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Using eucalyptus oil around the home
There's nothing quite like the scent of a eucalytpus forest after an extended dry spell is broken by rain - everything smells so clean and fresh!
Eucalyptus, more commonly known as gum trees, are the predominant genus of trees in Australia - over 600 species; comprising nearly 75% of our flora.
Unfortunately, they have become bothersome to some when planted in other parts of the world, such as California; where they have been around since approximately 1853.
Eucalyptus forest in Australia
Neverless, it's an incredibly useful tree providing timber for building, cover and windbreaks in poor country, firewood, nectar for bees to produce honey, landscaping, pulp and even food.
One of the best known eucalyptus products is eucalyptus oil.
Eucalyptus oil production
Eucalyptus oil is steam distilled from the leaves of certain species - not all eucalyptus trees are suitable for oil production and different species have varying attributes medicinally speaking. It's highly flammable and contains compounds that are natural disinfectants and pest deterrents.
It's interesting to note that Australia only produces around five per cent of world requirements these days. The majority of the world's commercial production occurs in China, however this is often not 100% eucalyptus oil I've read, but mixed with a camphor extract (so always check the label carefully before purchasing).
You can still buy fair dinkum, true-blue and ridgey-didge (Aussie slang terms for "the real thing") 100% Australian Eucalyptus oil from companies such as FGB Natural Products and Emu Ridge.
While eucalyptus oil is used in many medicines; always exercise caution and professional advice if you're considering ingesting it as it can be toxic.
Uses for Eucalyptus oil around the house
Aside from medicinal uses, eucalyptus oil can be used around your home to replace many environmentally harsh synthetic chemicals.
Penny, a professional cleaner, wrote to me with these tips:
"I make a spray and wipe with water, eucalyptus oil and some washing up liquid. The idea comes from a hospital cleaner and works well. Proportions are not rocket science. Fill bottle mostly with water - add a slurp of dishwashing liquid and then a capful or thereabouts of 100% eucalyptus. Shake gently to mix. Works well on all surfaces.
I use it diluted again in a little water in a bucket and it is great for all those finger marks that are hard to move from laminex finishes."
- You can also make a general disinfectant for toilets etc and again, it's a very simple recipe. mix 50 ml (1.6 oz) of eucalyptus oil with a liter (quart) of water. That's it - you can store it as you would a normal disinfectant.
- Eucalyptus oil can be used neat in order to remove sticker/decal residue from glass
- Add 1-2 teaspoonfuls of eucalyptus oil to your load of washing for a fresh scent along with the anti-microbial benefits
- Use the oil neat to help remove paint, grease and ink from clothes
- If you have a hanging car air freshener that's almost dead, reinvigorate it by adding a few drops of eucalyptus oil
- Half a teaspoon mixed with half a liter of water makes for a good bug repellant for plants
- Use it as a stainless steel cleaner
- To use as a room air freshener, Mix a quarter of a teaspooon or 15 drops of eucalyptus oil with a half teaspoon of vodka, place in an atomizer/spray bottle and add 2 cups of water. This should be quite subtle, so you may need to add more.
Do you have some tips to share for using eucalyptus oil around the home? Please add them below!
Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com
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Comments
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Comment #1
(Posted by Sarah)
Is eucalyptus oil the same thing as tea tree oil?
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Comment #2
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Hi Sarah, Eucalytpus oil and tea tree oil are two different products. Tea tree oil comes from certain types of Melaleuca trees. There's been a lot of interest from readers in tea tree oil, so I'll publish an item on that soon :)
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Comment #3
(Posted by Rachel)
Can you add a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to vegetable based dish soap liquid when doing your dishes? Thanks for the help!
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Comment #4
(Posted by Dorothy Furches)
Years ago, while camping, a neighbor camper gave to us this recipe for insect repellent. It really works on Delaware insects that bite! You must reapply every so often especially if you prespire.
RECIPE: 2 cups white vinegar, 1 cup Skin-So-Soft (Avon's), 1 cup water, 1 Tablespoon Eucalyptus Oil.
Fill any spray bottle and tuck it in the gardening gear or camping gear.
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Comment #5
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Hi Rachel, I can't see that doing any harm. Dorothy, thanks for the insect repellent recipe :)
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Comment #6
(Posted by Karen)
I just found your site and am so excited! I'm just now getting into all this green stuff and loving it! Your site seems very informative! Thanks! My blog is very new and I'm still finding my way, but check it out (and don't laugh!)... www.karensorganizedchaos.blogspot.com
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Comment #7
(Posted by grc)
Spiders hate Eucalyptus oil. Put some on a cotton ball and place under beds (not if you have small children who would eat it though!), in the bathroom, closets, dark corners. We do this in early fall and nary a spider is seen!
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Comment #8
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Karen, thanks for the kind feedback.
grc - thanks for the great tip.. here I am living in the land of eucalyptus and I've never heard that one :)
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Comment #9
(Posted by barbara)
so my mom told me i could sprinkle this under my dogs bed to keep fleas from getting on it is that true?
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Comment #10
(Posted by Michael - Green Living Tips)
Barbara, I haven't tried it myself, but I have read comments on other sites where people say it does work.
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Comment #11
(Posted by TipToes)
Hello--- I have a house full of asthma kids and sinus troubles so I have been using eucalyputs for them for many years. I have come across these diffuser at Pier One and wanted to know if anyone had a recipe for a eucalyptus diffuser for my house. I tried just using the oil from the stores but it was gone in one night and that bottle cost around $10 I cant do that every night. Thanks for the site and the help.
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Comment #12
(Posted by A sceptic)
I live in the UK. Can anybody tell me how much crude oil it costs to import a given amount of Eucalyptus oil?
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Comment #13
(Posted by Reenie ROgers)
Eucalyptus essential oil is what I use to clean the toilet. The way I clean the toilet is: 1) add some baking soda to toilet tank 1/4 cup more or less, 2) add a tiny squirt of earth-friendly hand dishwashing liquid, 3) add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil, 4) swish and scrub with toilet bowl brush, 5) add some white distilled vinegar made from grains, 6) let sit in the toilet bowl a while or overnight, 7) flush, 8) put on some cleaning gloves and take a pumice stone and scrub away the toilet bowl ring and debris under the rim of the toilet, then flush.
If the toilet has been neglected a long time, you made need to do this process a couple times. But it works, and no nasties going into the water supply.
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Comment #14
(Posted by Penney)
I,am looking for an product the was called Kangaroo Oil when I got it. It worked like a charm on neck and back pain. I'am starting to think it was eucalyptus oil. If I get 100% e.o. what would I mix it with to apply to the skin???
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Comment #15
(Posted by Miriam)
I read Pennys comment on using the Eucalyptus cleaner. I would like to submit my recipe. When your Earths Choice or Green dishwashing detergent bottle is close to empy I fill it 3/4 with white vinegar then add a juice of one lemon and a spoon of Eucalyptus...top with water. This is a good way of not wasting the dregs in the bottle and it squirts well especially in the toilet. It cleans fantastic and my laundry has several bottles of near empty detergents waiting to be quickly made up.
It is the safest toilet clener I can think of and i also squirt it on the floor and use an old rag to wipe it for spills and lazy mopping.
A good dust mite solution for the floors is boiling water and eucalyptus as well, it makes a good damp mop when yhe dust bunnies are breeding.. it kills the mites.
I also use it in a spray bottle with water and also some lavender for a room deoderiser... high chair and bench cleaner.
I use neat vinegar in a spray bottle for bench cleaning but was thinking the eucalyptus would make it smell a bit nicer than vinegar.
Thanks for the great website.
Godo tos ee people not wanting to saturate their homes with nasty chemicals.
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Comment #16
(Posted by Renate)
glad to have found your site.
I have recently had a rash of problems with skunks trying to find a home under our back porch.
Last year we used mothboalls to deter them, but we both got mothball poisoning, and were VERY ill from the fumes they emitted. Also they are not safe for pets around!
Anyway, I ordered some 100% Australian Eucalyptus Oil and sprinkled it (sparingly) around the perimeter of the house. Seems to work fine so far.
Other (human) use...
When I was a child, growing up in Germany, my mother rarely took us to the Doctor. She had all kinds of (working) herbal remedies. When we would get a cold, she would sprinkle two drops of Eucalyptus Oil on a sugar cube and we would eat it. It would open our respiratory passages in a hurry. At night she would rub us down with some Vaseline type gelly, in which she mixed the Eucalyptus oil, and we slept like "Babes in the woods".
Thanks for your site! I have learned a lot and I'm 65 years old now. Thank God for the internet!
Renate
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Comment #17
(Posted by rajni)
can we use eucalyptus oil for head massage?
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Comment #18
(Posted by lisa)
great web site! I'm interested in adding eucalyptus oil to my washing for smell and to kill dust mites. I have a front loader, do I just add some drops to my washing liquid, and will it put oil marks on my clothes?
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Comment #19
(Posted by Douglas Martin)
Can you use eucalyptus oil in steam to help clean or clear your lungs and how much oil do you use
Doug
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Comment #20
(Posted by laica)
Regarding the woman with asthmatic kids...I have some issues breathing, having chronic bronchitis and living with smokers- and about 3 years ago I bought a small oil burner and some eucalyptus oil. put about 5 drops in each burner with some water before going to sleep at night and I slept like a baby and woke up with clear sinuses. depending on the depth of the burner would determine the amount of oil..but either way, most would be like a teaspoon and thats much better than a bottle. put it on a night table right by the bed. Most are tea-lite candle lit (small candles, will go out after about an hour or so, pretty safe) but there are small crock pot type potpourri burners that you could find that would be safer for kids. I throw in a lil peppermint oil if the sinuses are already clogged btw.
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Comment #21
(Posted by Bill)
I am in coastal Georgia (USA) and was recently told that eucalyptus trees and oil would deter the biting sand nats that are so bad here. Does anyone know if this works???
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Comment #22
(Posted by mike mckinney)
where can i purchase Eucalyptus oil that is mixable with water? I was at the gym the other day and another guy had it mixed and used it in the sauna. I'm looking for something along those lines.
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Comment #23
(Posted by Ania)
Could eucalyptus oil be used for disinfecting a jacuzzi? The house we bought has one of those monstrosities and it is a cleaning nightmare. I would rather not use bleach to disinfect the lines and kill off any nasties, but I'd also rather not risk getting any infections from a bacteria laced bath.
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Comment #24
(Posted by Ania)
Could eucalyptus oil be used for disinfecting a jacuzzi? The house we bought has one of those monstrosities and it is a cleaning nightmare. I would rather not use bleach to disinfect the lines and kill off any nasties, but I'd also rather not risk getting any infections from a bacteria laced bath.
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Comment #25
(Posted by Mary Schulz)
I love eucalyptus oil. I bought a small teracota disk at our local whole foods and drop the oil on it several times a day in my office. at home I have the vicks defuser, and just add the oil directly to the cotton disk that comes with it. It' fabulous. Just the smell makes me feel relaxed and content. You can buy the oil in bulk from your local co-op for about $8 for 4 oz! It's a bargain.
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Comment #26
(Posted by Barbara in Michigan)
I have a cat who has chosen one particular spot in the house to pee over and over... I've tried all of the retail deterents that are supposed to keep him away from it, but they did no good.
One day I was putting some VIC's vapor rub on my son, the cat came over interested, and when I let him sniff the bottle, he made a HORRIBLE face and drew back away. It was hilarious, but it gave me the idea, to use the smell (eucalyptus) on that spot. Once every couple of weeks, I put a little bit of eucalyptus oil on his favorite spot, and he hasn't peed there in almost two months now!
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Comment #27
(Posted by eileen)
Just found this site and I'm thrilled to add my praises for eucalyptus oil. I sprinkle a few drops on my vaccuum cleaner bag to control fleas. I've been doing this for almost 20 years. At first I had 2 dogs and 2 cats (w/ 3 kids) during a summer of flea infestation in the neighborhood. So many neighbors needed exterminators. I had no problem. My understanding is that a flea has a one week lifecycle. When you vaccuum the scent suffocates them, but also vaccuums up the eggs laid in the carpet. Any fleas that get into the bag or eggs that hatch in the bag suffocate as well. Now I have one cat and 1 dog and I still put eucalyptus oil on my vaccuum bag. I've never had a flea problem. The biggest problem is finding a vaccuum cleaner that uses a bag, most are the bagless, which are just filthy.
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Comment #28
(Posted by ThisIsAGreatSite)
Penney, could you be thinking of Emu oil? Eucalyptus oil should always be diluted before applying to skin. A good ratio - one tablespoon is 15 milliliters. For each tablespoon of base oil , you add 7 or 8 drops of pure essential oil. Any vegetable oil can be used, olive or sunflower if those are onhand. Or Almond or Jojoba for a less expensive alternative. So however many milliliters your container is, add half that many drops of essential oil.
For an inhalation, 8 drops can be added to a medium to large size bowl filled with water. A nice blend to cleanse and heal the lungs is 2 drops eucalyptus, 2 drops lavendar, 2 drops lemon, and 2 drops tea tree. Mix with boiling water in a bowl.
If making a scalp oil, add mix in a few drops of rosemary as this is great for the hair.
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Comment #29
(Posted by Krystal)
Hi, love the site.
I have recently been wondering if eucalyptus oil could be a potential face cleanser, for acne and black heads to be specific. I would of course dilute the essence with water, but I was just wondering if it would actually work.
thanks so much
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Comment #30
(Posted by Jess Mallett)
Hi! My boyfriend would like to add eucalyptus to his shower. He wants to clear his lungs and sinuses and other allergy symptoms. Any ideas? Thanks!
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Comment #31
(Posted by Michelle)
Jess, when I get a cold or an allergy attack with clogged sinuses, I simply sprinkle eucalyptus oil on my shower walls. The hot water and steam, combined with the eucalyptus oil really clears my head! We have one of those shower heads with a hose, so I rinse off the walls after my shower--no mess to clean up. Hope your boyfriend feels better soon!
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Comment #32
(Posted by myyc)
your site is so educational and fantastic!
I'm looking for a more natural approach with my lifestyle and so glad to see many are doing the same...hope you can continue with more recipes and remedies for all things natural as possible.
Thanks!
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Comment #33
(Posted by Jay)
Will eucalyptus oil mix with water. Going off the saying water and oil don't mix. What makes eucalyptus oil mix. Thanks, Jay
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Comment #34
(Posted by )
where we live we get these big "wood SPiders" anywhere from 1 to 3 inches!!! they are huge!!! anyway i have learned that simply droppin the oil on windowsills and spritzing on door frames wil keep them and other bugs away!!!
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Comment #35
(Posted by Jessie)
I have put a couple of drops of eucalyptus oil on a kleenex and 'inhaled' to relax and fall asleep. Only used occasionally. Did not realise that I was ingesting a 'toilet cleaner'! Is this practice dangerous and what could be an alternative?
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Comment #36
(Posted by john crane)
eucalyptus oil is very good for rusty bolts and seized objects. A friend would use it in very old engines that had rusted up and parts in old cars he was doing up.
I have just fixed up old wind mill and painted bolts every few days, they freed up and undid very easily,normally they would break.
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Comment #37
(Posted by Michelle Bush)
I am an Australian living in the New South Wales country area.Every Aussie home has a bottle of Eucalyptus oil under the sink in the kitchen. It is a fantastic all purpose cleaner. I have a good recipe for a cleaner that cleans and polishes, shines, and can wash floors too. Fill a spray bottle with 2/3 water. Add some methylated spirits, and eucalyptus oil to top it up. (equal amounts) This will clean and polish wooden tables,laminex benchtops, stone, metal, floors, anything!
Also...if you have a sticky label residue on anything you have purchased (clothing or glass,or wood) rub pure oil to remove the sticky glue. It works a treat!
A few drops in a bowl of hot water will clear your sinuses.
PLEASE do not place the oil anywhere on your face particularly your eyes, as it will STING!
You can also soak pine cones in the oil, place them on a dish with an absorbent paper towel and leave in your wardrobe to deter moths and silverfish.
A couple of teaspoons of eucalyptus mixed with a cup of sunlight soap flakes, placed in a jar with water makes a great woolwash for pure wool items. you handwash in warm water,make a lather with the mixture and lay item flat to dry in the sun.
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Comment #38
(Posted by Noel)
I have heard that burning Eucalyptus Oil is good for relieving mental frustrations (as per feng shui).. any idea how to burn it?
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Comment #39
(Posted by Lenny)
I am a dispensing pharmacist and one time, I sold a bottle of Eucalyptus oil to someone who regular uses it. what she does is put a little amount of oil in a handkerchief and lay it on her daughters pillow where it stays overnight. Her daughters sinuses clears upon waking up in the morning. I suggested this to my clerk working in the pharmacy who is asthmatic and she has been doing it ever since.
Reading the comments here has given me more tips and I soon would like to try it on my sisters bedroom. Her daughter who is 7 months old has been bitten by bugs or whatever insect we can't seem to identify since she was 3 months old I think. We might even try to clean the house with eucalyptus oil solution to be sure every mites/fleas in the house will be killed.
thank you..
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Comment #40
(Posted by Irene Forbes)
The best way to burn any oils is to put drops of the oil on natural sea salt crystals in a burner. For any lung infections add a few drops of Eucalyptus oil and Frias Balsam to a baisn of hot water. Cover with a towel and inhale the steam. This has kept me out of hospital!Fanstasic way of opening the lungs and freeing them of infection.
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Comment #41
(Posted by India)
thanks for the great tips i would normally not like this kind of site but i love it , it is educational and interesting. What my mum does with eucalyptus oil is put it on a tissue if we are feeling drowsy or light headed and we put the tissue under our pillows and when we wake up in the morning we would feel much better
( you can also do this if you cant sleep it really helps)
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Comment #42
(Posted by caroline)
hello this is really terrible but io have an incontinent dog.i love him dearly and he sleeps alongside my bed..he has soiled the carpet and i had an idea i sprayed eucalyptus oil neat and the smell dissappeared so when we steam clean the carpets we are going to add eucalyptus oil to the water sprayer and yeaha we will have deodorized carpets and flea free etc..what a great idea..
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Comment #43
(Posted by Andrea)
Pure eucalyptus oil can remove chewing gum from clothing. Put a bit of the oil on a clean cloth and rub onto the gum. It might take a few attempts but it should work eventually. It worked on my black shorts, and I am so fussy about marks and stains.
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Comment #44
(Posted by Gayle Gowen)
If a Mosquito has gotten into the bedroom and is buzzing around your head [as they do] A few drops of Eucalyptus Oil on the pillow case will chase it in seconds.
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Comment #45
(Posted by tara)
i had a problem with fleas about five years ago.i have a son with asthma so the commercial flea products were out.i had read an article that stated eucalyptus oil dried out a fleas exoskeleton. i bought a bottle, mixed about 10 to 15 drops with water in a 24 oz. spray bottle and sprayed everything. that along with vaccumming got rid of the fleas in a few weeks.it also helped with my sons allergies.it also works well for pain, my oldest son got hurt at football practice, at the e.r. we were told he had a contusion on his spine.this was on a thursday, he had a big game saturday night.the dr. said if he felt o.k. he could play.saturday morning he was still really sore, so i mixed 2 to 4 drops with some aloe lotion, then went to work. i got a call at half time, he had no pain and his coach wanted to know what i did to him and if i could do it before every game because he was playing so well.i think the smell woke him up ,too!!
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Comment #46
(Posted by Mystique)
I had an insect bite and waking up in the night and scratching on it I put some Eucaliptus Oil on it and after itching for sometime the itching has subsided.
Never thought it would work but it did!
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Comment #47
(Posted by Leah)
I absolutely love this site! I have made the change from a chemical based home, to a natural, peaceful place to live. I have been using vinegar, baking soda, lavender and eucalyptus oil. I use a drop or two in a bucket of hot water for washing up the floors.....Makes a nice shine and leaves a fresh scent. I also put a drop in with vinegar in my dishwasher. It cleans well and the steamy dishwasher leaves the kitchen smelling like heaven. I love the idea of all these natural ways to clean our homes. Everything you need can be found at your local heath food store or whole foods. I purchased the oils for $4.00. Not bad considering all the uses!
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Comment #48
(Posted by Steve Anderson)
My mum uses eucalyptus in her washing, for cleaning windows and mirrors, and also puts cotton balls soaked in oil in the corners of cupboards to repel mice.
You can see a full explanation on a recent blog post that I did at http://yourthankyoucard.com/eucalyptus-oil-usage-tips/
Cheers,
Steve
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Comment #49
(Posted by Trenton)
I've read recently that Eucalyptus Oil can be used to effectively, and promptly, rid one's house of bed bugs, which has become an increasing problem in the U.S. lately, is this true? Thanks. :)
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