The Many Uses of Tea tree oil

Tea Tree, or melaleuca alternifolia is just one of those wonder oils! This, along with lavendar are the only essential oils which can be used neat on the skin, however with all things, some people may be sensitive to this. It's right up there as an anti fungal/bacterial/septic, fights any bugs, and also helps to strengthen the immune system. I like to make room-sprays for different parts of the house - we gotta do something with all those spray-bottles now, don't we. Simply (with any oil) dissolve a bit in some oil dispersant (I use a small amount of methylated spirits as it's cheap!!), top up the bottle with water, and spray, spray, spray. If possible, glass is best, but be aware that essential oils can eat into plastic, so the sprayers sometimes give-up. Tea tree, eucalyptus and those "camphory" smelling type ones are great at disguising those yukky toilet smells, even for those lucky enough to have a toilet-smoker in the house (erk - I used to, and it does work). You can make small or large amounts, just vary the drops. Copious amounts of different mixes for different occasions, but tea tree is predominantly good for freshening and cleansing. Even just a few drops in some water and shake, shake, shake will achieve the same effect. These mixes cannot be stored for any length of time, though, as they lose their active constituents when exposed to air, some evaporating more than others. Anyway, on with some remedies!!!

Dab some neat with a cotton-bud to mouth-ulcers, insect bites, fungous growths, warts, zits, cold sores and blah, blah, blah! Basically any type of abrasion/abhesion/thingywatsit that needs healing. My partner felt the tinglings of a cold-sore a while back, dabbed some on, and it didn't even break-out! Instant relief from "itchy-bites", too, this is something I can testify first-hand. I have part-time care of two 5 year olds who are very versed in the uses of Tea Tree, ooops, Tea Twee! Infact, the tea tree ointment is now within easy reach of them, with Brette administering first-aid to her father unattended the other night when he scratched his leg. She felt so important! Apparently she was so attentive to Mark's needs that she was actually pushing the ointment into the wound! He could only wince and smile, she did such a good job. Infact only a few weeks ago I was chatting with the twins and there was an evil witch on the telly. As their mother is a bitch (oops), I mean not very nice person sometimes, it was a good opportunity to herald the witch-thing in me! We were talking about different things associated with being a "witch", and as I've been described as a green one, we got into magic, broom-riding, and the like, so I likened using tea tree and essential oils and herbs to doing witchy-things - they know how good this stuff is, so witches can't be bad (hope you get my drift, here, back on track). Anyway, later on that day, Brette ever so slightly grazed her hand, we wacked on the tea-tree (half the time I think they invent having itchy-bites!!) and later on that day she was absolutely amazed that the graze had disappeared! Magic! Hey, their kids, let their imagination go, huh? Anyway, back to the "bits"!

Tea tree can also be used for nits, few drops on a fine comb, or add some to your shampoo or conditioner, likewise for dogs and cats. Even some drops in some water and shaken up a lot will get the oils dispersed through it. Spray around furniture, animals, etc. Tea tree (usually) does no harm. For those unfortunate enough to get thrush, 5 ml tea tree in 15 ml carrier oil, put about 5 drops onto a tampon and use for a few hours can get rid of it, or a hip(or sitz)-bath (couple of inches of warm water, few drops of oil, sit for a while!!) also helps thrush or cystitis. Dilute down and spray onto sunburn, rub into scalp neat oil for getting rid of dandruff and controlling oily glands, or mix equal parts of oil with witch-hazel (which is another excellent thing to have on hand, even used neat on haemorrhoids will shrink them instantly - hey, it happens!!) and rub onto oily skin. =20

I think that's covered it! You can sweeten anything with essential oils. As I mentioned previously, put a bit of metho and a few drops of tea tree or eucalyptus oil in the softener dispenser-thingy on the washing machine when washing towells, sheets, pillows, dog-blankets, to both disinfect and soften them. It's also a good flea-repellent, and I use nothing else but eucalyptus oil and a bit of washing-up liquid, diluted in water in the garden to get rid of the aphids, caterpillars and bugs. I also hail the use of lavendar! Some people do not like the smell of tea tree as it can be a bit overpowering, whereas lavendar is very familiar. You can basically use lavendar for the above as well. Eucalyptus shouldn't be used neat, but a few weeks ago I pulled a muscle on my chest wall and it made things very uncomfortable, especially breathing! I rubbed on some eucalyptus oil in the shower, needless to say my air-ways were extremely clear, but for the rest of the day I had a very cool feeling where the pain inside my chest and side was, much more comfortable than cramping! Eucalyptus is also excellent for getting off those greasy marks that kids/stickers/work-clothes get/leave, even removes nail-polish, no joke, and you footy-players will just thrive with a tea-tree or eucalyptus rub-down -whoooo-ee! cools the cockles just thinking about it! So next time you have a sprain, cork, boil, rhoid, reach for the tea-tree! Hope you enjoy!