20 Favorite Uses for Tea Tree Essential Oil

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Tea tree essential oil has a grounding wood aroma, reminiscent of the tree. The aroma is very cleansing and purifying. Tea tree essential oil has many great benefits and uses, including cleaning, and in your wellness cabinet too. Just make sure you use the real stuff…

What is Tea Tree Essential Oil and How Is It Made?

Tea tree comes from distilling the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia tree, native to Australia and France.

Tea tree is largely comprised of Terpinen-4-ol with a decent amount of Gamma-Terpinene constituents (the benefits of those would be worthwhile to Google, if you're into science), and is wonderful to use for many purposes!

1. ​Support healthy digestion
2. Support happy breathing
3. Soothe muscles and skin
4. Help build stronger nails

Historically, tea tree is used as a powerful oil for enhancing your immune system, helping your body fight for its optimal wellness.

** PLEASE NOTE ** Don't be fooled by clever marketing. Not all essential oils are created equally. Make sure you're not wasting your money on fake or altered essential oils (even if they're labeled as “pure essential oil”). Don't miss our explosive report outlining the dirty little secrets of the essential oil industry to ensure you're not wasting your money on brands of oils that legally mislead you through deceitful marketing practices.

Top 20 Member Favorite Uses for Tea Tree Essential Oil:

1. Purify the air in your home when diffusing
2. Add 2 drops each tea tree, lemon, and lime to your diffuser for a fresh air aroma
3. Apply topically (diluted) to your face to help support having clear, healthy skin
4. Add to your shampoo to support healthy hair and scalp
5. Mix with your favorite carrier oil to help remove bugs from your scalp
6. Make a spray with Tea Tree to help keep the bugs away while you're outside
7. Soothe your skin after being outside with the bugs by making a 10ml roller bottle with 3 drops each of tea tree, peppermint, and lavender oils diluted the rest of the way in a carrier oil
8. Add a few drops to your laundry to freshen your laundry (either with vinegar to your rinse cycle or on dryer balls)
9. Breathe happily while diffusing 2 drops each tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, and lemon essential oils
10. Combine 1oz witchazel with 10 drops each of tea tree, cedar wood, lavender, and orange essential oils in an 8oz glass spray bottle filled the rest of the way with distilled water for a lovely room spray
11. Combine 10 drops tea tree oil to 1/4 cup each of Castile soap and baking soda for a homemade cleaner
12. Make a nontoxic cleaner with 1 cup each of vinegar and hot water with 10 drops of tea tree essential oil
13. Add to your oil pulling routine to remove bad breath
14. Blend with your favorite carrier oil and apply to your nails to help improve nail health
15. Add a few drops to half a cup of baking soda to deodorize stinky shoes
16. Add a few drops to vinegar to use as a homemade cleaner (great for mildewy showers)
17. Enhance your favorite DIY deodorant recipe
18. Add a drop to your toothpaste to help enhance your toothpaste's cleaning abilities
19. Dilute and apply around small wounds to help support your body through healing
20. Add 5 drops per cup of vinegar, and use as a fruit and veggie spray or wash to clean your produce

Blending Tea Tree Essential Oil With Other Oils

Tea tree is a wonderful essential oil to use as a base for DIY blends. It blends especially well with:

• citrus oils
• cypress
• eucalyptus
• lavender
• rosemary
• thyme

Tips for Using Tea Tree Essential Oil Safely

Tea tree, just like all essential oils, is highly concentrated and should be used with care. There are three ways to use essential oils: aromatically, topically, and ingestion. I highly recommend checking out our series on using essential oils safely, or joining our 1-week FREE Introduction to Essential Oils Email Class for more information on safely using essential oils.

Safely Using Tea Tree Essential Oil Aromatically

You may diffuse tea tree alone or with other essential oils. When starting out, we recommend not diffusing more than 10-20 mins at a time, and starting slow with the number of drops of oil you use. You should only need 2-3 drops for a standard sized room (non vaulted ceilings). If you do well with it, you may increase the amount or time.

We use a high quality brand, so typically do not use more than 8 drops for our large vaulted ceiling living room. For our non-vaulted rooms, we tend to only use 4 drops.

Another way to use tea tree essential oil aromatically without diffusing is to drip 1-2 drops on your favorite diffusing jewelry. This can be any porous stone like lava, leather, or felt. We often use lava stone necklaces and bracelets, but also use diffusing lockets with a piece of felt inside. This usually lasts us 3-4 days each time we add an oil to it.

We do have a few posts that talk about safely diffusing I highly recommend:

• Diffusing essential oils safely
• Can diffusing essential oils make you feel light headed?
• Too much oil in your diffuser?

Safely Using Tea Tree Essential Oil Topically

Tea tree has many benefits to our skin and our bodies. To use this oil on your skin, please be sure to dilute. I suggest at the minimum 1:1 ratio with your favorite carrier oil. Though I typically recommend 1 drop essential oil per 1ml (1 TBS) of carrier oil.

My favorite carrier oils are: sweet almond oil, red raspberry seed oil, and grapeseed oil, though a carrier oil is any cold-pressed seed oil. You can use coconut, avocado, olive, jojoba, or anything seed-based that is cold pressed. I recommend against standard vegetable or canola oils because they are not healthy for our bodies the way they're processed.

Be sure to check out our other safety tips over at: 12 rules for using essential oils safely

Also, be sure you know for sure that where you're getting your essential oils from don't have something to hide. Using fake or questionably diluted essential oils by companies with something to hide won't provide you with the same benefits as the real stuff.

Can You Ingest Tea Tree Essential Oil Safely??

Ingesting essential oils is a highly controversial topic. If you're not comfortable with it, please don't feel you need to.

Yes, the FDA recognizes Tea Tree Essential Oil to be generally regarded as safe (GRAS). However… please make sure you're using a high quality essential oil before ingesting… AND make sure you're doing so safely.

I have more information over in our safety series you should check out: how to ingest essential oils safely.

Frequently Asked Questions about Tea Tree Essential Oil

What is the difference between tea tree oil and tea tree essential oil?

Often tea tree essential oil is referred to as tea tree essential oil. Also referred to as tea tree eo, melaleuca essential oil, melaleuca eo, and melaleuca oil… and sometimes referred to by its Latin name, melaleuca alternifolia essential oil.

Can you use Tea Tree Essential Oil On Your Face

Yes, you can. I highly recommend you dilute it first in a carrier oil like grapeseed oil (or your favorite carrier oil).

Can you use Tea Tree Essential Oil on your hair?

Yes. Tea Tree Essential Oil provides wonderful benefits to your hair and scalp's health. You can add a bottle to your shampoo bottle, or do single uses where you add a drop of the oil into the palm of your hand in the small pool of shampoo you're getting ready to use. Or you can add some to your favorite DIY hair serum recipe.

Is Tea Tree Essential Oil safe for pets?

If your pet is a cat… NO. Do NOT use Tea Tree on your cat… use a hydrofoil instead.

Tea Tree has many documented uses that may benefit your dog or horse. There are also many documented reports of UNDILUTED tea tree not being good for animals.

My consensus: use in moderation, beware of purity, and pay attention to your pet.

PLEASE ensure you're using a high quality tea tree essential oil… fakes or solvents may provide poor health responses. How do you know whether your oil is high quality? Know your farmer, how the tea tree was made, the process for bottling, and the company's overall ethics and transparency. I have some tips to check out too about finding quality essential oils.

If you're going to diffuse with Tea Tree, be sure to allow your pet to be able to leave the room and the room is well ventilated. Animals know what they need and when they've had enough. As mentioned earlier, think: “less is more.” Start slow, see how your pet responds, and stop your diffuser if your pet is acting strange…. specifically:

• increased salivation or drooling
• depression
• lethargy
• muscle weakness
• muscle tremors
• lack of coordination

Only use topically on your pet after you know for sure that they are ok with the oil. When using topically, be sure to dilute with a carrier oil so the tea tree essential oil is approximately 0.5-1% intensity (basically taking a 15ml bottle and adding 1-2 drops essential oil, and filling it up the rest of the way with your favorite carrier oil. Adding a dropper top helps to be able to use it easier than the drip orface or roller top.

Tea tree has been known for helping to kill off fleas,

Have a question about Tea Tree Essential Oil?

Be sure to fill out this form to have your specific question answered.

How Much Does Tea Tree Essential Oil Cost?

This really depends on the quality you're buying. For a quality tea tree essential oil, I'd expect to pay $25-30 per 15ml.

Let's face the cold hard facts. I'm an analyst. I was specifically trained by the US Navy to analyze and interpret information. And having been homeless, jobless, and on a very small fixed income for many years ($974 usd per month) I am very sensitive to expenses and long-term costs.

What I've found: more often than not, it is cheaper in the long run to invest in the higher quality products that will last longer. My oils are no different.

Yes, there is a LOT of controversy in the essential oil world with regards to superior brands, but based on my own personal experience, two brands performed incomparably better than the others… and I tried more than I can count. Those two brands: Oshadhi and Young Living.

DO NOT Purchase Tea Tree Essential Oil From Amazon

Yes, you can find items labeled as tea tree essential oil on Amazon for much cheaper, maybe even 1/2 to 1/3 of the price of the quality stuff… but I have a major problem with common practices on Amazon, and I have a major problem with inferior, fake, and pre-diluted essential oils being labeled as 100% pure therapeutic grade… and whatever xyz companies add for their marketing campaigns.

And this says a lot because my family is always buying items on Amazon… and I make commissions from Amazon sales, and even have a few items for sale on Amazon.

It is common practice for dishonest people to pose as companies on Amazon, providing an inferior or fake product using a company's bottle and label, swapping out its contents, and putting on a new bottle top to sell. This can be dangerous as you don't know what is in the bottle. It could be part essential oil… it could be all synthetic. Check out my post about finding quality essential oils for more information and what to look out for.

Where we buy tea tree essential oil

Initially, I purchased my essential oils from Oshadhi retailers, back before Oshadhi provided online shopping services. This was a difficult task, finding retailers local to me who sold that brand, especially after moving. In 2013 I switched to Young Living because they were much easier to purchase from (being able to order online and have my oils delivered), and often the prices are a bit cheaper too.

Both brands provide a high quality oil from plants that are grown as they typically do in the wild… meaning no additives, no harmful sprays, and using sustainable farming techniques ensuring proper care of the soil. They also do not dilute their oils with solvents or anything else, and ensure only the oils that pass their quality standards are available for sale. The rest are composted.

I spent over a year comparing numerous brands and found these two to be the only oils my family will use because of how well they work for us. We found we spent less on Young Living's oils than any other brand because we could use less to achieve the same effects in all areas of use. It doesn't make much sense to me to purchase cheaper oils if we will need to use more of the oil for the same effect, and in turn replace the bottles more often… essentially spending more.

Young Living products containing Tea Tree essential oil include:

• Animal Scents Ointment
• AromaGuard Meadow Mist Mist Deodorant
• ClaraDerm Spray
• Essential Beauty Serum (especially beneficial for acne prone skin)
• Melaleuca-Geranium moisturizing soap
• Melrose Essential Oil Blend
• ParaFree supplement (for helping cleanse parasites)
• Purification Essential Oil Blend
• Rehemogen lotion
• Rose Ointment

Related Posts:

• DIY Towel Refresher To Restore Smelly Flat Towels
• DIY Summer Pedicure
• Chapped, Dry Skin? Try This!
• DIY Geranium Face Mask
• More posts Containing Tea Tree Essential Oil

Looking for more info about essential oils and adopting a healthier lifestyle? Be sure to check out our Healthy Home online course for tips on how to identify and replace common harmful products from your home.

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