Essential oils are volatile substances. This means they evaporate and deteriorate faster when exposed to light, air, and heat. Storing essential oils properly will make all the difference in your essential oil journey. To get the complete therapeutic benefits from your essential oils, store them correctly so that they remain as fresh as possible.

Prolong the life span of your essential oils. And fully enjoy their benefits by following these 5 basic ways of caring for and storing your oils.

One

Avoid storing your essential oils in plastic containers, since plastic is not an inactive substance. This means that, over time, the essential oils will interact with the plastic. They may become contaminated by plastisizers that leak out of the plastic and into your precious oil. It is far better to store your essential oils and blends in sterilized, clean and dry glass bottles with lids that seal tightly. When blending oils with Castile soap or Ethanol, also take care to use glass bottles.

Sunlight is especially harmful to these oils because it causes chemical reactions that degrade the oils. According to this article from Healthline, oxidation takes place. Dark-colored glass are best because they keep these ultraviolet rays of light out. Dark blue, amber or deep violet glass bottles offer the best protection for your essential oils, by preventing the ultraviolet rays to penetrate the oil, thus preserving them for longer.

Two

Store your essential oil bottles in a cupboard, out of direct light and away from heat. Some oils, such as citrus oils should ideally be stored in the fridge. Their shelf-life is the shortest. On the date you open an essential oil, make a note of the date, on the bottle. Add the names of the oils used in your own blends on a label and remember to add the date. This is important since the average shelf-life is around 4 years depending on the oil. Read more about the shelf-life of oils here.

Also remember to keep your oils away from children. Though safe if properly diluted, essential oils are highly concentrated and can irritate the skin or eyes if they are rubbed in. The wrong oils accidentally taken internally can be toxic.

Three

When using your essential oils try to avoid leaving a bottle standing open while doing a massage or just applying it to a patch of skin. The longer a bottle is open, the longer it is exposed to air which shortens the oil’s lifespan. Bottles should have a slow-dropper insert. This makes them harder to spill and easier to measure out. It also lets the least amount of air and heat from outside get into the bottle. Keep your empty bottles for when you want to do a blend.

Four

Essential oils break down faster when exposed to heat for long periods of time. Never leave them near sources of ignition, such as fires, stoves, or open flames. They are safe to use in candles as a fragrance because the essential oils mix with melted wax. When the candle burns, the oil is dispersed into the air slowly only as the wax melts. The essential oils won’t ignite in this instance.

Five

The disposal of your essential oils should not be a problem you need to worry about. Hopefully you use them often enough to avoid this. Although, if you do have essential oils that are past their best and don’t know how to dispose of them, we have a few ideas. Since the oils might still have some benefit, dispose the oils by adding a few drops to the water you wash your floors with. They get diluted and their antimicrobial or cleaning properties are still put to good use. It is better to discard the oils when diluted with plenty of water. Never pour a whole bottle of essential oil down the drain or onto soil. The large amount of concentrated oil will kill the good microbes or insects along with the bad ones.

Use those last few forgotten drops in a DIY candle where the scent can still be of benefit. Deter insects with these bottles by dropping them around the edges of your workspace or floors. We hope these 5 ways of storing essential oils will prove easy enough to remember and apply. We promise that if you use them, you won’t need to chuck out old oils. You will be able to maximize the therapeutic benefits and you can enjoy your oils for longer. Please, do leave your comment for your tips and tricks when it comes to storing essential oils.