6 Cinnamon Leaf Oil Uses Around Your Home

There’s a chill in the morning air, apples are ripening, and you’ve reached for a jacket twice in the last week alone. Fall is definitely approaching!

One of my favorite ways to welcome the season is to tuck away my usual spring and summer home scents of lavender, vanilla, and citrus—and replace them with cool weather favorites, including cinnamon.

So let’s learn more about some different cinnamon leaf oil uses and how to enjoy them to their fullest this fall and winter.

What is Cinnamon Essential Oil?

Several years ago, I started making the switch from artificial fragrances to using essential oils to freshen my home. It can be intimidating, however, when you get one of those miniature bottles of essential oil but don’t know what to do with the potent product inside.

Most commonly known as a spice used when making apple pie or for sprinkling on oatmeal, Cinnamomum zeylanicum is also the source of cinnamon essential oil. You can typically find Cinnamomum zeylanicum trees in tropical areas, such as Brazil. Both the oil and the spice come from the evergreen’s bark.

Steam distillation is used to extract and purify the oil from the plant. The oil contains a high concentration of cinnamaldehyde, a popular ingredient in natural healing and cleaning methods.

Cinnamon Leaf Oil Uses

Now that you know about what cinnamon oil can bring to your life, you can add this seasonal scent to your daily routine. Here are a few of my favorite cinnamon leaf oil uses:

• Add a few drops of the oil to wool laundry drying balls. As the balls mingle and fluff damp fabric in the dryer, the scent is transferred. I love adding essential oils when laundering bedding or towels.
• Mix a tablespoon of pure coconut oil with two to three drops of cinnamon essential oil, and place it in a wax warmer. As the coconut oil melts, the essential oil scent is released into the air.
• Place a few drops of cinnamon oil in a homemade cleanser. As you wipe down surfaces, the oil leaves behind a nontoxic scent that some studies claim may help reduce bacteria growth. You can read these and decide for yourself in Public Library of Science (PLoS) ONE and Food Control.
• Place a few drops of oil in your bath water. As you soak, the aroma fills your bathroom and creates a calm feeling.
• Put one drop of cinnamon essential oil on the back of your pillowcase to promote restful sleep.
• Mix a drop or two of cinnamon oil into massage oil before indulging.

Of course it is important to mention that – like most natural ingredients – it is possible to be allergic to cinnamon leaf oil. If you experience any irritation when experimenting with this oil, discontinue use immediately and seek medical attention.

Do you use cinnamon oil around your home? Tell us how cinnamon leaf oil benefits your lifestyle by tweeting @TomsofMaine!

Image sources: Flickr | Wikimedia Commons

This article was brought to you by Tom’s of Maine. The views and opinions expressed by the author do not reflect the position of Tom’s of Maine.