The answer may lie within your kitchen cabinet-the tea tree oil.
Prized for its stunning medicinal properties by the Australian aborigines, tea tree oil is now used all over the world for its medicinal properties.
Tea tree is native to Queensland and the coast of New South Wales Australia. Captain James Cook used to make tea like infusions from the shrubs- and based on his description, tea tree got its unusual name.
#1 Use it as a natural deodorant
Are you worried about underarm odour? There’s a natural way to deodorize it.
Tea Tree oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. The underarms have a large concentration of sweat glands. The sweat secreted by them combines with the bacteria on your skin to produce a strong odour.
Due to its antibacterial properties, tea tree oil fights bacteria and prevents underarm odour. Its camphoraceous smell gives a pleasing scent to the underarm.
Apply two drops of tea tree oil to a cotton pad and wipe onto clean underarms
#2 Ideal natural hand sanitizer
Studies have shown that tea tree oil can kill several forms of bacteria; S. pneumoniae, E.coli, and H. influenzae. Likewise, a research study found that adding tea tree oil to hand washes makes it more effective against harmful germs.
If you have a hand sanitizer, add a few drops of Tea Tree to enhance the benefits or try out this easy to prepare hand sanitizer recipe. Add 5 to 10 drops of lavender essential oil, 30 drops of tea tree essential oil, and 1/4 tsp of vitamin E oil to a glass bowl and swirl to mix.
Also, add 3 ounces of ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol and mix well. Finally, add 1 ounce of pure aloe vera gel and transfer to a small, clean coloured bottle. Shake well before each use.
#3 A powerful acne-fighting weapon
The mixture of over 100 compounds present in tea tree oil gives it a herbal and slightly medicinal smell. Some of these compounds help to soothe acne and reduce inflammation. Research studies show that tea tree oil reduces the amount and severity of acne.
Scientific literature tells us that tea tree oil is as effective as benzoyl peroxide (the anti-acne medication) in its action against acne.
Here’s how you use it. Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and pat dry. Mix together 10ml of jojoba oil with 5 drops of tea tree and with a cotton pad, gently apply to the affected areas.
#4 An all-purpose surface cleaner
Keeping all our surfaces clean is a must in protecting ourselves from dangerous viruses and bacteria. If you’re concerned about the traces of chemicals that traditional surface cleaners leave behind, then tea tree oil will be your best option.
Here’s how you’ll make an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner. Mix 3/4 cup of water, 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle, and add 20 drops of tea tree oil. Shake well, spray it on the surfaces and wipe it with a dry cloth. Shake the bottle before each use for maximum efficacy and use within two weeks.
#5 Tea tree oil is useful for treating cold
This essential oil is not only good for your skin but is also effective against treating colds. Native Australian indigenous cultures used tea tree leaves to alleviate sore throat, treat coughs, and cold, to heal wounds and skin ailments.
At the onset of a cold, add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to a cotton pad and gently wipe on it over your throat (over your glands) and around and behind your ears. Repeat three times daily. Its antibacterial effect prevents infections while its camphoraceous fragrance acts as a soothing balm to the irritating sensation caused by flu, cough, and cold.
I have personally used this treatment at the onset of colds and flu’s and also to stop ear infections. The most important part is to catch it early and not allow the strain to grow. When my daughter suffered from ear infections as a baby, I was so fed up of doctors, treatments and finally surgery that any time she felt an ear infection starting, we applied this religiously and it worked wonders!
Shirley Conlon Organics uses tea tree oil to give you an organic, natural, and gentle cure against acne and other conditions because our motto is being consciously beautiful.
