Healthy Uses of Tea Tree Oil

It is important to eat and live healthily. Nature has blessed us with several substances that enable us to achieve this. One such substance is tea tree oil.

This oil has several benefits such as keeping the hair, nails, and skin healthy. There are scientific proofs to show that this oil is healthy and packed with nutrients. Beyond this, tea tree oil is safe for use and inexpensive.

Want to know how to use this oil? Here are some everyday uses of tea tree oil.

Explaining Tea Tree Oil and How It Works

We must do this before diving headlong into discussing the everyday uses of this substance. Tea tree oil is an extract from Melaleucaalternifolia leaves. This small tree is native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.

While we refer to Melaleucaalternifoliaas “tea tree” it is not the source of your regular tea. The Aborigines have used this oil for several centuries in traditional medicine. They crush the leaves to get the oil. People are then advised to inhale the oil to cure colds and coughs. They also apply it over the skin as well.

These days, we have the oil as neat or 100% undiluted oil. There are also diluted forms used in skin products. One of the compounds in tea tree oil is terpinene-4-ol. It has the ability to inhibit fungi, viruses, and bacteria. This compound also increases white blood cell activity helping your body fight intruders.

All these properties and more make tea tree oil very useful. We will take a look at some of the everyday uses of this substance in the next section.

Everyday Uses of Tea Tree Oil

Many of nature’s substances can be used for a variety of purposes. Tea tree oil is no different. This oil is ubiquitous and we will show you different ways you can use it at home.

Hand Sanitizer

This is one of the important health uses of tea tree oil. We are in a time where hand sanitizers are becoming scarce due to the new coronavirus. You can make your hand sanitizer at home with this oil.

According to studies, the oil can kill viruses and common bacteria. Several studies probing different hand washes show that tea tree oil improved their efficiency against E. coli. So the bottom line is to use this oil as a hand sanitizer to kill different kinds of germs.

Insect Repellent

If you stay indoors so much, you may not know the worth of a good insect repellent. Those who spend a lot of time outdoors camping or on trips cherish insect repellents. If you fall into the second category, you can try using tea tree oil over your skin before stepping out.

A study with animals revealed that those treated with this oil had lesser insect attacks than their counterparts. Further studies show that this oil was more potent than DEET which is the active ingredient in commercial insect repellents.

There are several recipes online to help you make insect repellents using tea tree oil. This oil is more effective than the traditional insect repellents in repelling and killing insects.

Natural Deodorant

You are probably wondering how this is even possible. Well, tea tree oil has antibacterial properties. These properties contribute to the control of the underarm odor that relates to perspiration.

The truth is that sweat alone doesn’t smell. It is when sweat combines with the bacteria resident over the skin that odor is produced. This odor can range from moderate to strong depending on several factors.

The area under your arm has a large concentration of sweat glands. This is what results in what we refer to as body odor. Tea tree oil fights the bacteria that cause the odor so you can use it as an alternative to antiperspirants and deodorants. Many people are already making safe natural deodorants from tea tree oil in their homes.

Antiseptic for Scrapes and Minor Cuts

When you get injured, your skin breaks. This leaves the door open for germs to make their way into the bloodstream. The ultimate result of this is an infection.

With tea tree oil, you can disinfect and treat abrasions and minor cuts. It helps you kill many of the germs and bacteria that may lead to infection of the surfaces.

Here’s how to disinfect a scrape or cut using tea tree oil:

Clean the area with water and plain soap thoroughly.
Mix a drop of tea tree oil with a teaspoon of coconut oil.
Apply a little of this mixture over the injury.
Cover the spot using a bandage.
Continue this process twice every day until you notice a scab.

Quicken Wound Healing

Asides disinfecting abrasions and cuts, this oil helps to quicken the healing of wounds. The oil possesses anti-inflammatory properties. These properties trigger white blood cell activity which plays a huge role in the process of healing the wound.

All you need to do is add some drops of the oil to the wound dressing when applying a new dressing. The oil reduces inflammation in the area which in turn speeds up the healing process.

Fight Acne

This is one of the most important tea tree oil uses for skin. Studies show that this oil helps to reduce the severity and amount of acne on the skin. For example, with 5% tea tree gel, you have more potency than a placebo.

This oil is also just as effective as benzoyl peroxide in fighting acne. By the way, benzoyl peroxide is the most common medication for treating acne. You can purchase tea tree-oil-based gels online or at natural grocery stores.

If you like, you can produce your treatment for acne at home. Simply mix one part of the oil with nine parts of water. Apply this mixture over the affected skin parts twice daily for the best results.

To Rid Your Nails of Fungus

Fungus infections on the nails are very common. Even though they don’t pose much danger in themselves, they are an eyesore. Even though there are several medications for treating this condition, many people prefer sticking to natural remedies.

Using tea tree oil alone or mixing it with other natural substances will help you rid your nails of fungus. Tea tree oil has antifungal properties that help to deal with nail fungus.

A few drops of the oil alone or mixing it with coconut oil will do the magic. Ensure that you wash the hands after application. If you don’t, you are at risk of spreading the fungus to other parts of your body.

Chemical-Free Mouthwash

Research shows that tea tree oil can combat the germs that result in bad breath and tooth decay. It has proven to be more effective than chlorhexidine in combating plaque-causing bacteria. Chlorhexidine is a common oral rinse and disinfectant.

You can make your chemical-free mouthwash from home using this formula. Mix a drop of this oil with one cup of warm water. Gurgle this in your mouth for about 30 seconds and spew it out. Make sure that you don’t swallow the mixture as it may be toxic like other mouthwashes.

Multipurpose Cleaner

If you are a stickler for clean surfaces, you might just love tree oil some more. This is one of the most important domestic uses of tea tree oil. It doesn’t just clean surfaces, it sanitizes them because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties.

The beauty of using this oil for cleaning is that it doesn’t leave a trail of chemicals in its wake. As you know, the chemicals may be harmful to family members, especially children, and pets.

Here’s how to make a multipurpose cleaner using tea tree oil.

Mix 20 drops of the oil with 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar and 3/4 cup of water inside a spray bottle.
Shake the mixture until it becomes uniform.
Spray this over surfaces and wipe them using a dry cloth.
It is important to shake the bottle before use so that all the ingredients mix properly.

Soothe Skin Inflammation

This is another one of the important tea tree oil uses for skin. Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory properties so it relieves the skin of inflammation.

One of the most common kinds of skin inflammation is dermatitis. This condition occurs when your skin comes in contact with allergens like nickel. The result of this is itch, red, and painful skin.

Studies show that you can reduce these symptoms by applying tea tree oil. It produces more results than using regular medications for skin inflammation.

This oil also relieves you from reactions to bug bites. Here’s a helpful recipe to use:

Mix ten drops of the oil with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a tablespoon of coconut oil.
Stir properly to get a uniform mixture then store inside a sealed container.
Apply a few drops over affected skin parts two times daily.