Don’t Put Essential Oils in Your Vacuum Cleaner, No Matter What Instagram Tells You.
A cleaning hack that allows you to do two things at once always seems like a good idea, so it’s no surprise that a new trend on social media is catching on, claiming you can make your home smell better while you vacuum. The problem is that the method suggested in the video may actually damage your vacuum cleaner. Here’s what not to do if you want a clean, pleasant-smelling home.
Why the Essential Oil Vacuum Hack Sucks
The people in the video have good intentions—who doesn’t want their house to smell good? — but the methods presented in Instagram Reels videos like these are a bad idea. Essentially, these cleaning influencers tell you to soak a few cotton balls in essential oils and then put them in a vacuum bag or canister. Theoretically, when you use a vacuum cleaner, the aroma of the oils will spread throughout the room as warm air passes through the machine. While this trick will likely create a pleasant smell, it’s not worth trying. Read the comments and you’ll see that some who have tried it report that the oils caused their vacuum cleaners to crack. This is because essential oils are corrosive to plastic. For this reason , essential oil companies even recommend against storing oils in plastic containers—so you definitely don’t want to touch an expensive vacuum cleaner.
To be sure, I reached out to Dyson to ask about the trend. Monika Stutzen, a research scientist at the company, agrees that oils should not be put into vacuum cleaners, but for other reasons than just the fact that they can damage the device: “As tempting as it may be to use scented sprays or essential oils for To get rid of odors in our carpet, we don’t recommend adding liquids unless necessary, as [dampness creates] the potential for mold and bacteria to grow, which leads to odors over time.” Yes, this hack could end up making your home smellier .
To prevent odors from forming, Stutzen instead recommends the following:
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Use a vacuum cleaner with strong suction and work slowly, giving the brushes time to penetrate deeper.
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Go over the same area several times (although, according to Dyson’s lab studies, more than two or three passes is overkill).
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Treat stains immediately without waiting for them to dry, as they can attract bacteria that will cause an odor.
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Wipe and dry your pets upon entering the home to prevent dirt and moisture from getting onto the carpet.
Products to consider:
If you’re looking for a new vacuum to make your carpets look and smell fresher, here are some great options.
How to make your room smell fresh
These are great tips for preventing odors, but if you’ve been thinking about how to use essential oil, you’re looking for ways to make your room smell nice. Try this instead:
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Get rid of odors by placing a small bowl of vinegar in an inconspicuous corner , which neutralizes odor-causing molecules.
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Bake a dish with pure vanilla extract to add fragrance to the air in your home.
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Place air fresheners in the vents of your home.
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Before vacuuming, sprinkle baking soda on the floor to absorb odors. (You can also buy flavored baking soda made specifically for this purpose .)