I have lived in my home almost five years. When I moved here I discovered a beautiful black ceramic sink in the main bathroom. I also discovered how difficult it was to clean. The average cleaner left it smeared and dull looking.

After trying several cleaners without success, I tried a mixture of vinegar and water. Hit the jackpot, worked like a charm and left my sink shining like a new penny. I also use it on my bathroom mirror.

I want to share with you three essential oil household cleaners. Essential oils have a lot to offer when it comes to household care. They smell great and are easy to mix with other ingredients to create gentle and affordable household cleaners.

• ALL PURPOSE LEMON CLEANER

Lemon is a revitalizing scent associated with cleanliness

Ingredients:

1 cup vinegar

1 cup water

1 tsp dish soap

25 drops lemon essential oil

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a quart size spray bottle and shake to mix. Spray on counters, sinks, and appliances and wipe down.

• SPARKLING CITRUS TOILET BOWL CLEANER

Not our favorite thing to do, but this blend makes cleaning the toilet easy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup baking soda

1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide

1/4 cup dishwashing soap

15 drops essential lemon oil

15 drops essential lime oil

15 drops tangerine oil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a squeeze bottle. Squirt into toilet bowl and scrub until clean.

• ALL PURPOSE HERBAL GRIME SCRUB

Mix up this paste and use in difficult to clean spaces.

Ingredients:

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup castile soap

10 drops essential tea tree oil

10 drops essential rosemary oil

10 drops pine essential oil

5 drops lemon essential oil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients into a paste. Pour onto the desired surface for cleaning and scrub until the grime is removed. Rinse with warm water to clean.

Give these cleaners a try, you will have to visit your local health food store or an apothecary to obtain some of the oils. I tried the first two and they did a great job of cleaning and left a wonderful smell.