Today while I was weedeating (notice how casually I slipped that in, as if I do this regularly? Did I fool you?), I noticed a familiar scent. The scrubby little weeds that had popped up all over our rocky yard were lavender! Our only other experience with lavender until now has been the delicious lavender lemonade served to us when we visited Samantha’s lavender/blackberry farm last year.
When I was done weedeating, I uprooted a small specimen and brought it in excitedly to show the kids.
Of course we got right online to confirm my discovery and find uses for it. We also remembered the bottle of lavender essential oil that we inherited when my sister moved into an apartment in town.
After exploring the many uses for lavender oil, we moved on to eucalyptus oil which Perry likes to use as an insect repellent. Then we checked out tea tree oil just because we have some, and orange, peppermint and cinnamon oil because I’d love an excuse to buy some.
I was amazed at the variety of uses for these, which brings me to my question: do you use essential oils? What are your favorites, and what do you do with them? How do you use them?
I use orange and cinnamon in a candle warmer. Makes the entire house smell heavenly!
I use lavender and camomile on my washable baby wipes. And I put tea tree on a cloth in the dirty nappy bin to make it smell nice. Tree tree oil is also great to put on spots.
Ah!! A favorite topic of mine!! Tea tree oil can be added to your homemade cleaning solution (one part vinegar/one part water) for an extra antibacterial punch. I like to add some eucalyptus oil to my vacuum cleaner tank, which not only kills dust mites, but adds a pleasant aromatic effect, too! I love to put 15 or 20 drops of lavender oil into my own bathwater for a relaxing bath at the end of my day with these seven boys!! I’ve been known to use rosemary and eucalyptus too!! I add several drops of clove oil to my olive oil dust rag and the whole living room smells like fall in an instant!! I could go on and on!
Have fun!
I like to make homemade perfumes.
I mixed up a scent for my husband with patchouli (base notes), Ylang ylang (heart note), orange oil (top note) and I used Jojoba as the carrier old. And he loves it!–he’s actually asked me to mix him up some more (and normally he doesn’t wear any type of fragrance.)
) I don’t remember the exact number of drops that I used, but the normal amount for an eau de pafum is10 to 12 drops of essential oild per 10 milliliters of carrier oil.
Usually people refer to all “men’s” or even “uni-sex” scents as cologne, but due to the percentage of aromatic compounds, the one I mixed for him really is Eau de Parfum (he still refers to is as “cologne” though
I suppose you could use less essential oils to make a cologne…
I just started adding Eucalyptus to our laundry for an insect repellent. Peppermint is also good to add to homemade cleaning solutions. During cold season you can diffuse it around the house to help kill germs in the air.
Wow, I’d be delighted to find lavender popping up in my yard. I put a few drops of lavender in the coconut oil I use for my kids’ “Rub-a-Dub”. That’s what we use for lotion, rather than commercial products.
I rub lavender on their chest if they can’t sleep… eucalyptus under their nose and on their chest if they’re stuffy.
We use the lavender and eucalyptus together – a few drops- on flannel rags for dusting. I will also use lemon oil for this when I get around to buying some.
I put tea tree oil in my mop water, along with a little borax.
Tea tree oil also goes in the wash with my husband’s laundry if it’s extra smelly (read: Texas in the summer)
And in the wash with diapers.
Lavender oil goes in our wipe solution… and sometimes in a relaxing bath.
I use peppermint oil on my temples to relieve a headache and smelling peppermint also helps alleviate nausea…
Sorry you asked?
The lavender growing in your yard can be dried and used as an herb in cooking. I’ve seen it in herbes de provence mixes I’ve purchased. Try mixing it with some of your other favorite herbs using it to season a roasted chicken. I’m jealous of your “weeds.”
Peppermint oil repels rodents! Put some on a cotton ball and place where ever you have an infestation.
I use lavender oil to make the itch from bug bites go away. A cottonbud soaked in it, dabbed on the bites, and away goes the itch!
And I can’t remember if its eucalypt or tea-tree oil, but one of them is good for removing the sticky gunge left by bandaids/tape/labels.
We keep tea tree oil in bulk around here. I use it on bug bites as it really takes away the itch. Also, ear infections, ringworm, diaper rashes, cuts, scrapes, etc. It’s my go-to essential oil.
Essential oils….a topic near and dear to my heart. Here are my personal uses.
Lavender is my #1 oil – it is good for almost anything. Nausea, headache, general relaxation, cramps, whatever. I rub it on the spots that distribute it through your body the fastest – bottom of feet and stomach.
Eucalyptus – Good to either unclog sinuses or fight off a cold the moment you feel it coming. I simmer it on the stove, put it in a vaporizer, rub it on the back of my tongue, put it on the bottom of my feet, on my temples, on my chest, or under my nose.
Orange – Good to lift spirits. Also nice put in a toilet bowl to very temporarily freshen things.
Cloves – Numbs and fights infection. Used on toothaches or sore teeth/gums caused by braces. Also can be used straight or diluted with oil / rubbing alcohol to create effective, chemical-free insect repellent. I’m a mosquito magnet and I sat outside at a reunion swarmed by mosquitoes, with no bites. I just made everyone else hungry, smelling like fresh baked goodies.
Tea Tree – This is great for dandruff, just rub it into the scalp. Also it kills germs in the air so I simmer it on the stove when someone is sick. TMI but it’s great for yeast infections too. Very tingly at first but fights the problem and soothes the itching.
Those are my favorites. My parents had a whole selection growing up so I’ve used many others, and I know people who use other ones, but I tend to stick to these ones. They meet my needs.
Um…soap, lotions, lip balms, etc…
I use:
tea tree and lavender in my baby wipe solution
clove oil diluted in olive oil to help numb my baby’s teething gums (1 drop clove oil to 1 teaspoon olive oil, and then just use a little bit on your finger tip)
lemon as a cleaning booster – add a few drops to vinegar and water in a spray bottle
peppermint for headaches – rub a drop or two on your temple, and if it is too strong, rub olive oil or coconut oil on top of it
tea tree, lavender, and peppermint in my homemade deodorant concoction
peppermint and lemon to flavor my awesome lemon-mint cupcakes
tea tree to get rid of athletes foot
Cherish, I’m a mosquito magnet, too. Tell me more about how you put together your clove cure!!!
Good to see all the ideas! I am going to have to write some of these down.
Right now I only use tea tree oil. We use it for so many things:
-Cuts and scraps
-Great on burns!
-We put it in our shampoo to keep lice away. Also helps with dandruff and itchy scalp.
-Laundry…especially when I accidently leave clothes in the washer too long. I just do a rinse with a couple drops and the clothes are a good as new.
-I have some tea tree oil gel and I use it on my earings before I use them. Keeps my ears from burning.
- Baths, especially if a child has a rash
-For cloth diapers in the wash.
-I put it in all my cleaning solutions
-On my heals to help the cracking in the summer time.
I could go on…..but that is what I use for the majority.
Thank you everyone for the great ideas!
I use Young Living Essential Oils –
I use them for first aid, sickness, fragrance in the home, muscle aches, cleaning, cooking, etc. Basically, anything you can think of.
My favorites are lemon, lavender, thieves, peppermint, and valor.
Love your blog!
I have always wanted to use oils. Alas my hubby looks at the price and runs away screaming, I’m guessing that’s a no.
I have read up on them though and I did notice that some of them like eucalyptus need a carrier oil when used on the skin, cause it can burn. I have used Tea Tree oil on the skin and it’s great for healing. I buy cleaners from Melaleuca and they use Tea tree oil and Thyme for cleaners. Love the spicy smells! mmmm.
Rose oil, according to a midwife, is good for efficient labour…
By the way, did you know Tea-tree and Eucalyptus oils are poisonous? Keep them out of reach of anyone little enough to try drinking them
Jean
My number one oil I use is Peppermint oil. I use it to keep the mice out of my house. When we moved to this house, it had mice and I fought them every winter. We would get some with traps, but had to end up putting out bait stations. Then they would die in my walls and stink. Someone told me to put peppermint essential oil on cotton balls and throw in the corners or anywhere there was a lot of mouse activity. We have been mice free for the last 3 winters. I put out the first round of them in late August to discourage them from coming in. Then I renew it around Christmas. Works wonderfully!!!
I also like to put a few drops of rosemary oil on my dust rag. It helps pick up the dust, but it smells so clean when you are done.
I use tea tree oil in lots of things. My brain is still sleeping this morning, so that is all I can think of. Oh, I do make soap and use different oils in that.
I always keep lavender, peppermint and tea tree oils. I use lavender in the bath water at times…or just open and take a deep whiff when I am stressed. During my last two labors I doused a cloth with it and kept it on my chest so that I could smell it. My nurses and doctors appreciated it as well!!
Peppermint is great for headaches and stuffy noses. Some of my children suffer from migraines and we put a drop or two on a cool damp washcloth and put on their foreheads for relief.
Tea tree oil!! Love it!! I love the smell, but it is great for taking the itch out of bug bites. I would like to explore more uses for this and will probably start adding it to my homemade laundry detergent.
Thanks for this! I learned so many other tips from the comments above.
Wow – lavender growing in your yard! Sigh…I’m sure you’ve already looked up sachets… I used to put dried lavender in with my homemade rice sock to heat in the microwave and put on my back during labor. I could.not.manage.labor.without.it!
Be sure to do your research, because I’ve also read that ingesting essential oils is dangerous, and they should only be put on your skin if they are mixed in a carrier oil – such as olive, sweet almond, etc. I know that tea tree is an exception to this, I’m not sure about others.
But wait, you asked about essential oils. Lavender is my all-time favorite! My midwife used it in the crockpot of hot water and washcloths along with other oils, used for placing warm cloths on my perineum during pushing. I put a few drops into an unscented lotion I had, and would rub it on before nap and bedtime for me, to relax and calm me. My dentist has essential oils at the office – they put a few drops on the “bib” I wear – I always choose lavender because I really need to relax there!
When my kids are coming down with a virus, they enjoy getting a “sick bath” to make sure all their pores are open so they’ll be able to sweat freely, if necessary. Lavender calms them, and tea tree oil invigorates the skin.
When I used to make my own laundry soap, I put tea tree oil in it for its antiseptic qualities.
I’ve used clove oil (in a Red Cross toothache kit) to self-treat dry socket after a tooth extraction. I soaked the little cotton bud with the clove oil, and used the bent tweezers to pack it in – the pain was gone INSTANTLY.
I just bought peppermint oil because I heard it’s good for headaches – although we just usually make a cup of peppermint tea for that purpose.
Cinnamon oil deters ants – and, um, burns them if you put it on them directly. heh heh Caution! We were at someone’s house and suddenly my 3yo came out of the bathroom saying, “It stings!” There were some little scent sticks sticking out of a jar of cinnamon oil in the bathroom. My daughter thought it was perfume, and got it all over her hands and face – we rinsed it and washed it right away, but she was pretty red for awhile…
I would LOVE to get an entire array of essential oils – but these are the ones I have on hand and use regularly. I believe most essential oils come with safety caps on them, but I still keep mine in an upper cupboard. Also be aware of anyone that has allergies to scents. Even though essential oils are natural – they are powerful.
Please be careful with the lavender and tea tree oil- these are endocrine disruptors and may lead to the development of breasts in boys:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article1313072.ece
It’s preliminary research, but it’s probably easier to just avoid it.
I’m sure that the occasional lavender lemonade or the odd lavender cupcake won’t hurt anybody, but prolonged daily use of lavender or tea tree essential oils (as in baby wipes or balms) may cause problems you’d rather avoid with your sons.
Peppermint oil for headaches and morning sickness–I keep a soaked cotton ball in a tiny Tupperware
Tea Tree oil for jock itch (his not mine
and bumpy irritated underarms
Lemon oil in unscented lotion
Lavender oil to help babies settle, a drop on their blanky usually does the trick
I can’t wait to try some I have read in the comments like the vacuum and the boiling water.
Thanks KC!
In the warm weather months I use lemongrass and eucaplyptus oil to scent my homemade cleaners, fabric freshners and laundry soap. The scents are summery and repel insects. I also dilute these same oils in a misting bottle and use as bug repellant for the skin.
In cold months I find I sent everything with cinnamon and pine oils because it makes the house smell festive (I love that cozy Christmas feeling).
For pregnancy and labor nausea, I find a little rose or patchouli oil on a soft handkerchief to be very soothing.
I use small amount of tea tree oil to disinfect my diaper pail and in the rinse cycle when I wash my cloth diapers. As previously stated, tea tree oil (and lavender) should be used sparingly around male children.
Clove oil mixed with olive oil works great to soothe a teething baby’s gums, but mix the clove oil very sparingly or it will burn rather than soothe.
Regarding price, essential oils can be pricey but also can be used sparingly. We must keep in mind that we are to be good stewards of the earth and a little essential oil spritzed on the sofa is much gentler than a load of synthetic Febreeze. A small investment in earth friendly products now will prevent costly environmental pollution in the future.
Great topic! I’ve never used oils, but it sounds like so much fun! Now I can’t wait to vaccuum my carpet!
I’ve seen some oils at Walmart in the craft/floral section. Is that what I should get or do I need to order them somewhere? Any reccommendations for websites to order them….since we aren’t all so blessed as to have them growing in our backyard?
Lavender for childbirth, teething, insomnia, mood elevation, homemade baby wipe liquid, massage
Peppermint for morning sickness, repelling ants, energy
Joyful Spirit combination for mood balancing
Tea tree for boo-boos, house cleaning
to name a few
We use lavender oil for burns – if applied quickly it keeps the skin from scarring. We use tea tree oil in the laundry with soiled kitchen rags and towels – it disinfects and smells good – 3-4 drops per load. I also make soap with combinations of essential oils. My favorite book on uses of Aromatherapy is “Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy” by Valerie Ann Worwood.
KarenE: I combined rubbing alcohol and clove oil. It should be approximately a 20:1 or 10:1 ratio, depending which instructions you look at.
I think I did 20:1. We just put it in an old water bottle (not the best idea though, we were worried someone might try to drink it), shook it up, and used cotton balls to apply it every few hours.
I second what others have said:
1. Some oils should not be ingested, always double-check.
2. Although good quality oils aren’t cheap, they are used sparingly and they replace more traditional medicinal items, so you save on those purchases.
Cool post. i have use EO more than I have used herbs in our health care. In fact, i love oils so much that I became a distributor for the oils that I prefer so I can get them wholesale. My favorite is a blend called Thieves. I use this as a cleaner, hand cleanser, as a well a medicinally. The great thing about EO is that you can use them even on little ones. I have an oil that is called Peace & Calming. I use this with children having tantrums. I’ve even been able to use it on my back where I am having issues with a pinched nerve (not to mention all the mints that I have used to sooth the numb muscles an ligaments in my arm.) I also diffuse oils in rooms when I have sick children. EO can cost alot of money but I have looked at what I have spent for oils versus going to the dr and I have saved a tone. Even my Pedi is behind my use of the EO for health. I just love them.
Thanks for sharing all the great ideas above. I am going to add these to my arsenal.
I’ve never seen lavender like that. Is it a creeping variety?
I’ve been reading the replies, and what catches my eye is that nobody talks about *consuming* essential oils. I can understand that – most oils are not 100% absolutely pure. The FDA allows only 10% of the actual oil to be in the container to be labeled “100% Pure”.
If you really want 100% absolutely pure oils, you need something that’s marked “Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade” or CPTG. Because the are truly pure, you can safely take the oils internally.
My midwife directed me to such brand, called doTERRA. I had such positive results that I signed up for a wholesale account. Since I’m on the AutoShip Rewards program, I need to buy $50 of oils every month to get the rewards. This isn’t a cheap oil, but you do get what you pay for! They also avoid high heat and chemical extractions of the oil.
Here’s some of the ways I use the doTERRA oils:
-lemon oil, my favorite for flavoring my water. Just put in a few drops and drink. Another perk is that it’s been increasing my appetite and help my breastfeeding supply.
-lavender oil, I’ll use as a perfume, a drop in my baby’s bath water and on his feet to help him going to sleep. Did you know that the biggest pores in the body are on the feet?
-Frankincense, I’ve used this to get rid of an ingrown infection on my finger. Within seconds of applying it on, I can feel relief and less tenderness. This oil can be absorbed in the bloodstream in less than 4 seconds. Kinda scary if you think about it – what could the chemically extracted and less then 100% CPTG oils could be doing to your skin?
-peppermint, I was using it in my water to give it a refreshingly cool taste, but then I read that it’s also used to cut down the milk supply in moms. Nix that.
doTERRA also has some oil blends. They just mix several oils together for certain benefits:
-DigestZen, to help with reflux, gas, bloating or other tummy upsets. The first time I used it was on my baby for some bad gas and within 15 minutes he burped 3 times and wasn’t crying for the rest of the night. Definitely saves on my sanity!
-OnGuard, mmm… this blend smells so good! Something like between spicy tea and Christmas. I put it on my baby everyday. It’s purpose is to help prevent catching other germs and sicknesses. Very important to me, since my husband is exposed to 200 students everyday.
-Slim & Sassy, a metabolic blend. Put it in your water and it’ll cut down your appetite. I had to quit using it because it was causing me to go 4-6 hours without any desire to eat. Again, not good when you’re directly feeding a little one.
Let me tell you how my midwife used the doTERRA oils in my labor and birth.
-peppermint was used to cut back my nausea. I just had to say “I’m going to be sick” and they were shoving the bottle under my nose and instantly the feeling would go away. I only threw up twice during the labor, instead of several times it might have been.
-helichrysum. That’s one pricey bottle of oil, but it’s basically a tissue regeneration oil. My midwife diluted it with coconut oil and rubbed it around me just before crowning. I only tore the slightest bit, and it didn’t even need a stitch. A huge blessing compare to my mom who had to endure over 70 stitches when I was born.
-Frankincense, the midwife rubbed it over my baby’s head after he was cleaned up. Same oil that was given to baby Jesus.
-myrrh, on my baby’s cord to prevent infection and promote healing.
-Balance, another blend, on my baby’s feet. Help him relax and adjust to life outside of the womb.
In the past year, I’ve really felt lead to take control of my family and my health into our own hands. To not rely on doctors and OTC medicines. To be proactive about the good health we already have – wholesome foods, exercise and natural remedies.
Anyhow, if you’re more interested in the doTERRA brand, here’s my link: http://www.mydoterra.com/sunflowersinthegarden/ I haven’t even touched 1/3rd of the oils they sell, but I wanted to share what I’ve directly have had experience with.
@Kimarie – if your child gets into a strong oil, just dilute it with coconut oil or such. Water just makes it worse. I would just put a little coconut oil on, rub it around, wipe it off, more oil, wipe it off until your little one isn’t complaining of pain.
It’s good to know the skin sensitivity of oils. There’s Neat (straight on the skin), Sensitive (dilute for sensitive and young skin) and then Dilution needed for any skin contact. The strong oils are Cassia, Cinnamon, Clove, Oregano, and Thyme.
We use Young LIving Oils. We can’t survive without Thieves, RC. Lavendar, Valor and Deep Relief. We use many other oils. Equal amounts of lavendar and peppermint for asthma. Di-Gize for tummy issues, peppermint for pain. My daughter has had many health issues and found great benefits in oils. Kidney issues, water retention issues, etc. Oils are so amazing! Purification, Citrus Fresh, lemon are great for diffusing to clean the germs out of the air. RC or Thieves for diffusing when you have colds or illness. Pan-Away works great behind your ears when you have an earache.
I’ve been fascinated reading all the different uses of the various essential oils. I’m just starting to get into using them regularly for myself and my little family and am looking forward to trying some of the uses mentioned here.
One thing that I use clove oil for is deodorizing. We use cloth diapers and the dirty ones get put in a fabric bag inside a plastic lidded trash can. In order to cut down on the smell, I sprinkled some baking soda in the bottom of the can and then sprinkled a couple drops of clove oil on top of that. Then I soaked a tissue with the oil and taped it to the inside of the lid…and voila! no more stink issues. Any oil can be used this way…tea tree probably would have been better, except that my husband isn’t a huge fan of the scent and the diaper pail is in our bedroom.
I also second the use of HIGHLY diluted clove oil on teething baby’s gums…it works great! My little seven-month-old, who has had a horrible time with teething, gets super excited whenever he sees me dip my finger in the oil.
And to answer Jill Gaspard’s question…no, the oils in the craft section of WalMart are definitely not what you want to be using!
If we’re thinking of the same thing, those are scented oils and are not to be used topically and/or taken internally. And, they most probably are not at all natural. I hope that helps! 
Please be careful with your new find. Lavender isn’t native to Texas. I think what you have is one of our Verbena species. If you like the smell, by all means use it, but I wouldn’t use it for anything edible.
I use a bunch of different kinds of oil. But Lavender, Thieves, Tea-Tree, Peppermint, Arnica, and Lemon oils are some favorite.
I use:
Lavender for cuts, sunburns, and the like.
Thieves for virus/illness of any kind.
Tea-Tree for congestion and skin infections.
Peppermint for cramps, and nausea.
Arinca for any soft tissue damage (bruising, swelling, sprains, etc.)
Lemon for bad smells!
Tea tree oil is great for pimples. Especially the deep ones. Put it directly on at the first sign and it keeps them from getting bad. I also add it to my bath toward the end of pregnancy and I really believe it’s kept me from being GBS positive which is a problem with home births
(I was positive with two of my three hospital births.)
We also used it to completely eradicate a horrible, huge wart my son had on his hand! We’ve done apple cider vinegar before (which does work but is extremely wet and smelly.)
Lavendar is great for relaxing. I’m definitely bookmarking these comments for later!
You can also boil the various ones that are good for cleansing, respiratory stuff,, etc in the winter to help with health, immunity, germ killing, sinus issues, ,etc.
I second Monique…I know this is late now, but I have never seen a lavender that looks like this–all the lavender I know has gray-green leaves with stems that are bare for several inches before becoming a cluster of little lavender buds that will sometimes have blossoms and other times not (depending on the time of year.) It has a VERY distinctive smell.
Not being a native of Texas I am not familiar with your “weeds” and wild/native plants, so have no suggestions as to what it might be, but it’s not lavender.
Hope you figure out what it is!
I use essential oils much like the rest of the commenters–as deodorizers, disinfectants, laundry additives (actually found that tea tree and lavender oil mixed together with water are VERY effective at removing certain stains, though the stains they removed were not identifiable, so I can’t give any more information
. My favorite use for them is actually first aid. I did an experiment in Microbiology and found that Tea Tree and Lavender are both VERY effective against certain common disease-causing bacteria, such as staph and E. coli. I have used a soak of hot water with a few drops of lavender oil to clear up a nasty infection in my toe, and Tea Tree is a very effective anti-fungal. I always have a bottle of tea tree or lavender oil when I go hiking or backpacking in case of injury.
Tea tree oil has been used by some good friends of mine (in combination with fervent prayer, of course) to heal a serious burn, and I have heard of others doing the same. The burn healed beautifully and without a scar.
Hope this is still relevant!
Alice
Alice,
Thanks for your input. I may be wrong, but in researching it online, I think I did come across some lower-growing varieties of lavender. On the plants in our yard, the leaves, color, flowers and scent were right; it was mainly the overall shape of the plant that was non-typical. We live in a semi-dessert climate (hill country of south Texas) so plants often look smaller and scrubbier than their more lush northern cousins.