Sweet orange peel oil, named on our labels rather than hidden in "fragrance," gives our lemongrass all-purpose and glass and mirror cleaners their sweet note. For sensitive skin: fresh oil rarely caused patch-test reactions; oxidized limonene is the one to know.
Contains added scent. Prefer none? Our Fragrance-Free All-Purpose Refill and Spray Kit have no fragrance or essential oils. No fragrance-free glass cleaner yet.
Quick facts
- What it is: Sweet orange peel oil (Citrus aurantium dulcis peel oil), labeled Orange Oil
- Its job: Fragrance only
- Where it comes from: Peel recovered by juice plants as a by-product (Goodrich & Braddock, 2006)
- EPA Safer Choice: Not on its ingredients list
- CAS number: 8028-48-6, also listed under 8008-57-9 (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 2014)
What patch tests and labels show
In patch tests, under 2.5% of 250 dermatitis patients reacted to sweet orange oil at 2% (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, 2014). Oxidized limonene is another story: 9.4% of 821 consecutive dermatitis patients at a Dutch clinic reacted to it (Dittmar & Schuttelaar, 2019). Both tested referred patients, not our cleaner.
A 2013 review found no serious d-limonene risk at conservative exposures, flagging skin irritation from its oxidation products (Kim et al., 2013). More citrus: lemon and grapefruit oil.
EU cosmetics labels must name limonene above 0.001% (leave-on) or 0.01% (rinse-off), and since 2023 sweet orange peel oil too (European Parliament & Council of the European Union, 2009; European Commission, 2023). Look for both names.
Safer Choice judges fragrances under separate criteria (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.-a, n.d.-b). See how we vet ingredients.
Handling and safety
- Undiluted essential oils can irritate skin and eyes. Each tablet holds a little, diluted in water.
- Store unused tablets packaged and out of reach. They can look like candy.
- The ASPCA lists the orange plant, not our cleaner, as toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA, n.d.-b). Keep pets away until surfaces dry. Never apply cleaner to an animal.
- We have not measured dried residue, so wipe high chair trays with a damp cloth.
If something goes wrong
- Eyes or skin: rinse well with water. Call your doctor if irritation continues.
- Swallowed: call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (America's Poison Centers, n.d.).
- Pet ate a tablet or cleaner: call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control, (888) 426-4435, fee may apply (ASPCA, n.d.-a).
Where you will find it
Two blends: Lemongrass (lemongrass, orange, lemon, ylang ylang and patchouli oils) for all-purpose, and Glass & Mirror (orange, grapefruit, patchouli, cedarwood and cypress oils) for glass.
- All-Purpose Refill, Lemongrass
- All-Purpose Kit, Lemongrass
- Glass & Mirror Refills
- Glass & Mirror Kit
See all our ingredients →
Sources
- America's Poison Centers. (n.d.). [Homepage]. https://poisoncenters.org/
- ASPCA. (n.d.-a). ASPCA Poison Control. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
- ASPCA. (n.d.-b). Orange. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/orange
- Cosmetic Ingredient Review. (2014). Safety assessment of citrus-derived peel oils as used in cosmetics (Final report). https://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/cpeelo092014FR.pdf
- Dittmar, D., & Schuttelaar, M. L. A. (2019). Contact sensitization to hydroperoxides of limonene and linalool: Results of consecutive patch testing and clinical relevance. Contact Dermatitis, 80(2), 101-109. https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.13137
- European Commission. (2023). Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1545 as regards labelling of fragrance allergens in cosmetic products. Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1545/oj
- European Parliament & Council of the European Union. (2009). Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products. Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1223/oj
- Goodrich, R. M., & Braddock, R. J. (2006). Major by-products of the Florida citrus processing industry (FSHN05-22). University of Florida IFAS Extension. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-fs107-2006
- Kim, Y. W., Kim, M. J., Chung, B. Y., Bang, D. Y., Lim, S. K., Choi, S. M., Lim, D. S., Cho, M. C., Yoon, K., Kim, H. S., Kim, K. B., Kim, Y. S., Kwack, S. J., & Lee, B.-M. (2013). Safety evaluation and risk assessment of d-limonene. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part B, 16(1), 17-38. https://doi.org/10.1080/10937404.2013.769418
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-a). Safer Chemical Ingredients List. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.-b). Safer Choice criteria for fragrances. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-criteria-fragrances
