If you are an aromatherapy enthusiast, you need to know how to dispose of essential oils.
Have you checked the shelf life of your essential oils lately? If there are old, expired oils that you simply forgot about, don’t use them.
In another post, we looked at how you can clean essential oils off your skin. In this one, we look at how to get rid of oils you no longer need.
Dispose of these oils properly!
And no, you do not want to pour them down the kitchen sink drain. You also don’t want to flush them down the toilet.
These oils are hazardous chemicals and you should always treat them as such.
That is what these oils are, especially when they expire. They become dangerous chemicals.
How to properly dispose of essential oils
Photo by Chelsea Gates on Unsplash
So, we agree you are not going to flush the old essential oil down the toilet. It can cause serious harm to the septic system.
You also don’t want to dispose of it in the kitchen sink because it can come into contact with your utensils. Whatever you do, you don’t want to ingest this oil, especially expired ones.
If these oils can cause burns on your skin, it means they are also flammable. If you make one mistake when disposing of them, they could catch fire.
You don’t want to expose yourself to that kind of danger. Here are the tips for disposing of essential oils safely:
1. Understand your essential oil
Check out what the manufacturer of your essential oil says about its disposal. Most give these instructions on their websites.
Even if they don’t, reach out via phone or email. You can also check online sources, such as what you are reading in this post.
If there is no information on disposing of the old oil from the manufacturer, contact the solid waste management company in your town. They will have some handy tips for you.
Check the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) of the oil that you bought. The manufacturer is mandated to provide this.
It shows you the hazard levels of the oil. These are things like flammability, how to dispose of the oil safely, and what to do if you swallow or it gets into your eyes.
And many more!
2. Give it away if it is not expired
If the essential oil has not expired, consider giving it away to your friends. There is no need to dispose of a good amount of oil that could benefit another person.
Besides, this saves you the trouble of having to dispose of it when it expires. If you cannot give it away, find out whether there are recycling companies that take essential oil bottles and find out whether they can take the oil too.
If there is no one close by to give, just go online on Facebook or forums. You will find someone close to your location who could use the same oils.
3. Mix the oil with sand or soil
This is an effective method of disposing of essential oils. Do this with small amounts of oil only.
When flammable liquids are mixed with material like soil or sand, they become safe to handle and store.
Do not bury this soil in your garden because the oils will leak into the water table. Rather, put the soil in a container and lock it inside. You could also toss the soil into a trash bag and dispose of it with the garbage.
4. Soak it up with absorbent material so it can evaporate
To do this, you need to ascertain that the essential oil’s scent has not changed, because some do change after expiry.
If the scent is still good, soak the oil up with an absorbent material and then set the material outside to air-dry. Most of the scented oils evaporate fast.
You can then roll up the material you used and toss it in the trash can.
This method is best for small amounts of oil only. If you have a large amount of oil remaining, try other methods.
5. How to dispose of old essential oils in the garden
Dig a hole in the garden, several inches deep. Pour in your old essential oil and then mix it with the soil you had dug up. It is best to do this during the hot season so that the oil can evaporate away.
Again, you don’t want to dispose of a lot of your oil this way. There is a possibility it could leak into the water.
Be careful when disposing of old oils this way because it can affect your plants. You don’t want that to happen. You also don’t want these oils to leak into the underground water system.
We suggest that you use this method if it is the only thing you can do.
6. Using baking soda to dispose of old essential oils
This is a very simple, yet effective method of getting rid of the essential oil that you no longer need.
Place a good amount of baking soda in a shallow pan, and place the pan in a shed or garage. You can then pour the old oil into it, and then leave it to evaporate.
Make sure the pan is in a safe place where kids or pets cannot access it. If the oil has expired and the scent has changed, keep it in a secluded place, away from the house.
Once it evaporates, pour the baking soda into a plastic bag and toss it in the trash can so that it can be disposed of with the garbage.
How to throw away essential oils
It is not safe to just take a bottle of essential oil and toss it out into the garden. It is also not safe to toss the oil in the trash can at the park.
Always avoid throwing old oils away in places where they can come into contact with water systems or vegetation.
But there is a way to throw away essential oils. Find soil, pack it in a container, and mix the oil in it. Seal the container and then toss it in the trash can. Mixing old essential oils with inert materials is safe.
To be safe, check the MSDS of the essential oil. This is going to show you the disposal method for the oil.
Final thoughts: How to safely dispose of essential oils
If you enjoy your aromatherapy sessions, there comes a time when you have to dispose of the old essential oil.
Hopefully, you buy yours in small bottles, so you don’t have a huge amount to get rid of.
The most important things to remember when disposing of these products are:
- Never flush it down the toilet
- Never flush it down the kitchen sink
- Don’t toss it into water systems like rivers, lakes, or other
- Don’t bury it, unless it is a very small amount
Did we mention that if the oil is not expired, you can mix small amounts of the same with cleaning products for glass?
Yes! You can.
Also, adding a few drops of the oil might improve things a bit in the bathroom.
An essential oil diffuser scents the bathroom
FAQ
How to dispose of diffuser oil?
You can dispose of diffuser oil by either diluting it with a carrier oil and then disposing of it in a sealed container. Or you can contact your local hazardous waste disposal facility for guidance.
Can you put essential oils down the sink?
No. Don’t put essential oils in the sink because they can clog pipes and harm aquatic life.
How do I dispose of expired essential oils?
You can dispose of expired essential oils by contacting your local hazardous waste disposal facility for proper disposal instructions.
How do I dispose of essential oils?
To dispose of essential oils, dilute them with a carrier oil and then dispose of them in a sealed container, or contact your local hazardous waste disposal facility for guidance.
Can I pour essential oils down the sink?
No. Essential oils can cause damage to pipes and may harm the environment.
How do I get rid of essential oils?
If you want to get rid of essential oils, dilute them first and put them in a sealed container. Or contact your local hazardous waste disposal facility for guidance.
Can you pour essential oils down the drain?
No. Pouring essential oils down the drain can harm the plumbing system and the environment.
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