I am a huge fan of natural cleaning products to save money and be eco-friendly. I am also trying to replace all of my health and beauty products with natural remedies, like essential oils. I love tea tree oil, because I can use it in several ways! Tea tree oil for cleaning, tea tree oil for warts, tea tree oil toothpaste! This essential oil is so diverse and effective, you will wonder how you lived without it before.

 25 Uses for Tea Tree Oil

1. Remove warts and skin tags: Soak a cotton ball with tea tree oil and secure it with duct tape to the wart for 6 hours, or before bed. Remove and repeat nightly until the wart turns black. My mom tried this years ago, much to my skepticism and it worked like a dream!
2. Ease sunburns: Add 8-10 drops to some coconut oil and gently rub onto to your sunburned skin.
3. Control mold: Like we mentioned in our How to Clean and Kill Bathroom Mold Naturally post, add 2 tsp to 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray on problem areas and do not rinse.
4. Natural all-purpose cleaner: Add 1-2 tsp of oil to a spray bottle and fill the rest with water.  Use to clean and disinfect yoga mats, kitchen surfaces, car seats, etc.
5. Heal skin infections: Apply a couple drops daily to the affected area.
6. Freshen breath: Whip up homemade toothpaste for a glycerin and chemical-free smile.
7. Soothe insect bites and chicken pox: Gently pat (do not rub) sores with oil.
8. Eliminate pests: Pests don’t like tea tree oil, so place a few drops in your kitchen cupboards, entryways or even pet crates/beds keep the fleas away.
9. Release ingrown hairs: Apply a couple drops daily to the area, and it works like a charm. Especially in the bikini area – don’t ask me how I know.
10. Prevent lice: Add 4-5 drops to bath water or shampoo to help keep the bugs away.
11. Chemical-free antiseptic: Apply to small cuts or abrasions to keep them healthy.
12. Relieve earache: Mix one drop of tea tree oil with 1 tsp. olive oil, drop mixture into the ear and remove by tilting your head.
13. Treat Ringworm: Apply to infected area twice a day.

14. Reduce asthma or cold symptoms: Add 10 drops of tea tree oil to a warm vaporizer/humidifier and place in your room overnight.
15. Clear up toenail fungus/ Athlete’s Foot: Apply daily for one-two months
16. Reduce canker sores: Soak a cotton swab and place on sore twice daily.
17. Treat your face: Rub a drop or two onto whiteheads and acne will vanish overnight. I add a tiny bit to my Neutrogena Face Cleanser to clarify and moisturize my skin.
18. Eliminate dandruff: Add 20-30 drops to any shampoo or add a few drops directly to scalp and massage after washing.
19. Boost laundry: Add 1/2 tsp to washing machine or powdered soap (in the box) when doing a load of towels or other mold prone fabrics. I place a few drops on an old rag and throw it in the dryer in place of dryer sheets.
20. Repel insects: 15 drops added to a quart of water works as natural bug spray or green insect repellant. I doused myself in this several times over the summer, and was bug free!
21. Remove ticks: Drop pure oil onto the tick, wait two minutes and gently remove the unlatched tick.  Make sure to apply some oil to the puncture too.
22. Clean toilets and bathtubs: Dump 1/4 cup of baking soda, 4 drops of tea tree oil and ¼ cup splash of vinegar to the toilet bowl or surface to disinfect and deodorize bathrooms.
23. Freshen carpets: Mix ½ cup baking soda with 20-30 drops of tea tree oil. Sprinkle lightly over carpet. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and then vacuum as usual.
24. Homemade natural deodorant: Make your own chemical-free deodorant.
25. Treat yeast infections: Tea tree oil disrupts yeast cells and lavender kills Candida –mix them together and yeast is a goner. Mix 5 drops of both tea tree and lavender oils with a few drops of distilled water. Using a cotton swab, dab the blend on the affected parts of the body.

A few notes:

-Tea tree oil should NEVER be ingested and is only to be used as a topical remedy.

-Some people are sensitive to tea tree, so try it in a small area first. If it irritates or feels too strong, mix equal parts with a carrier oil, like grapeseed or jojoba.

-I buy my essential oils from Snow Lotus – they are very high quality, but there are some great, affordable choices for tea tree oil on Amazon.

What is your favorite way to use tea tree or other oils?