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I believe that feeding my dogs a raw food diet will give them a better shot at living longer, healthier lives; but this is only part of my plan. I also work to remove toxins from their world by choosing natural alternatives for flea and tick repellents, laundry detergents, and more.

I clean my dogs' dishes in the dishwasher and by hand, however, lately I'm trying out safer options, including essential oils and white vinegar.

Essential Oils for Cleaning

I buy the bulk of my essential oils from Plant Therapy. This is a brand that I trust, and I don't have to place a monthly order to be a customer. While there are many essential oils that can be used in cleaning, I prefer to order lemon and other citrus oils, and I really like a blend Plant Therapy offers called Germ Fighter.

I originally purchased the Plant Therapy Organic Germ Fighter to protect me during cold and flu season. However, I now use it when I'm cleaning the floors and counters and when I'm cleaning my dogs' dishes.

“Organic Germ Fighter is jam packed with everything you need to fight off outside threats. Contains the 100% pure, undiluted USDA Certified Organic essential oils of Lemon, Clove Bud, Eucalyptus Globulus, Cinnamon Cassia, and Rosemary 1,8-Cineole. Organic Germ Fighter is a Plant Therapy favorite and for good reason; it does its job and will continue to support a healthy immune system by helping your body get back to its natural state from the seasonal threats that have you down.” ~ Plant Therapy

Plant Therapy also has a blend called Germ Destroyer, which is their kid-safe blend.  It's equally as effective as Germ Fighter while using gentler oils.

Essential Oil Recipes for Cleaning Dog Dishes

These recipes can be used for all-purpose cleaning as well.

Germ Fighter Oil and Hydrogen Peroxide Cleaner

• 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide (the brown bottle) or white vinegar
• 1 cup of distilled or filtered water (to decrease the chance of bacteria growth)
• 1 teaspoon of unscented castile soap
• 35 drops of Germ Fighter by Plant Therapy
• 10 drops of lemon or sweet orange (optional)
• Add all of the ingredients to your spray bottle and shake well before each use.

Sweet orange or another citrus essential oil is added to sweeten the scent. However, it's not necessary.  If you choose not to add another oil, use 45 drops of Germ Destroyer.  Please note that when cleaning hardwood or stone floors with vinegar, dilute the vinegar well.  I use 10 parts water for every 1 part vinegar when mopping our floors.

Citrus Essential Oils and White Vinegar Cleaner

• 2 cups of distilled or filtered water
• 4 tablespoons of white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of unscented castile soap (to keep the blend from separating)
• 30 drops of Germ Fighter essential oil blend
• 10 drops of lemon essential oil
• 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil
• 10 drops of orange essential oil
• Add all the ingredients to your spray bottle and shake well before each use.

I've been told that it's better to stick with these amounts to avoid adding a preservative (something I don't have experience with) to your cleaner.

Read More About Essential Oils

• Books to Help Dog Owners Feed Their Dog Better
• Best Essential Oils to Diffuse in the Fall
• 10 of the Best Ways to Reuse Essential Oil Bottles
• 5 DIY Natural Cleaning Products that aren't Toxic to Dogs
• What Dog Lovers Need to Know About Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

Thank you, Allie and her dogs, Buster and Hunter, for the idea for this blog post.