How to Use Eucalyptus Oil to Clean the Air
Eucalyptus oil has a pungent aroma that also carries health benefits. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, eucalyptus oil is rich with the antiseptic cineole, also known as eucalyptol. Traditionally, eucalyptus leaves and oils have been used to treat respiratory conditions such coughs and bronchitis.
Things You Will Need
- Eucalyptus oil
- ½ tsp. vodka
- 2 cups water
- Spray bottle
- 2 cups boiled water
- Bowl
- Candle
- Small crock pot
This makes eucalyptus oil suited as an aromatic air freshener that also kills bacteria in the atmosphere.
-
Combine 15 drops of eucalyptus oil with ½ tsp. of vodka and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray around the room and on furniture. Add more oil to make the scent stronger.
-
Boil 2 cups of water. Place a bowl in the room you want air-freshened and add the boiled water. Deposit 10 or more drops of eucalyptus oil into the hot water. The steam heats the oil, creating rapid evaporation throughout the room. This method is effective, but lasts only a few minutes.
-
Let a candle burn for five minutes. Put the candle out and place 1 drop of eucalyptus oil in the wax that has melted. Light the candle again. Eucalyptus oil tends to be highly flammable, so do not get any on the candle wick.
-
Heat the water on high temperature in a small crock pot. Add eucalyptus drops to reach your preferred scent strength. This method has a lasting aroma for hours.
Tip
Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a car freshener that has lost its scent. Stored in dark glass bottles out of sunlight, eucalyptus oil can keep fresh up to two years, according to the website Green Living Tips.
Warning
Eucalyptus oil in high concentrations is toxic and is not meant for internal consumption.
Eucalyptus oil is known to cause mucous membrane irritation in sensitive people.
References
Resources
Tips
- Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a car freshener that has lost its scent.
- Stored in dark glass bottles out of sunlight, eucalyptus oil can keep fresh up to two years, according to the website Green Living Tips.
Warnings
- Eucalyptus oil in high concentrations is toxic and is not meant for internal consumption.
- Eucalyptus oil is known to cause mucous membrane irritation in sensitive people.
Writer Bio
Rhonda Abrons is a writer/producer in Austin, Texas. For more than 25 years her journalism work has been published in many newspapers including the "Austin-American Statesman" and the "Boston Globe."
Photo Credits
- koala bear on eucalyptus tree image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
- koala bear on eucalyptus tree image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
- Bowl image by Jellie from Fotolia.com
- candle image by Fotocie from Fotolia.com
More Articles