Essential Oils that Help Purify Your Indoor Air

With all the latest information about Covid-19 in the news, we may be spending more time at home away from work, crowds, or even school. The EPA says we normally spend about 90% of our time indoors. Indoor air contains more contaminants and pollutants than the air we breathe outside.

Unless our windows are open, most of the time we are breathing in all types of indoor pollution, allergens, and germs. Indoor pollution can aggravate asthma, irritate our sinuses, cause congestion, and leave us feeling fatigued, burnt out, and, at the very worst, sick. If something has gotten us feeling under the weather, chances are it’s the air we breathe inside our homes and offices and not that crisp morning air that washes over us when we go outside in the morning, or the salty sea breeze at the beach.

Purifying your indoor air is important to your health and is easy to do. If you are interested in taking a natural, safe approach to air purification, you could consider using natural essential oils.

There are scientific studies which indicate many essential oils contain antibacterial and/or antifungal properties. Essential oils are derived from plants, and  made of aromatic chemicals that purportedly have antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Of course, they also make a room smell good, but that’s only a plus

What are the best essential oils for purifying the indoor air you breathe? Here are a few of our favorites essential oils for a fresher living space:

• Eucalyptus - There’s a reason you smell this essential oil in spas and see people hanging eucalyptus leaves in their showers on Pinterest. It purifies the air to keep it fresh, and also works as a natural decongestant. It can also be used to open up your sinuses and alleviate congestion due to colds and allergies. 

• Tea Tree - Tea tree oil has long been known for its benefits to skin and for being a natural antiseptic. Diffusing Tea tree oil has also been known to kill the airborne flu virus. One of the biggest benefits to this antifungal, antibacterial powerhouse is that it prevents and fights away mold. Mold can wreak havoc on the home and immune system. Tea tree essential oil can assist with keeping this from happening by cleaning the air you are breathing of these particles.

• Conifers -  Not only will your house smell like a winter wonderland every time you use these, but conifer oils such as pine, fir, and spruce contain pinene - a natural chemical compound that is well known to have antibacterial properties. These oils are excellent to help keep the respiratory system clear, and build defenses against airborne bacteria.

• Citrus-  Lemon, grapefruit, and orange essential oils are all antimicrobial. Their high levels of limonene help destroy airborne viruses and clean the air in your home. They are also beneficial to the lymphatic system, and leave a fresh cheerful scent that really brings the outdoors in.

When diffused or used in a room as  a spray bottle, these essential oils aren't just an aromatic air freshener, but a heavy hitting air purifier. They can help clean and deodorize the air in our homes and leave us breathing easier. When safely using the right essential oils, we can reduce the indoor air pollution while improving air quality and also reaping the therapeutic benefits of clean, healthy, fresh air.