Tea Tree Oil Uses

by lou16

Tea Tree oil has lots of uses from helping to fight infections to cleaning floors. Originally used by the Aboriginals in Australia Tea Tree oil is now a must have for every home.

I first heard of Tea Tree oil over 20 years ago and the person who was talking about it seemed to think it could do so many different things that I thought he sounded a little like a snake oil salesman! I’ve since learned, however, that all of the tea tree oil uses he spoke of actually do work!

Tea tree oil can be found in a range of different products such as soaps, shampoos and lotions, but I tend to just use the essential oil of tea tree.

The Many Uses of Tea Tree Oil

The man who I thought sounded a bit like a snake oil salesman was Christopher Dean who, with his wife Lynda, is thought of as being the person who spread the gospel of Tea Tree oil to the world while developing Thursday Plantation – the original Tea Tree oil company.

Chris & Lynda Dean started spreading the word about this remarkable remedy at markets, before forming the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association and through this association they lobbied the Australian government to undertake detailed scientific tests.

This was in the early 1980s, by the end of the 80s Thursday Plantation was distilling tea tree oil in it’s own factory and in this millennium Tea Tree oil can be brought around the world and is well regarded for it’s many great uses.

Tea Tree Oil’s Medicinal Uses

Tea tree oil’s health benefits are probably the reason why the Dean’s started on their odyssey to spread the word about tea tree because the oil contains not just antiseptic and anti-fungal properties but it’s also an immune stimulant.

Let’s have a look at tea tree oils medicinal uses –

Tea Tree oil’s antiseptic properties are 100 times more powerful than carbolic acid.   Tea Tree oil helps to fight infections of all types when used in a vaporiser, in a cream base, neat or diluted in a wash.

Tea Tree oil can be applied to cuts, scrapes and scratches to promote healing, it can even be used to remove warts and to heal chicken pox blisters.   You can simply replace your bottle of Dettol with tea tree oil in your first aid kit – it can also be brought as an antiseptic cream if preferred.

Tea Tree oil is both a germicide and a fungicide.   In a controlled study to measure it’s effectiveness in fighting athlete’s foot it had a 66% success rate.   (The study used only a 50% tea tree solution, so it would have been interesting to see the results if they had used a stronger solution.)

Tea tree oil can also be used to fight fungal infections such as nail infections and vaginal candida albicans.   As far as a nail infection is concerned you merely need to put one drop of pure tea tree oil onto a damp cotton bud and apply to the nail.   My husband used to get a number of fungal nail infections and used a range of different products – tea tree oil is the only one that has worked completely (and he was very sceptical at the onset!).

To use tea tree oil for a vaginal infection of candida you need to dilute 1 part tea tree oil to 200 parts water (do not use a stronger dosage) and use as a douche.

Used in a diffuser or burner tea tree oil has disinfectant properties which makes it great for burning when someone in the house is sick.   The only problem is that sometimes children don’t like the smell of tea tree oil in a diffuser as it’s quite strong which is why I usually use lemon oil to keep bugs at bay and tea tree oil if we’ve (somehow) succumbed to a virus or infection.

Apparently 3-5 drops of Tea Tree oil in 30ml of a base oil such as sweet almond is very handy as a rub for rheumatic pain.   I must admit that I’ve never tried tea tree oil like this, but I have seen television testimonials as well as reading studies where it has been found to be beneficial.

Tea Tree Oil’s Uses for Beauty

I was working at a health food store when I first heard about tea tree oil and we were told that using a tea tree shampoo would help with dandruff.   The shop’s owner used to have really bad dandruff so he tried using the shampoo and found that it cleared up his dandruff – I was sold and immediately got some for my hubby.

I didn’t check how the shampoo smelt and hubby didn’t want to use it!   I was not to be deterred and instead brought some tea tree oil (this was when I started trying to use it for lots of different things).   I instructed him to put 1 drop of the tea tree oil onto his normal shampoo when he put it on his hand – mix it slightly and then wash his hair as usual.   The result was a dandruff free hubby who has come to like the smell of tea tree!

Tea tree oil is also really good for acne and can be found in a number of different ranges of acne face washers and creams.   A simple way to use it is to simply add a few drops to a bowl of boiling water and, covering your head with a towel, allow the tea tree to work it’s magic through the steam.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser 5.0 fl oz

Best if you want to: Wash away make-up, dirt and excess oil and unclog pores with a zesty, refreshing, lightweight liquid-to-foam cleanser. How it works: Lemon tea tree and ...

Only $15.0
The Body Shop Tea Tree Body Wash 8.4 fl oz

Best if you want to: Feel clean and revitalized with an invigorating shower gel that leaves you with zesty, fresh scent. How it works: Lemon tea tree and Community Trade tea ...

Only $15.0
The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Gel 08 fl oz

Best if you want to: Fight blemishes without over-drying skin with a convenient portable stick. How it works: Lemon tea tree and Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya ...

Only $12.99
Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special (10.1 Oz) Shampoo & Conditioner Duo Set

Fresh and Clean - A special combination of cleansers and Australian tea tree oil leave hair refreshingly clean, while enhancing vitality and adding luster Instant Detangling - ...

Only $12.99

Tea Tree Oil’s Cleaning Uses

Tea tree oil is amazing when it comes to helping to keep the house clean while also acting as a disinfectant.   The first way I used it to clean was by lifting the lid off of my cistern and adding a dozen drops of tea tree oil to the water stored up there.   Each flush would bring a very faint odor of tea tree and (most importantly) it seemed to keep the bowl cleaner which meant I didn’t have to clean the toilet quite as often.

The next thing I tried to use tea tree oil for was in the health shop when we had new flooring put in – the scuff marks showed up pretty badly so I put a few drops of tea tree oil onto a damp cloth and gave them a wipe – the marks came off very easily.  

I also used it to remove sticky tape from glass when we were taking posters down from the doors/windows.   I used the same method as above – a few drops of tea tree oil onto a damp cloth.   I only tried it because I had the tea tree oil out and I knew that eucalyptus oil could do this – tea tree also worked!

Washing floors is also where you can add some tea tree oil – simply add 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to 1 1/5 gallons of water and wash your floors as normal.   Now sometimes I will also add a little lavender for a nice smell as tea tree can make your house smell a little antiseptic!

Apparently you can use the same solution for cleaning windows as with the floors, but for some reason I haven’t tried that yet as I have a different home made solution that works well for windows.

There are a lot of other ways in which you can incorporate tea tree oil in your cleaning, but even employing just these few uses will help reduce the number of toxic chemicals you use in your home and you’ll still have a lovely clean house!

Have You Used Tea Tree Oil Before?

Updated: 07/19/2012, lou16
 
Thank you! Would you like to post a comment now?
5

Comments

Only logged-in users are allowed to comment. Login
Ragtimelil on 08/02/2012

I've used it to clear up an old dog's bad skin. Another advantage is they don't like the smell and will leave a red spot alone and allow it to heal.

happynutritionist on 10/15/2011

I love, love love tea tree oil and have had it around the house for many things for years. I put a dropper in a bottle that I keep on the bathroom sink and put a drop on the toothbrush occasionally before brushing my teeth. My husband uses it on his sores. It takes inflammation out of a would and kills bacteria like nothing else.

sheilamarie on 10/15/2011

Amazing stuff! I'll have to get a bottle.

lou16 on 10/12/2011

@Pukeko - yes I've made up a spray to use for nits as well......I can't believe I forgot to add it in here!

Guest on 10/12/2011

We keep the bottle of tea tree oil on the bathroom counter- it is useful. I even learnt a few more uses here. One more to add to your list - a few drops in your shampoo and the nits hate it . Great for preventative.

Holistic_Health on 10/12/2011

You've taught me a few more ways to use tea tree oil. Thanks!

dustytoes on 10/12/2011

I love Tea Tree oil and this reminds me that I need to buy some!

You might also like

Best Diffuser Essential Oils for Stress

What are the best diffuser essential oils for stress? Let's look at a variety...

Lavender Oil Uses

Lavender oil has been called a first aid kit in a bottle so let’s examine the...


Disclosure: This page generates income for authors based on affiliate relationships with our partners, including Amazon, Google and others.
Loading ...
Error!