How to use tea tree oil for cuts

First of all, use 5 to 10 drops of pure tea tree essential oil mixed in a small bowl of water to clean out the affected area. This will have a natural antiseptic effect. Then apply a few drops of tea tree oil to the wound. Apply tea tree oil two or three times for the first day, then apply twice daily for up to seven days afterwards. If required, antiseptic creams containing tea tree oil can be purchased for the ongoing treatment of cuts and minor abrasions to help protect against infection.

Unlike other disinfectants, tea tree oil does not sting. It will encourage the healing process and prevent infection.

Are there any side effects using tea tree oil for cuts?

Whilst you can apply tea tree oil directly to minor cuts and scrapes, caution must be used for more extensive areas of broken skin. Also if the affected area is caused by a rash or a fungus, beware when using tea tree oil. The oil may burn if it makes contact with eyes, nose, mouth or other tender areas. Some people can have an allergic reaction when using tea tree oil for the first time, including rashes or itching, so it’s wise to use only a small amount initially.

Here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia:-

Tea tree oil has long been used as a method of all natural effective flea control by adding the oil directly to dogs, horses and sheep fur or their bathing water. Use on cats has been known to make them sick and in some cases kill them, this is due to cats licking their fur and consuming the oil.

Tea tree oil can be toxic for cats

Show Cats Online have issued this warning on their website about tea tree oil being toxic to cats:

Tea Tree Oil poisoning have been reported in both cats and dogs when applied to the skin at too high a dose. If your cat is going to have a reaction to tea tree oil, you will usually see it within 2 to 8 hours following application. Symptoms include:

* loss of muscular coordination
* lethargy
* weakness
* shaking and tremors
* a change in behavior

Why is tea tree oil no good for cats?

Tea Tree Wonders has an article about tea tree oil being toxic to cats - here’s a quote from their website:-

Unfortunately, tea tree oil is not good to use as a flea preventative for cats. There are other essential oils that are just as dangerous, like peppermint and pennyroyal.

The main problem is that because of their small size and body weight, combined with a liver that does not easily process essential oils like tea tree oil, cats can have a severe toxic reaction to amounts that many other animals wouldn’t even notice.

I get questions about using tea tree oil shampoo on both cats and dogs, and although for large dogs it may be great, I would use extreme caution and preferably avoid tea tree oil altogether for small dogs and all cats.

Here’s another warning from the Tea Tree Oil Uses website on why tea tree oil is toxic to cats:-

Along with being an effective remedy for many human skin ailments, Tea Tree Oil is readily available at pet stores for treatment of our furry friends. However, if ingested, this helpful natural product can become the furthest thing from effective, a toxic poison. The use as a flea control on young kittens has been recorded as resulting in death in some cases.

Early in the 1990’s with the suggestion of Tea Tree Oil causing negative effects on cats with nerve disorders, it was recommended that the amount of oil contained in animal products, such as cat shampoo, should not exceed 1%. It was advised to owners of cats with diabetes, epilepsy, metabolic or neurological disorders as well as young kittens not to use products containing this substance on their pets.

How to use tea tree oil for cleaning

Deodoriser
Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your laundry wash - this will help deodorise clothes and get rid of odours.

Disinfectant
Add one teaspoon of tea tree oil per load of laundry to disinfet items such as diapers, or to prevent fungal infections being transmitted.

All-purpose cleaning solution
Mix 15 drops of tea tree oil with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. This can be used for general cleaning around the house, such as kitchen bench tops, etc.

Mould killer
Mix 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray on mould-affected area and don’t rinse off.

Floor wash
Mix a few drops of tea tree oil with any cleaning solution - you can use this to wash floors or kitchen cabinets. Adding tea tree oil to your cleaning solution will increase the power of your clean, and will also add a wonderful scent to the area. Always make sure the room you are cleaning is well ventilated.

Insect repellant
Add 10-20 drops of tea tree oil to citronella - this will allow you to enjoy the outdoor life by repelling nasty insects.

Removing mildew smell
When washing bath towels, if you add a few drops of tea tree oil to your wash this will help remove that awful mildew smell.

If you try any of these cleaning ideas using tea tree oil, let us know how they worked for you by submitting a comment below.

Tea tree oil is known to be a great alternative remedy in the treatment of cold sores. As cold sores can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungus, tea tree oil as a cold sore treatment may have an antiseptic action.

How to use tea tree oil for cold sores

At the first warning sign (that burning sensation that precedes the sore) dab tea tree oil directly on the affected area. You can mix this with a little alcohol (such as vodka) if you prefer.

The oil can be used directly on the skin for most people, but if you have sensitive skin it is recommended you use tea tree oil with caution. You can dilute tea tree oil if your skin is sensitive.

If you apply a few drops of tea tree oil directly to the cold sore using a cotton swab, this will help to prevent breakouts after the initial tingling/burning sensation. Apply tea tree oil twice a day and this will help reduce the painful healing time by as much as half.

If you try this cold sore remedy using tea tree oil, let us know how it’s worked for you by leaving a comment below.

Good luck!

When you’ve been bitten by a dog, there are a few things you can do right away to minimise the seriousness of the injury, and to increase the possibility of infection. Tea Tree Wonders offers the following advice:-

When you are the victim of a dog bite the first thing you should do is to thoroughly wash the area with generous amounts of water, using preferably an antibacterial soap. The dog bite can carry one or more of some really bad bacteria, including staph and strep. Some studies suggest between 20 and 30 different germs that can be carried in a dogs saliva.

After the area is thoroughly cleaned, pat the wound dry, and apply several drops of tea tree oil three times a day for several days, and then continue once a day until it is fully healed.

Tea tree oil for insect bites

Michael Russell has an article published on Ezine Articles where he suggest the following tip on how to use tea tree oil for insect bites:-

For insect bites: Mix a 5% dilution of tea tree oil with aloe vera gel. Use this mixture to soothe bug bites or rashes. It will also help prevent infection.

Tea tree oil for flea bites (on a human)

Curezone has the following tips on how to treat flea bites with tea tree oil:-

Apply tea tree oil liberally in a circular motion surrounding the bite. Let dry and the pain and swelling should ease in two to three minutes. Re-apply if needed.

For information on how to treat a dog’s flea problem with tea tree oil, check out our article titled Tea tree oil dog treatments.

Using tea tree oil on a bruise

Amazing Tea Tree Oils has the following remedy for treating a bruise with tea tree oil:-

Icing a bruise right after an injury helps the swelling to go down. Then, apply tea tree oil to the bruise. Tea treel oil helps the bruise to heal from the inside by making blood flow better through the bruise and by keeping the swelling down. Apply tea tree oil to a bruise twice a day or more. Be careful not to get any oil in your eyes if the bruise is on your face.

Soothing bruises with tea tree oil (courtesy of Ehow)

Soothe bruises with a tea tree oil compress. Blend ten drops of tea tree oil with five drops of lavender essential oil in cold water. Apply to the affected area.

Massage bruise using tea tree oil

Another remedy is to combine a few drops of tea tree oil along with a few drops of olive oil, and massage the area twice a day.

Mommy.com has an article about how to use tea tree oil for wasp and bee stings - here’s a quote from their article:-

For bee stings, first remove the stinger and clean the area with diluted bicarbonate soda. For a wasp sting, clean the area with either diluted lemon juice or vinegar and then put two drops of lavender and two drops of tea tree oil on a cold cloth and put it over the sting site. This will take away the pain and work as an anti-bacterial agent at the same time, while the cold cloth will help reduce the swelling.

Lavender has remarkable soothing properties not only on the skin, but the scent has a calming effect. It is an anti-inflammatory as well as analgesic and promotes healthy healing of the tissue.

Tea Tree Oil is unusual in that it is active against all three varieties of infectious organisms: viruses, bacteria and fungi. It has a powerful immune-stimulant, so when the body is threatened by one of these infectious organisms the tea tree oil increases your ability to fight infections.

How much tea tree oil do I use for bee stings?

Bella Online has an in-depth article about the many uses of tea tree oil - here’s what they suggest for the treatment of mosquito bites and bee stings:-

Bites: for mosquito bites and bee stings dilute 1 part tea tree oil in 3 parts olive oil and apply to the affected area.

Tea tree oil repellant to avoid bee stings

Here’s a really handy tip for a home-made spray which will help deter bees from Life Tools for Women:-

BeeGone Spray: For exposed areas, make up a spritzer bottle of one teaspoon of tea tree essential oil, one teaspoon of lavender essential oil, one teaspoon of citronella oil and half a cup of vodka. Firstly, spray it on the hands then apply to the neck and face, avoiding the eyes.

Treat bee stings with tea tree oil and lavender

Skin Care Recipes and Remedies offers the following advice for treating bee stings using tea tree oil:-

Mix 2 drops of tea tree oil with 1 drop of lavender oil. Use a cotton swab to gently apply on the spot.

The Bacterial Vaginosis Recurrent website offers the following in-depth treatments on how to treat Bacterial Vaginosis using tea tree oil:

To treat Bacterial Vaginosis with Tea tree oil, you can purchase tea tree oil suppositories from your local health food store or make your own tea tree suppository using a gel capsule that contains a mixture of 1/3 tea tree oil to 2/3 vitamin E oil. If you prefer to use a tea tree oil tampon instead, you should prepare the same mixture and saturate a clean and sanitary tampon in it for a short while. Afterwards, you can insert the saturated tea tree oil tampon into your vagina. For those of you that prefer douches, you can make a tea tree oil douche that contains 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil and 2 cups of water. Either way, you should use the treatment every single day for up to six weeks.

Keep in mind, however, that you should never take tea tree oil orally as it can cause a host of issues including, but not limited to diarrhea, depression, difficulty walking, drowsiness, muscle weakness, impaired immune system, loss of coordination, and muscle tremors. In addition, you should never apply tea tree oil directly into your vagina without mixing it with a carrier (water or vitamin E oil) as this can cause skin irritation, blistering, itching, and redness and even blisters.

In conclusion, treating Bacterial Vaginosis with Tea tree oil may be an effective treatment option for those seeking to rid themselves of this vaginal infection. However, you should carefully weight all risks before undergoing this holistic treatment or any other treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis.

Tea tree oil may be helpful to treat bacterial vaginosis

True Star Health’s website contains the following information about how to use tea tree oil in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis:-

Topically applied tea tree oil has been studied and used successfully as a topical treatment for Trichomonas, Candida albicans, and other vaginal infections.7 Tea tree oil must be diluted when used as a vaginal douche, and should only be used for this purpose under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner. Some physicians suggest using tea tree oil by mixing the full-strength oil with vitamin E oil in the proportion of 1/3 tea tree oil to 2/3 vitamin E oil. A tampon is saturated with this mixture or the mixture is put in a capsule to be inserted in the vagina each day for a maximum of six weeks.

Apple cider, tea tree oil to treat bacterial vaginosis

Health Articles for Women recommends using apple cider to help with the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis:-

Tea tree oil contains antimicrobial properties that are especially effective in treating Bacterial Vaginosis. It can be used vaginally through tea tree oil soaked tampons, douches and suppositories. Mixing tea tree oil with pure apple cider and adding this to a bath will get rid of bacterial vaginosis.

Apply tea tree oil solution to the bug bite

Pretty Smart Natural Ideas has the following recipe containing tea tree oil so you can make your own solution to treat bug bites using tea tree oil:

FOR ITCHY INSECT BITES
to alleviate swelling and relieve itching of insect bites.

1 drop Roman Chamomile
1 drop tea-tree
1 drop savory
2 oz. witch hazel extract

Blend oils with witch-hazel.
Soak a cotton ball in the mix and dab on insect bites.
Also helps protect skin from infection resulting from scratching

Mix tea tree oil with aloe vera gel for bug bites

Here’s a quote from an article called “My Guide to Insect Bites“:

No wonder they’re the number one natural choice for treating insect bites, bee and wasp stings. They help in easing small pestering conditions, such as minor rashes, insect bites, and calluses on our feet. For insect bites: Mix a 5% dilution of tea tree oil with aloe vera gel.

Natural remedy using tea tree oil for bug bites

About.com : Green Living offers the following advice for a natural remedy using tea tree oil:-

When a bug, like a mosquito or a chigger, bites it injects a bit of its saliva into your skin. It is this saliva, along with your body’s reaction to it, which causes that unpleasant itch. But do not scratch, that only makes things worse. Perhaps the most effective is tea tree oil and lavender. The tea tree oil disinfects the area while the lavender is a natural anti-inflammatory. Go ahead and apply the oil to the skin and let it do its magic. You also smell good too.

Tea tree oil - a natural treatment for burns

Here’s a rundown from The Herbs Place about how tea tree oil can be used in the treatment of burns:-

Being a non-greasy and volatile oil, Tea Tree Oil is excellent for burns. Any of the oil which has not been absorbed within 10 minutes will evaporate, allowing the skin to breathe. Speedy treatment is essential. The burn should be put under cold running water or packed in ice for one minute. Then, alternate applications of Tea Tree Oil and cold water for ten more minutes. The oil may be poured from the bottle directly over the burn. The oil can be applied liberally twice daily for three to four days if necessary.

Tea tree oil used as a mild anaesthetic

Molly’s Herbals states that tea tree oil has been used as an antiseptic treatment for thousands of years:-

Tea tree oil acts as a mild anesthetic when applied to painful areas and to soothe cuts and burns. It can help heal as well as reduce scarring.

Tea Tree Oil, also known as Melaleuca, was used as a general antiseptic by the aborigine tribes for thousands of years. Aborigines were known to chew on the leaves. It was used as a medicinal agent for cuts, burns, bites and many, skin ailments.

First- Be careful when buying Tea Tree Oil. Tea Tree Oil is available commercially in a range of grades. It is worthwhile to use the best quality oil you can find. Very often, you get what you pay for. Make sure to find out what kind of Tea Tree Oil you are getting.