This Is What Happens When You Pour Essential Oils Down The Drain

It's true; we've poured a lot of different concoctions down our drains in the hopes of making our kitchens and entire homes smell better. According to Today, several drain-cleaning hacks bring results without fail. This includes the popular baking soda and vinegar trick that stops drain odor, the lemon rinds hack that dissolves unsavory smells from the garbage disposal, and the boiling water tip that cleans drains that can stink after cooking your favorite meals.

But what about essential oils? "Essential oils are fantastic. They have many benefits. The problem lies in how people use them," says integrative medicine specialist Yufang Lin to Cleveland Clinic. We use them to improve moods, kill viruses, and make the rest of our home smell divine, so what would happen if you poured essential oils down the drain? Thankfully, we wondered this, too, so read on to discover what happens. Hint: It's as effective as you think it is!

In the never-ending quest to find ways to improve the smell of our drains, it turns out that essential oils can also be used to make drains smell more appealing. Marni Mervis told Apartment Therapy that she relies on essential oils to make her Airbnb –- which is located near Joshua Tree National Park — smell better. But which essential oil does she use, you may be wondering. She uses peppermint oil to fight off awful drain smells. "With guests discarding their leftover food down the disposal, it's really a simple way to make sure the kitchen remains odor-free," Mervis told Apartment Therapy. "Peppermint also has the benefit of deterring some of the critters naturally found in the high-desert landscape."

Kitchn agrees but recommends mixing a couple of drops of essential oils with boiling water and 1/2 cup of baking soda for a mix that will ward off any and all unsavory smells in your drain. They love mint, tea tree, and eucalyptus if you want some variety.