Essential oils are made from natural ingredients and are safe when used as directed. However, they can still pose a risk for young children and pets if they are not stored properly. Understanding safe essential oil storage can help you protect others in your house by keeping your oils secure, and it also helps your oils last longer whether your have children and pets or not. 

Here are some tips for essential oil storage solutions:

Safe Storage for Kids and Pets

While being a parent or a pet owner, there are many things that you need to be aware of to keep them staying healthy. It is always best to store your essential oils in a place that is high up and out of reach for children or animals. This way you won’t have to worry about your child or pet knocking over your oils and potentially harming themselves or accidentally ingesting them.

If you are diffusing with kids or pets in the house, be sure to keep the concentration low to avoid overwhelming them. You should also watch for any signs of distress, as this could indicate an allergy. When it comes to using oils around pets, there are additional safety considerations to keep in mind depending on the type of animal you have. For more information, read our article “Pet Safe Essential Oils.” 

Best Practices for Safe Storage

Even if you don’t have children or pets in your home, it’s still important to store your essential oils safely to get the most out of them. 

Here are some recommendations for storing your oils in your home:

Bottling Essential Oils

Essential oils can be used for many different purposes such as diffusion, topical application, and natural cleaning solutions. All pure essential oils or mixtures containing them should be kept in glass containers, as they can react with plastic and leak out or lose potency. Ideally, the glass should be dark so the oils do not deterioate if exposed to sunlight. Finally, be sure to seal any container you use tightly to avoid a spill. 

Most essential oils are already sold in dark glass bottles, so this tip applies if you create a mixture outside of the original container, such as a homemade cleaning solution.

Places Essential Oils Can Be Stored

Essential oils can be used in a myriad of ways and thus can be kept in different areas around your house out of convenience. If you plan on storing essential oils in the kitchen, do not place them near the oven or stove as they are flammable. It would be best to store them in a cabinet to keep them away from the heat and sunlight.

If you don’t plan on using your essential oils in the kitchen and instead for other uses, the same practices can be applied. It is common to keep essential oils in a wooden storage box in order to keep them cool and protected from the sun. Essential oils retain their scent longer when kept in optimal conditions. 

You might also be wondering if it is safe to store your essential oils in a fridge. We’re here to tell you that this is perfectly safe to do as the constant temperature day and night is a perfect climate for essential oils. If you do end up storing them in the fridge, remember to keep them organized and separated from food items for your own health and safety. Be sure to remove the oils around twelve hours before you want to use them, so they have enough time to return back to room temperature.

Travelling With Essential Oils

If you’ve already fallen in love with the benefits of essential oils, you probably want to take them everywhere with you. The great news is that you can take them anywhere you want whether that be the gym, your car, work, or even on vacation. If you do end up taking your oils outside your home, you can transport them in travel cases or just keep them in an essential oil case wherever you please. However, you want to do it is best, just remember to bring your carrier oils or a diffuser to use your oils safely. 

Additional regulations may apply for air travel or if you are going overseas, so be sure to check these in advance. 

Ideas for Storing Essential Oils in Your Home

If you’re thinking about or already have an extensive essential oil collection, there are tons of great ways to showcase or store your selection. If you’re interested in putting them on display, you can place them on an essential oil shelf or display case with a potted plant. Just be sure that your chosen area doesn’t have too much exposure to the sunlight so your oils can stay at their best quality.

If you don’t have the room or would rather store them somewhere else in your home, a cabinet would be another perfect choice. This is probably the best option if you have a busier lifestyle or potentially have children or pets. Even though your oils may be out of sight, there are still some fun things you can do to make your essential oil storage unique. There are plenty of different baskets or boxes that can be used to store and keep your essential oils safe. In general, if you are going to store the oils in a cabinet, it is best to keep them organized and separate so there’s no confusion or potential mishaps for any other members in your household.

Keep Your Oils At Peak Quality For Longer

Although essential oils are natural, it’s still important to care for them to keep yourself and loved ones safe. Simple measures can be practiced such as keeping them out of reach of children or pets, storing in a cool dry place, and away from heat or direct sunlight. If you keep those in mind, you can enjoy all the benefits your oils have to offer with a peace of mind.

If you’re interested in starting or expanding your collection of essential oils, check out our collection.