Beck π
Alyssa says
Hi Beck, as long as it's a type of castile soap I think it would work just fine. I've just only used unscented as I have it on hand to wash my makeup brushes. As for the essential oil scent, I personally like the scents of eucalyptus, mint, or lavender combined with something citrusy. I'd imagine there are plenty of good combinations to experiment with so it comes down to personal preference! π
Nora says
I love this post, Alyssa! One of our neighbors seems to dig out the most horrendously smelly onion stew recipe every winter. I even tried tea tree oil in my diffuser but nothing helped. I'll have to try this blend! Anything to get the awful smells out.
And I'll need to try the homemade dish soap as well! I've only made my own beauty products so far, but I bought all the supplies for homemade cleaners a couple of months ago. Just haven't gotten round to experimenting yet!
Alyssa says
Oh man, Nora...that sounds pretty potent! Beauty products is up next for me so we're opposite. π I've been thinking about making scrubs but haven't gotten around to it yet. It's a process but I'm glad to make progress on gradually switching over to more natural, homemade things.
Letha says
I want to thank you for your beautiful site and your dish soap recipe. I have made my own castile soap and am too ecstatic about all the other possibilities. Thank you again for taking the time to post the information.
David @ Spiced says
Oh, I totally understand the whole dishes piling up thing! It seems like every time I turn around, the pile has grown larger and larger. Consequently, we go through a lot of dish soap in our house. I've never thought about making my own, though...great idea! Thanks so much for sharing! #client
Alyssa says
The dish struggle is real! Thanks, David! π
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I LOVE this post, Alyssa! I actually have a whole set of essential oils that I bought on a whim last year after a friend recommended it, but I have no idea how to use them. I've never though of making my own dish soap before! What a fun tutorial and creative way to use this set. I will have to try this out!
Alyssa says
I love making my own household products, and the customization of scent is great. Let me know if you try it - thanks Gayle!