Tea Tree Oil: How to Use It?
Tea Tree is one of the essential oils with the greatest antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Tea Tree essential oil is distilled from Melaleuca Alternifolia, a medium-sized tree typical of New South Wales, Australia. In this article, we will explain how to use it for beauty remedies for skin, hair, and nails, for household cleaning, and for the well-being of the whole family.
Summary:
Canker sores, herpes, small scratches
Fleas and Ticks on Dogs and Cats
Properties
We could summarize the physical properties of Tea Tree in two words: cleansing and protection. Antiseptic and disinfectant, it is suitable for washes and skin compresses in case of cuts, bites, burns, herpes, and infections. It is an exceptional antifungal, ideal for any type of fungus, from candida to mycelia that attack skin and nails. In addition to fighting bacteria and trichomonas, it can also have a protective action against viruses. Healing and purifying, Tea Tree can be very effective on skin lesions, especially those of an acneic nature.
Once its properties are known, the use of this essential oil becomes immediate and spontaneous on every occasion, both indoors and outdoors.
Contraindications
Tea Tree is one of the greatest antiviral and antibacterial agents in Nature, with a high degree of tolerability by the body. This means that it rarely has contraindications, provided it is used safely. To best use the essential oil and benefit from its action, some precautions must be observed:
- Do not use it pure on the skin. Always dilute it in a cream, a base oil, or a carrier such as shampoo. You can only use it pure for dabbing in cases of nail fungus, canker sores, warts: in this case, pour a few drops onto a cotton ball or cotton swab and gently dab the affected area.
- Do not think that pure or more concentrated is more effective than diluted. Essential oils, precisely because of their high concentration of functional active ingredients, if used undiluted, risk being aggressive for the skin. When you dilute the oils in a carrier, however, you allow them to penetrate deeper into the dermis and act in total safety.
- Do not ingest it without consulting a doctor who will assign you the correct dilution and dosage to follow. If you suffer from a sore throat or have the onset of a cold, it is not necessary to drink tea tree to benefit from it. Essential oils are extremely powerful concentrations of active ingredients. For this reason, oral intake must be approached with the utmost caution.
Now that you know the contraindications of Tea Tree Oil, you will discover how to use it correctly according to your needs. We will specifically address the different applications, in order to use it with maximum efficiency and safety.
Pimples and Acne
Purifying and healing, Tea Tree Oil regulates sebum production and actively fights acne. For skin applications, concentrations between 0.5 and 2% are usually used. For practicality, a homemade dosage could be 2 drops in a teaspoon of vegetable oil or 30 drops in 50 ml of face cream.
Its normalizing action on sebaceous production proves to be an effective remedy against pimples, acne, and oily skin. Apply it twice a day for a period of at least one month.
Facial Cleansing
Tea Tree essential oil can also be used for facial cleansing treatments. It is advisable to add 5 or 6 drops to a pot of boiling water. The steam will enlarge the pores and make the skin softer, while the volatile molecules of Tea Tree will help purify it. Following this treatment, lasting 10-15 minutes, you can proceed with blackhead removal and cream application.
Canker sores, herpes, small scratches
The use of pure Tea Tree Oil on the skin is not recommended, with the exception of dabbing canker sores, herpes, and small lesions. Thanks to its great skin tolerability, it can be applied using cotton moistened with a few drops of essential oil. Repeat dabbing 2 or 3 times a day until the discomfort subsides.
Fungal Infections
The antifungal properties of Melaleuca oil make it a great enemy of nail and skin fungi. If the fungal infection occurs on the nails, you can use the pure essential oil in drops. If, however, the fungus has affected the skin, you can create a specific ointment with 20 drops of essential oil in 20 ml of cream or vegetable oil (approximately 2 tablespoons).
Dandruff
A few drops of Tea Tree in shampoo or hair mask can be effective in cases of dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis. To combat scalp itching and regulate sebum production, we recommend a dilution between 0.5% and 1% (about 25-30 drops in 200 ml).
Lice
Tea Tree has an antiparasitic function that is particularly useful in cases of pediculosis. Regarding this topic, there are some myths to debunk: lice prefer clean hair to dirty hair and straight hair to curly hair. They usually spread among young children, who tend to have frequent and direct contact in schools and kindergartens. In fact, these parasites do not fly or jump, but pass from head to head through physical contact, the use of shared scarves or brushes.
Most products to deal with this problem contain insecticides and chemicals that risk irritating or damaging the scalp. Tea Tree is a completely natural remedy that can be used safely after correct dilution.
How to prevent or treat lice with Tea Tree:
- Add 4 or 5 drops to each shampoo and massage the scalp carefully;
- Pour a few drops of essential oil on your hand and spread it on the nit comb before use;
- Add Tea Tree to a cream, apply it behind the ears and on the nape of the neck.
Sore Throat and Cold
In case of sore throat or cold, Tea Tree facilitates the immune system's reaction and fights viruses and bacteria. Here are the main applications:
- Perform gargles and rinses: use 3-4 drops in mouthwash, 3-4 drops in a glass of water and honey, or 5 drops in propolis tincture;
- Dilute 2-3 drops in a teaspoon of oil or body cream and massage onto the chest;
- Perform a hot salt compress with the essential oil;
- Perform steam inhalations once a day – also known as fumigations – with 3 drops of Tea Tree, 3 of Lavender, and 3 of Eucalyptus in hot water;
- Pour one drop into a teaspoon of honey and dilute it in hot water to drink. Before taking Tea Tree orally, consult your doctor.
If this topic is of interest to you, read our in-depth article on essential oils for respiration.
Candida
Tea Tree can be a useful natural remedy for candida. There are several possible applications:
- Douches with water and essential oil: add 5 drops of Tea Tree to a tablespoon of honey to dissolve in lukewarm water and perform the wash;
- For greater practicality, the essential oil can be added to intimate cleanser, in a 1% dilution (20 drops in 100 ml of product);
- Pour one or two drops of essential oil onto a panty liner or external sanitary pad to limit bacterial proliferation during your period.
Warts
In the presence of warts, it is recommended to use the essential oil undiluted. The ideal application is twice a day: rub the wart with a file and pour a couple of drops directly onto it. You can also choose to pour a couple of drops onto a plaster to cover it and prevent transmission to others.
Household Uses: Cleaning
Tea Tree Oil is the king of cleaning, one of the most useful and versatile essential oils for every environment.
Here are some ideas for using it for natural household cleaning:
- Add a few drops to the water for cleaning floors;
- Use a few drops of essential oil in synergy with Peppermint to create a natural spray for insects and ants;
- Make a DIY multi-purpose spray: pour a tablespoon of baking soda into 500 ml of water and add 20 drops of essential oil. Shake the contents before use. The spray will be ideal for sanitizing bathroom fixtures, cleaning shelves and surfaces, and cleaning the refrigerator.
- Pour a few drops of Tea Tree oil or nebulize the multi-purpose spray on the mattress to clean it, disinfect it and sanitize it. Tea Tree will help keep away parasites and insects, including those commonly called "mattress fleas."
Washing Machine
If you want to replace fabric softener with a natural product that actively disinfects and cleans laundry, Tea Tree will again be useful. It helps not only to deeply clean the fibers, but also to neutralize the bacterial load that generates unpleasant odors.
To make a natural fabric softener based on Tea Tree, it is advisable to mix 500 ml of distilled water, 100 ml of apple cider vinegar, and 20 drops of Tea Tree. Don't worry, the clothes will not smell of vinegar at all; instead, they will have a fresh, delicate, balsamic scent.
The washing machine will also benefit: the antifungal and antibacterial action of Tea Tree limits the proliferation of mold and the unpleasant damp smell that affects many appliances.
Fleas and Ticks on Dogs
Tea Tree is a natural antiparasitic, a useful protection for dogs and cats. Four-legged friends have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, so the essential oil must be used carefully.
It is advisable to add Tea Tree to the soap we use to wash our dogs and cats or to pour a few drops onto their collar.
Why it's called Tea Tree
The common name "Tea Tree" comes from a "mistake" made by Captain James Cook: when he landed in Australia, he was offered an aromatic drink made from Melaleuca leaves and he mistakenly believed it was tea. The Aborigines commonly used flowers and leaves in infusions as a remedy for coughs, headaches, lesions, and wounds, and that's how Tea Tree was immediately appreciated by the first European settlers as well.
It was only after some research carried out after the First World War that the impressive properties of Tea Tree became known to science and the general population. The essential oil, steam-distilled from leaves and twigs, is antimicrobial, antiviral, immunostimulant, and anti-inflammatory. It is also particularly well tolerated by tissues.
From an olfactory point of view, it is a high, pungent top note, which has the persistence of a base note. Its balsamic, fresh, and spicy scent evokes a vision of cleanliness: according to the principles of subtle aromatherapy, it helps to dissipate confusion and make clear decisions.The common name "Tea Tree" comes from a "mistake" made by Captain James Cook: when he landed in Australia, he was offered an aromatic drink made from Melaleuca leaves and he mistakenly believed it was tea. The Aborigines commonly used flowers and leaves in infusions as a remedy for coughs, headaches, lesions, and wounds, and that's how Tea Tree was immediately appreciated by the first European settlers as well.
It was only after some research carried out after the First World War that the impressive properties of Tea Tree became known to science and the general population. The essential oil, steam-distilled from leaves and twigs, is antimicrobial, antiviral, immunostimulant, and anti-inflammatory. It is also particularly well tolerated by tissues.
From an olfactory point of view, it is a high, pungent top note, which has the persistence of a base note. Its balsamic, fresh, and spicy scent evokes a vision of cleanliness: according to the principles of subtle aromatherapy, it helps to dissipate confusion and make clear decisions.A greeting that smells clean,
Barbara
Olfattiva Aromatherapist
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