Uses Of Eucalyptus Essential Oil

The unmistakable scent of eucalyptus essential oil is familiar to anyone who's ever used a blue jar of chest rub. The camphor fragrance and skin-warming properties of the essential oil work in home treatments for a variety of respiratory and skin ailments. Always check with your doctor before trying any home herbal treatment. People who should avoid eucalyptus essential oil include children younger than 2, asthma patients, pregnant or breast-feeding women, people with low or high blood pressure and those suffering with kidney or liver disease.

Cough and Congestion Reliever

Healers prize eucalyptus oil for its mucus-loosening properties, making it a natural remedy for bronchitis, sinus congestion and stubborn coughs. The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) recommends making an herbal steam tent by adding 5 to 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to 2 cups boiling water which has been poured into a bowl or sink. Place a towel over your head to trap the steam and inhale the resulting herbal vapors for at least 10 minutes. Alternatively, create herbalist Jeanne Rose's version of the store-brand chest rub. Melt cocoa butter or beeswax on a stove top until it liquefies, using at least ¼-cup of cocoa butter or beeswax. For every ¼-cup of this liquefied base, add 2 to 3 drops each eucalyptus, peppermint and pine needle essential oils. Pour into a heat-proof jar, cool, cap and store for treatment of sinus headaches, respiratory illness and related maladies.

Joint and Muscle Relief

The Physician's Desk Reference notes that eucalyptus essential oil may prove useful in treating sore muscles as a topical application, while the UMMC reports that some healers use it for arthritic pain as well. Because eucalyptus oil may irritate skin if not diluted properly in a carrier oil, be sure to use an adequate ratio of carrier oil to essential oil. To make massage oil, the UMMC suggests blending 15 to 20 drops eucalyptus essential oil with ½-cup olive, sesame, sweet almond or your preferred type of massage oil. The chest rub formula noted in the first section will also work well as a massage lotion.

Skin Treatment

UMMC lists boils, wounds and sores as skin maladies which may respond well to eucalyptus essential oil's antiseptic properties. Dilute 15 to 30 drops of the oil in a ½-cup of other carrier oil or vinegar, and rub or spritz onto the skin. This vinegar-eucalyptus solution may also have a cooling effect on people with fevers or sunburn, according to Rose.

Insect Repellant

Eucalyptus essential oil, along with clove, citronella and neem essential oil, may prove effective insect-fighting tools for people hoping to avoid using chemicals. Their period of effectiveness is significantly lower than chemicals such as DEET (N, N-Diethyl-Metatoluamide), however. Essential oils used as topical applications repel mosquitoes for only about 20 minutes, while DEET products protect for several hours, according the North Dakota State University. To combat this problem, reapply natural balms or oils containing eucalyptus oil--alone or combined with other essential oils--frequently, and consider a "layering" technique that involves bathing with eucalyptus oil soap and adding eucalyptus essential oil to indoor or outdoor candles.

Fainting Revival

In the absence of smelling salts, turn to eucalyptus oil to revive someone who has fainted. Sprinkle 1 to 2 drops eucalyptus oil onto a clean cloth and waft the scent under the nose of the unconscious patient, suggests UMMC.