Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Extract oil by cold pressing
• Method 2 of 2: Distill essential oil with alcohol
• Tips
• Necessities

Essential oils are great for freshening up before you go out and start your day, add a pleasant citrus scent to your home, and can also be used in a variety of recipes or craft projects. You can easily make your own essential oil at home, with just a few ingredients that everyone often has at home.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Extract oil by cold pressing

1. Wash the materials. This also applies to your hands and the fruit from which you are going to get oil. Cold pressing does not require any chemicals for the extraction, so it is important to wash the fruit thoroughly to remove bacteria.
   • It takes about 25 pieces of citrus fruit to produce a useful amount of oil in this way. Plan ahead!
2. Peel the fruit. Remove the skin from the fruit with a paring knife or knife and set it aside. You can also remove the skin from the fruit with your fingers if you wish, but this may result in a greater amount of pulp and other fruit material entering the oils, which will need to be removed later.
   • The greatest concentration of oil in most fruits is in the outer layer of the peel. The lighter part of the peel contains much less oil.
   • You can use an electric paring knife to get the peel from the fruit, but be aware that this can produce more pulp than peeling it by hand.
3. Reuse the leftover shells. Once the fruit is peeled, you can use the leftover fruit for cooking or eating. There are several uses for the leftover fruit peel, even after pressing. Instead of composting the husk, try the following:
   • Keep the peels in a small bag and hang it somewhere to keep the room smelling fresh.
   • The oil in orange peel, limonene, acts as a repellent against various types of insects.
   • Throw a few peels in the trash can and press them down well to freshen up your trash can.
4. Press the fruit peel. Use a pressing device, such as a sieve, to squeeze the fruit peel over a jar. Heavy pressure will squeeze the moisture out of the peel - this moisture contains the oils you want. Use a fair amount of force when pressing, but be careful not to damage or break the tool you are using. You should see a small amount of oil drain from the shell after a few seconds.
   • Cold pressing is a chore for what appears to be a fairly small amount of oil. Don't get discouraged. The oil is quite powerful.
   • A garlic press is a great way to easily squeeze small amounts of fruit peel. You can also use a mortar and pestle, although this method is a bit more laborious and difficult.
5. Separate the oils. Leave the moisture you squeezed out of the peel for a few days. The oil will separate from the rest of the moisture and can then be collected. You can also use a centrifuge to separate the oil from the rest of the moisture!
   • A simple way to collect the oil from the moisture is to place the moisture in the freezer. The oil stays in a liquid form while the rest freezes so you can drain the oil.
   • Oil extracted in this way has a short shelf life. Try to use any oil made within a six month period.
6. Apply this as needed. Put the oil that you have extracted from the moisture in a bottle for later use. Dab a little on your skin for a fresh scent, or use some in cooking recipes that call for essential oil. Remember that the oil is very concentrated - you only need to use a little bit.

Method 2 of 2: Distill essential oil with alcohol

1. Peel your fruit and put the peel to dry. Let the peels air dry until they have hardened. This can take anywhere from a few days to a week, so please be patient.
   • Avoid using a dehydrator or any other drying device when drying the peels. This often does not benefit the quality of the oil stored in the shells.
2. Cut the skins into small pieces. Once the skins are completely dry, cut the skins into small pieces. You can use a knife, vegetable dice machine or food processor for this. However, be careful not to cut or process the peels too small, as you will lose too much of the oil in the peels.
   • Peels cut too small will start to look moist and like a pulp. Do not squeeze moisture from the skins prior to the distillation process.
3. Put the skins in a jar and cover with grain alcohol. Pour enough alcohol into the jar to cover the skins completely. The alcohol should be about an inch above the top of the peels. Let the pot sit for a few days.
   • Vodka can be used for the distillation process, but it may slightly affect the aroma of the oil, depending on the type of vodka used.
   • Place the pot in a place with a lot of sunlight to facilitate the separation process.
   • Shake the jar several times a day. Shake the jar every day to separate the oil from the skins.
4. Strain the liquid from the peels. After a few days, use a coffee filter to strain the liquid into a second jar. Place a coffee filter or cloth over the second jar and let all the alcohol in the jar evaporate. This can take a week or more.
   • Oil evaporates much more slowly than water or similar liquids. While oil can technically evaporate, the water evaporates earlier than the oil and only the oil remains.
5. Apply this as needed. After the alcohol has evaporated, only the oil remains. Put the oil in a bottle for later use. Dab a little on your skin for a fresh scent, or use some in recipes that call for essential oil. Remember that the oil is very concentrated - you can do with very little.
   • Always test a small amount on your skin first, in case you have an allergic reaction to the oil.
   • When you apply citrus oil to your skin, your skin should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Citrus oil is phototoxic, which means that direct sunlight can contribute to sunburn, blisters and other harmful skin conditions.

Tips

• Keep pressing the peels until you can't get more out. Don't waste anything.

Necessities

• Citrus fruits
• Fruit peeler
• Knife and cutting board
• Pot
• Sieve
• Grain alcohol
• Garlic press (optional)