4 Ways to Clean Your Car with Essential Oils

Between school drop-offs, road trips, and hauling sports gear, your car sees a lot of action. Instead of using store-bought cleaners full of harsh chemicals, essential oils provide a natural, effective way to clean your car, keep it fresh and ready for your next adventure!

There are many reasons to use essential oils for cleaning. Some of our favorite reasons to use clean ingredients are:

✔ Non-toxic & family-friendly 

✔ Eliminates odors naturally 

✔ Safe for pets & kids 

✔ Leaves your car smelling amazing!

The Best Essential Oils for Car Cleaning

There are a wide variety of essential oils you can choose from. We prefer to use pure essential oils from Jordan Essentials. Keep in mind that the essential oils used to clean your car should be pleasing to you, but also carry additional benefits you're looking for.

🌿 Lemon – Cuts grease & sticky messes

🌿 Lavender – Calming & freshens upholstery

🌿 Tea Tree – Natural antibacterial properties

🌿 Peppermint – Great for focus & alertness

🌿 Eucalyptus – Helps neutralize strong odors

One of my favorite blends is a mix of mint and rosemary. It's actually designed and marketed as a pet deodorizer, but it's the best thing I've found to keep my car smelling fresh! I keep the spray bottle right in my car door's pocket for quick touch ups on the go.

DIY Recipes to Clean Your Car

1. All-Purpose Car Cleaner Spray 🚗

• 1 cup distilled water
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 10 drops lemon essential oil
• 5 drops tea tree essential oil
• Mix in a spray bottle and use on dashboards, seats, and door panels.

Don't want a DIY? Use our premixed Healthy Home Cleaning System instead - simply add water and you're ready to go!

2. DIY Air Freshener 🌬️

• ¼ cup baking soda
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• Sprinkle onto carpets and seats, let sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum.

If this DIY thing is not for you, grab one of our car vent clips and a pre-mixed essential oil spray. Simply spray the oil on the vent clip and turn your car's heat or AC on. VOILA! Instant air freshener that keeps working. 

3. Streak-Free Window & Mirror Cleaner 🪟

• 1 cup distilled water
• ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• Spray on windows and wipe clean with a microfiber cloth.

Microfiber really is a game changer when it comes to streaks on glass. I used to give my husband a hard time about his love of microfiber to clean his truck. I am now a true convert to the beauty of glass wiped with microfiber!

4. Pet-Friendly Car Spray 🐶

• 1 cup distilled water
• ½ cup witch hazel
• 10 drops pet-safe essential oil blend (like lavender or chamomile)
• Spray on pet seats, blankets, and travel crates for a fresh, calming scent.

No DIY for you? Try our Pet Spray - it's the spray I mentioned above that always travels with us! 

Bonus Tips for a Naturally Clean Car

✔ Keep a small diffuser in your car with peppermint or lemon oil for a fresh scent! Better yet, use a car vent clip and customize your fragrance to what suits you best!

✔ Use a cotton ball with drops of essential oils in cup holders or under seats for long-lasting freshness. If you don't have an essential oil dropper, spritz your carpets and seats with one of our essential oil sprays. 

✔ Wipe down car seats and steering wheels weekly to remove buildup and germs. Our Healthy Home Cleaner works great for this! It also provides a burst of freshness with each use.

✔ Regularly empty trash and clutter. Old french fries under the seat? I try to make one pass through the car every Sunday to prevent rogue trash and old fries from multiplying. Simple, but it works. Then I can start off Monday morning with a clean car on my commute to work!

✔ Schedule routine deep cleanings. I could be better at this. Winter is a no-go for deep car cleaning for me, but I am really good at it through the spring and summer. There's something about a clean car with the windows down - doesn't matter where you're going, it just feels good!

Tips for Maintaining a Clean Car

Your car shouldn’t smell like gym socks and spilled snacks! 🚗 With these easy essential oil cleaning hacks, you can refresh your ride naturally—keeping it clean for carpools, pets, and busy family life!