Citrus oils are among the favorites in any essential oil collection. They are versatile and effective, plus they leave you smiling. There are many citrus essential oil benefits and uses, here I share some of my favorite reasons to use essential oils from the citrus family, plus I included DIY recipes to make.
The citrus oils most popular in aromatherapy today are orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime, and bergamot essential oil. Use any of these oils to transform the smell of your home.
They are happy, uplifting oils that have been called liquid sunshine in a bottle. These oils come from the rind of citrus fruits. Use them to replace store-bought room freshener sprays that are unnatural and instead fill your home with any of these fresh scents.
Best Citrus Essential Oils
All of these oils are refreshing and uplifting, perfect when stressed or feeling down in the dumps. Smell the scent of one of these oils to improve your day.
- Orange essential oil, Wild or Sweet (Citrus sinensis)
- Lemon essential oil (Citrus limon)
- Lime essential oil (Citrus aurantifolia)
- Grapefruit essential oil (Citrus paradisi)
- Bergamot essential oil (Citrus bergamia)
- Petitgrain essential oil (Citrus aurantium)
- Tangerine essential oil (Citrus reticulata)
- Mandarin essential oil, Red or Green (Citrus reticulata)
- Bitter Orange essential oil (Citrus aurantium)
- Blood Orange essential oil (Citrus sinensis)
- Yuzu essential oil (Citrus junos)
All citrus peel oils are considered top notes and evaporate quickly. Most of these oils are extracted through a process called cold pressed. Steam distillation is another method of essential oil extraction.
You can find lemon essential oil and lime essential oil that has been obtained through steam distillation. These steam distilled citrus oils are not phototoxic.
Read more about phototoxic oils
12 Benefits of Citrus Essential Oil
Citrus essential oils offer a variety of benefits for health and wellness. They are rich in limonene. Limonene is a chemical constituent found in the peels of citrus fruits.
Here are just 12 benefits citrus oils offer, plus you will find ways to use these oils and essential oil blend recipes as well to try.
1. Boosts Mood
Citrus oils are a wonderful way to enhance mood and emotional balance. They work on the brain's chemicals and hormones resulting in an improved mood. Let these aromatic oils brighten your mood!
See the Bright Mood Roller Recipe below
2. Antioxidant Protection
Citrus oils contain antioxidant properties that help neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are responsible for damage to cells and tissues. Antioxidants also help to relieve stress on the immune system.
3. Eliminates Germs
These oils are well known for killing germs and fighting against pathogens. Using essential oils in homemade cleaning products is a perfect way to enjoy the all-natural antibacterial actions that citrus offers. Try using in homemade cleaning recipes, here is one to try:
4. Immune System Support
Citrus essential oils are known to effectively boost the immune system. Diffuse these fruity essential oils to enjoy an immune boost during cold and flu season. Or use to recover from seasonal illnesses quicker.
Try the Citrus Bomb Diffuser Blend below.
5. Superb Air Freshener
Remove odors throughout the house and workplace with any of the listed oils. Just add to a spray bottle with water, shake and spritz into the air. Use as an air freshener, room spray or body spray. Also, use citrus oils in a diffuser to purify the air.
See the Citrus Mint Room Spray Recipe below.
6. Clean Sticky Surfaces and Produce
Keep the surfaces in your kitchen, bathroom & rest of home sticky free with citrus oils.
You can also clean produce by rinsing or soaking fruit and vegetables with them.7. Ease Anxiety and Irritability
Several citrus oils can help reduce feelings of anxiety and irritability, as well as other mood disorders. Bergamot and orange essential oil are especially beloved for there ability to balance mood and emotions. Inhale these beautiful oils to uplift your mood.
Try the Citrus Inhaler Blend Recipe below.
8. Boost Energy
Citrus oils help to boost physical and mental energy levels. Especially great energizing oils to use in a diffuser in your home or workplace to help you get through the day. Grapefruit oil is a favorite for this! Add a few drops of oil to diffuser jewelry so you can enjoy the aroma throughout the day.
9. Remove Toxins
Some citrus oils many help to remove toxins and impurities from cells. Try in a soothing massage oil, just be sure to be aware of which essential oils are phototoxic and avoid before going in the sun.
10. Helpful to Skin
Applying citrus oils to skin issues like warts, bunions, corns or calluses may eliminate these bothersome problems. Be sure to dilute with a carrier oil before applying to the skin topically. Undiluted essential oils can cause skin irritation.
11. Support Respiratory Health
Lime essential oil can ease respiratory issues like coughs and congested sinuses. Diffuse oils into the air using an essential oil diffuser. It will make your home smell wonderful, eliminate germs in the air, mood support, and immune benefits.
Try a citrus diffuser recipe below, like Citrus Mint.
12. Versatility
Citrus oils are versatile as you can see, they are an important part of any essential oil collection. They can be used in many ways, including aromatically and topically. You can also substitute citrus oils for each other as needed in DIY recipes and still come away with a great blend.

Citrus Essential Oil Recipes
Citrus essential oils, like lemon oil or grapefruit oil, are an excellent addition to your wellness routine. These oils can be used in a variety of ways for their skin-soothing properties and refreshing scents. They're also perfect for creating DIY recipes at home!
Here are some recipes using citrus essential oils to help get you started on your own wellness journey:
Brighter Mood Roller Blend |
Roll on a brighter mood with this citrusy roller blend.
Directions: Add oils to the roll-on bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with jojoba oil. 3% dilution. |
Homemade Citrus Massage Oil |
Enjoy a simple homemade massage oil with citrus essential oils
Directions: Create a massage blend by add drops of essential oils in the dropper bottle, fill the rest of the bottle with jojoba oil (or favorite carrier oil for massages). 2% dilution. |
Citrus Smile Inhaler |
Essential oil inhaler blends are a great way to take your aromatherapy with you and enjoy it on the go.
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Granite Countertop Cleaning Spray Recipe |
Granite is a popular choice for kitchen countertops. Beloved for its aesthetic appeal and ability to resist heat and scratches. It is best not to use vinegar on granite, its acidic content can dull the granite and weaken the sealant. Citrus essential oils are OK because their pH is neutral.
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Citrusy Mint Room Spray |
Room spray blends with citrus essential oils are great to give a quick refresher and deodorizer to your space. Use in a stinky bathroom or when near a gaseous dog (or human).
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Citrus Diffuser Blends
A citrus diffuser blend is an easy way to refresh your home and create a healthy atmosphere. Adding essential oils can be beneficial on many levels, but sometimes it's hard to figure out which ones you should use together. Let me help!
I've put together 10 different citrus blends that are easy to make at home. Whether you're trying to purify the air or create an inviting atmosphere, these citrus diffuser blends will do the trick!
Add the drops of essential oils from one of the recipes below to your diffuser with the recommended water amount and enjoy the aroma.
1. Citrus Blossom |
One drop of Ylang Ylang is enough to make these citrus oils just blossom!
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2. Citrus Mint |
Citrus and mint is one of my favorite essential oil combinations!
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3. Sweet Citrus |
Let lavender and citrus essential oils enhance your emotional wellbeing so you can have a great day!
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4. Citrus Forest |
This oil blend can be used with any fir essential oils, like Douglas fir or Balsam fir.
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5. Fresh Citrus |
This all citrus oil blend is so refreshing to diffuse in your home or office space to enhance the aroma.
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6. Citrus Bomb |
Got a stinky bathroom or odorifous kitchen? Diffuse this citrus blend to get rid of smelly odors and naturally freshen the environment.
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7. Frosted Citrus |
Have you even diffused black pepper? It might not be one that you think about diffusing in your home but it does blend well with citrus oils, give this oil blend a try.
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8. Citrus Smile |
Let this citrus recipe bring a smile to your face, remember that smiles are infectious!
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9. Citrus Burst |
Need a citrus explosion of good cheer and bliss, then give this diffuser blend a try. You can also greet visitors by diffusing this recipe before they arrive!
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10. Citrus Spice |
Citrus and spice is oh so nice in this diffuser blend.
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