How to Use Eucalyptus Oil

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 23, 2021 References

Eucalyptus oil smells delightful and has many handy uses. You can use it on your body to perfume your bath, nourish your hair, and repel mosquitoes. You can also use eucalyptus oil to soothe congestion by breathing in eucalyptus-scented steam. Whatever the use, you’ll enjoy eucalyptus oil’s fresh, bright aroma.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Eucalyptus Oil on Your Body

1
Sprinkle a few drops of eucalyptus oil into your bath or shower. If you’re taking a bath, just run the water and place a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil into the bathtub once you are ready to get in. If you’re taking a shower, drop a few drops of eucalyptus oil onto the floor of the shower. The eucalyptus oil will perfume the steam.^{[1]
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- Eucalyptus oil makes a soothing, fresh smell, and will lightly perfume your skin and hair.
2
Nourish hair with a mixture of eucalyptus oil and a carrier oil. Combine 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of eucalyptus essential oil with 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of coconut or olive oil, which will act as a carrier oil to dilute and hold the essential oil. Gently massage the mixture into your scalp and hair and let it sit for an hour. Then take a shower and wash it out with shampoo and conditioner.
- The combination of eucalyptus oil and a carrier oil will help moisturize and nourish brittle, dry, or dull hair.
- The extra moisture can be helpful to rehydrate a dry scalp and prevent itching and flaking.
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3
Use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus to repel mosquitoes. You can buy repellents that contain oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or you can add some of the oil to a carrier oil, like coconut oil, and smear it on your skin. Don’t put undiluted oil of lemon eucalyptus on your skin.^{[2]
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- Lemon eucalyptus oil is not as strong a repellent as DEET, but is a good natural alternative.
4
Avoid putting undiluted eucalyptus oil on your skin. Plain eucalyptus oil can irritate and burn your skin. Instead, combine it with a carrier oil, like olive oil or coconut oil, before you put it on your skin or hair.^{[3]
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- You can also buy lotions, creams, and even toothpastes, that have a bit of eucalyptus oil mixed into them. These are safe to use, because the eucalyptus oil is diluted.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Soothing Congestion with Eucalyptus Steam

1
Bring a kettle of water to boil. You want the water to come to a rolling boil, so that it will emit a lot of steam. You’ll inhale the steam to help clear congestion.^{[4]
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- You can boil water on the stove or use an electric kettle.
- If you don’t have a kettle, just boil the water in a saucepan or pot.
2
Pour the water into a bowl and put in a few drops of eucalyptus oil. 2-5 drops of eucalyptus oil is generally enough to perfume the water. Adding eucalyptus oil gives the steam a fresh, sinus-opening scent, and makes it especially soothing.^{[5]
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- Smell the steam and keep adding drops until it has the right potency for you.
3
Lean over the bowl of water with a towel draped over your head. Drape the towel so that it hits the table, making a cocoon over you and the bowl. The towel will trap in the delicious eucalyptus-scented steam. ^{[6]
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- Some people recommend inhaling steam over a boiling pot of water on the stove, but that is less safe, because you would be leaning over a hot burner.
4
Breathe deeply to inhale the eucalyptus-scented steam. Keep breathing in and out for a few minutes, until you can breathe through your nose. You should feel your sinuses clearing from the steam.^{[7]
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- The eucalyptus oil will give you a cool, bright sensation, similar to eating mint. This is very soothing for head colds.
- Repeat this process once a day for the duration of your head cold for congestion relief.

Warnings

Eucalyptus oil is toxic if you drink it, and can cause seizures.^{[8]
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U.S. National Capital Poison Center
Independent poison control center providing resources to prevent poisonings and save lives
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Keep your eucalyptus oil away from young children and pets. They have small bodies that are more vulnerable to getting poisoned from ingesting small amounts.

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If somebody swallows eucalyptus oil, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. The staff at Poison Control will tell you what to do.

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