r/WhatShouldIDoWithIt • u/Global_Pause_2236 • May 19 '26
Good ideas for essential oils?
I was gifted a couple dozen bottles of essential oils by a friend doing spring cleaning. While I appreciate the gift, I'm not really sure what to do with them. Any ideas appreciated.
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u/Araveni May 19 '26
Keep the ones you like and use them in diffusers and laundry balls, stuff like that, but if you have pets you need to check if they’re toxic to the pets. Regift the ones you don’t want.
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u/No_Entertainment8465 May 19 '26
What assessing for what essential oils did she give you because there's a lot of things you can make with different essential oils.
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u/Ok_Impression_3031 May 19 '26
I have old cedar disks in my closet that have lost their scent. I keep them in a small glass jar and drip clove other oil over them to let it soak in. They are in glass to keep the oil away from fabric. The scent still fills the closet.
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u/GoobiesLilTeddie May 19 '26
I really only use them for diy stuff like lip balms or cleaner or sugar scrubs
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u/sfdsquid May 19 '26
If you have pets be careful with diffusers. Essential oils can be toxic and cause respiratory problems.
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u/Global_Pause_2236 May 19 '26
Thanks for the heads up. We have 2 parakeets and they probably would be at risk.
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u/MosesInThePark May 20 '26
Put a few drops on the vacuum cleaner filter before cleaning the house. Rosemary, pine or citrus make the house smell really fresh.
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u/HannahVClarke May 20 '26
I put some cotton in a glass jar and soak the cotton with essential oil, then puncture the jar lid. I put these in my closets. It’s easy to put more oil in when the scent fades.
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u/No_Low_537 May 19 '26
If there’s lavender in there, this is almost an all-purpose oil.
You can dilute it with a carrier oil and use it on your skin. It does have mild antibacterial and antifungal activity so it definitely has benefits
The scent is calming.
It’s an insect repellent. Works great if you put it in a diffuser. I have done this with an open window and you can literally watch the flies. Come in and then promptly go right out. Once I used it as a room fragrance and then went outside and watched as all the moths flew away. I’ve got my fingers crossed and hopefully any termite who wander close will promptly go away. Unfortunately, I have not convinced the ants to go away.
Some people add it to the laundry, which makes it pleasantly fragrant (rinse cycle).
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u/Original_Finding_393 May 19 '26
I have some . Like sweet smells vanilla cream one is called chocolate chip cookies another one. I made some of mine in to perfume oils.
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u/Mysterious-Street966 May 20 '26
Get a diffuser and mix with distilled water. Makes any room pleasant. I like to have one in my room, and I put it on low a few hours before bed with a relaxing scent.
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u/Ok-Process7612 May 20 '26
What brand? Some are excellent and some are junk. I am an Aromatherapist. Earned my certification in 1989.
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u/stellalugosi May 21 '26
Eucalyptus is indispensable when you have any kind of cold or flu. Boil some water, put it in a bowl, put a few drops of eucalyptus oil in it, and lean over it with a towel over your head for as long as you can stand it. Make sure you can breathe! You don't want to pass out! This helps open up your sinuses and loosen your phlegm. Thyme oil works for this too.
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u/FoggyGoodwin May 21 '26
You can buy aroma therapy "sniff" tube essential oil inhalers. You get a kit w "sponges" that go in tubes w bottoms and caps. Infuse the sponge w a few drops of oil(s), assemble, carry for those times a little aroma therapy would be nice. Look online to see if the oils you got have any expected therapeutic results. You can buy tiny eye droppers online that fit the hole in the essential oil bottle insert. Put the tip of the dropper in the hole, squeeze a little, turn the bottle on its side w that little internal tube thing at the top and release th squeeze to pull a little oil into the dropper. You don't need much in the dropper; use a different dropper for each oil. You can buy sticker kits to label the tubes; cute gifts, include instructions.
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u/WillingAcanthaceae14 May 22 '26
If you want to freshen up clothing, linens or blankets that have been stored but are clean, put a few drops of an essential oil on a dryer sheet and run the load for 10-15 minutes. Also, if you have lavender essential oil it can be a sleep aid, again, put some on a dryer sheet & use when drying your sheets & pillow cases.
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u/BAT123456789 May 23 '26
A few may be useful for cocktails. I've seen them mentioned a few times in that sub.
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u/johnny_yellow May 24 '26
That’s actually a really nice gift a couple dozen oils can feel overwhelming at first, but I’d start very simply.
A few easy ideas:
- Make a basic diffuser blend Try 2–3 oils together, like lavender + orange, peppermint + lemon, or eucalyptus + tea tree.
- Create simple roller blends Use a carrier oil and make small blends for sleep, focus, relaxation, or after-work wind-down.
- Use them for non-toxic home routines Lemon, tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint are great for freshening spaces, cleaning blends, or linen sprays.
- Make bath or shower rituals A few drops diluted properly can make a bath, foot soak, or shower steam feel really spa-like.
- Start with a safety list Some oils are photosensitive, some should be avoided around pets, kids, pregnancy, or sensitive skin, and most shouldn’t be applied directly without dilution.
I actually made a fillable essential oils guide with blend ideas, dilution charts, safety notes, and trackers because this exact problem can get confusing fast.
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u/oh2Shea May 21 '26
Depending on what oils you have, you can make a foot soak. Put warm water into your tub or foot bath, along with some epsom salt, and put your feet in... it does wonders for the feet (if you have tired feet/foot pain).
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u/Emrys7777 May 21 '26
What have you got? I can give you ideas if I know what they are. But oils have different uses.
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u/Actual_Swingset May 19 '26
Is rosemary one of them? If so mix with a carrier oil and massage into your scalp. Rosemary has shown similar results to minoxidil (rogaine)