Can I put essential oils in plastic containers?
Essential oils dissolve plastic — especially potent ones like Thieves essential oil blend and Oregano essential oil as well as the citrus oils — they can eat away at plastic and cause some deterioration.
Always store essential oils and products that contain essential oils in glass containers, preferably amber glass to protect them for years to come. You should never, ever place your oils in a plastic container.
So if you are making up room sprays or even cleaning sprays we recommend using a stainless steel or glass spray bottle — like the one included in our Nature’s Home Essentials Collection.
There are some chemical-resistant plastic bottles (High-Density Polyethylene – HDPE, also known as plastics number 2). This very high quality plastic is not easily dissolved by essential oils. This is what the plastic caps, diffusers, drip stoppers, and Thieves Household Cleaner bottles are made of. You can get a spray top to fit this and reuse your empty Thieves Cleaner bottle to make up your all natural spray cleaner.
As these plastics are a Number 2 you can pop them into your recycling bin after you have rinsed them.
Why do the lids of my essential oils crack?
Essential Oils dissolve plastic and can eat away at the plastic lids. While the caps are made from High-Density Polyethylene – HDPE they will over time be affected by the essential oils. This is particularly true for Hot Oils and Citrus Oils. When the lid is done up too tight it can crack as the plastic has been weekend by the essential oil. Always store your essential oils upright to minimise contact between the essential oil and the plastic lid of the bottle.
Why do you have to put essential oils in glass?
Because essential oils dissolve plastic you definitely don’t want to put plastic residue in your body. So if you are adding essential oils to your water bottle we recommend using a glass or stainless steel water bottle.
Personally I love the Rose Quartz or Amethyst Crystal Glass Water Bottle that comes in the Young Living Mindfulness Collection.
You may also hear someone say “Well, if the oils eat through plastic, can you imagine what they’re doing to your body?”
The problem with this “logic” is that humans are not made of the same chemical composition as plastic (thank goodness!). That kind of scaremongering is like comparing apples with (plastic) oranges.
Learn more about Using Essential Oils Safely at this blog post.
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