7, May 2025
Clever Peppermint Uses for Your Home
Powerful peppermint is packed with more menthol than any of the other 30(!) species of mint plants – making it Nature’s mintiest mint! That’s why we use English peppermint oil in our Mint Body Wash. But beyond the bathroom, there are plenty of household uses for this refreshing (and versatile!) essential oil. Here's why every home could do with a bottle...
IS PEPPERMINT OIL SAFE FOR DOGS AND CATS?
No, peppermint oil is toxic to cats and dogs, so if you’ve got pets, please be mindful of this when using it around your home. Keep it away from pets and only use in a well-ventilated room.
PEP UP WITH PEPPERMINT ESSENTIAL OIL
Peppermint essential oil’s sharp scent is associated with feelings of energy and clarity. People inhale its aroma to help them wake up in the morning, stay focused and alert or feel ready for a workout.
Use a steam diffuser to fill your space with peppermint oil’s lively scent. An easy way to add peppermint oil to your morning routine is by showering with our invigorating Mint Body Wash. If you're a mint mega fan, hang a bunch of fresh mint under the flow of your shower for an extra blast of freshness.
COLD AND HAY FEVER RELIEF
The strong aroma of peppermint oil is known to help clear blocked airways, making it handy to have during the cold and hayfever seasons. Plus, those feelings of energy and clarity that it’s known to promote? Just what you need when you’re feeling under the weather.
Pop 5-7 drops of peppermint oil into a large bowl of steaming-hot water. Lean over the bowl, taking care not to put your face too close to the water to avoid steam burns. Place a towel over your head to create a minty, steamy tent and breathe in deeply for up to 2 minutes.
PEPPERMINT OIL SPRAY FOR CLEANING THE HOME
Among the many benefits of peppermint oil are its antimicrobial and antifungal properties. A very useful addition to a natural cleaning kit, peppermint oil can help mask the pungent smell of non-toxic cleaning staple white vinegar.
Mix one part water with one part white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add 10-20 drops of peppermint to the mix. Use the spray on baths, sinks, worktops, windows, tiled or lino floors and mirrors, but not on hardwood, stone or electronics screens (it can cause damage).
PEPPERMINT OIL SPRAY AS AIR FRESHENER
Peppermint oil can not only help your home sparkle, but leave it smelling fresh. Use a diffuser to fill your home with peppermint’s clear aroma, or try one of the methods below:
Add 20 drops of peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle of water and use it to mist rooms, leaving its clean, energising scent in its wake. You can also soak cotton wool balls or pads in peppermint oil and put them in the bottom of your kitchen bin to keep it odour-free.
PEPPERMINT OIL FOR RATS AND MICE
We love all animals and would never want to harm them, but some creatures do not belong in the home! Rodents have a very keen sense of smell and dislike the strong aroma of peppermint oil. It’s no cure for a serious infestation, but peppermint oil can help deter rats and mice.
It’s best to block off any entry points where you think rodents are getting into a building, but you can use cotton wool balls soaked in peppermint oil or your peppermint spray cleaner in areas where you think they're likely to sneak in. Some gardeners recommend spraying peppermint oil around crops twice a week to keep these critters at bay.
PEPPERMINT OIL FOR SPIDERS
Spiders in your home are usually harmless, but not everyone wants to share their space with our eight-legged friends. Thankfully, peppermint oil is known to help send some spiders packing. This study found that peppermint oil ‘strongly repelled’ certain spider species. This is because spiders smell and taste via their legs – they don’t like peppermint’s strong menthol scent, so it might just make them scarper.
Soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and leave them in nooks and crannies that might be spider highways. You can also wipe peppermint oil spray along skirting boards and windowsills where you suspect spiders might be sneaking inside.
WHAT IS MENTHOL?
Many of the benefits of peppermint oil are thanks to its high menthol content. Found in the leaves of some mint plants, this organic compound gives mint its unmistakably fresh scent – and that unique tingling effect. Menthol can trigger the body’s cold sensitivity receptors, tricking skin into feeling cool. Mint is the opposite to hot chillis – they contain a compound called capsaicin, which triggers heat sensors, creating a feeling of heat.
Enjoyed this? You might like:
Nature’s Mintiest Mint Body Wash
