12 Reasons Why Citronella Essential Oil Belongs In Every Household

Most people are familiar with citronella essential oil because of its amazing ability to repel mosquitoes. During the hot summer months, the relaxing lemony scent of citronella seems to be everywhere. In fact, citronella essential oil is capable of so much more than keeping annoying mosquitoes away in the summertime. This essential oil is packed with impressive health benefits.

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1. Get Quick Relief from Crippling Menstrual Cramps

Most women are familiar with the dreaded sensation of menstrual cramps during that time of the month. Menstrual cramps are caused by the contraction of the uterine muscles. These muscles violently contract in order to expel the uterine lining during a woman’s monthly period.

While some women only experience minor cramping during this time, other women experience cramps that are so severe that they are bedridden for several days. In fact, menstrual cramps can be so severe that a woman may faint or vomit.

There are over-the-counter medications specifically designed for the pains related to menstruation. The most popular of these over-the-counter medications combine potent anti-inflammatory agents with caffeine. As a stimulant, caffeine opens up the blood vessels to stimulate blood flow to the muscles. Unfortunately, caffeine can also cause unwanted side effects. This is especially true for women who have a low tolerance for caffeine. As a result of taking these popular medications, women may experience anxiety, hypertension, increased heart rate and hyperactivity. Needless to say, these symptoms are quite unwelcome by a woman who is already experiencing common PMS symptoms.

As an antispasmodic, citronella essential oil can tone down the contractions that occur within the uterine muscles during a woman’s monthly period. By simply applying citronella oil onto the skin of the lower abdomen, a woman can achieve fast relief from painful menstrual cramps (source).

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The Cramp-Reducing Topical Application for an Easy Period

1. Remove your citronella essential oil bottle’s cap by unscrewing it. Put its cap to the side.
2. Thoroughly clean out an empty plastic 20oz squeeze bottle. To kill any possible bacteria inside of the bottle, use hot, soapy water. Allow it to dry.
3. Pick up the citronella essential oil bottle in one hand and hold it right above the mouth of the squeeze bottle in an upside-down position. Shake it up and down, pouring about 40 citronella essential oil bottle drops through the mouth of the bottle. Screw the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap back on and set it aside.
4. Remove the cap of a bottle of carrier oil by unscrewing it. A carrier oil that spreads easily on the skin is important. Select a carrier oil with a thinner consistency. Examples are coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil.
5. Hold the carrier oil bottle in a tilted position and put the bottle’s mouth against the mouth of the squeeze bottle. Pour the carrier oil directly into the squeeze bottle until the squeeze bottle is completely filled with carrier oil. A funnel may make pouring easier.
6. Place the cap back onto the 20oz squeeze bottle by screwing it on tightly. Pick up the squeeze bottle and shake it for 50 seconds to ensure that the citronella essential oil and the carrier oil are well-combined.
7. When you are experiencing menstrual cramps, squeeze out enough of the citronella essential oil mixture to coat one palm. Then, after rubbing your palms together to coat both palms evenly with oil, massage the lower abdomen area for 60 seconds in clockwise circular motions. You may do this several times each day.

2. Treat a Bacterial Infection Like Nothing Else

Many doctors will prescribe a patient powerful antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection. Although few things knock out a bacterial infection more effectively than pharmaceutical antibiotics, that doesn’t necessarily mean that these drugs are safe. Many doctors don’t warn their patients about the numerous side effects associated with popular antibiotic medications (source).

Additionally, taking antibiotics too frequently leads to problems as well. For one thing, overuse of antibiotic drugs can cause a person to develop a tolerance. When this happens, bacteria in the body is unaffected by antibiotic drugs, leaving a person at serious risk of getting severely ill (source).

Another problem associated with overuse of antibiotics is that these drugs can lead to serious yeast infections within the body. Our bodies maintain a delicate balance of bacteria that keeps our various systems functioning properly. When the body takes in too many antibiotics, that balance is thrown off. As a result, the body becomes an environment in which yeast can thrive. A serious yeast infection inside of the body can become severe and even deadly (source).

Because of the dangers associated with relying heavily on antibiotic drugs, many people turn to natural antibacterial agents in order to treat bacterial infections. Citronella essential oil is especially effective when it comes to ridding the body of a bacterial infection. One study compared the oil’s antibacterial properties with that of popular prescription antibiotic drugs. According to the study, citronella essential oil is just as effective at killing bacterial infections within the body (source).

The Topical Application Method for External Bacterial Infections

1. Place a small bowl onto your kitchen’s countertop. Take out a measuring cup that measures one cup of liquid.
2. Unscrew the cap off of a carrier oil bottle. For this type of application, any carrier oil will work. Examples of good carrier oils are jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil and castor oil.
3. Pick up the carrier oil bottle in one hand and tilt it at an angle so that the carrier oil bottle’s spout is leaning above the measuring cup. Into the measuring cup, pour the carrier oil until the measuring cup is completely filled. Place the cap back onto the carrier oil bottle.
4. Pour the carrier oil that you have measured out directly into the small bowl.
5. After removing a citronella essential oil bottle’s cap, hold the bottle above the small bowl containing the carrier oil and tilt it slightly. The citronella essential oil bottle’s spout should be facing the oil inside of the bowl.
6. With one of your fingers, tap the citronella oil bottle and allow five drops to fall directly into the carrier oil that’s inside of the bowl.
7. Stir the citronella essential oil into the carrier oil with a fork or a whisk. Do this for about 15 seconds.
8. Grab a piece of cloth that is several inches long. Completely submerge it in the oil mixture that’s inside of the bowl. Allow the cloth to soak up the oil mixture for 20 seconds.
9. Remove the cloth from the bowl and give it a quick squeeze to remove any excess oil.
10. Hold the oil-soaked cloth against an external bacterial infection for ten minutes. You may use this cloth method several times each day until the bacterial infection has cleared up completely.

The Bacteria-Fighting Oral Method for Fighting Illnesses

1. Grab a water glass and hold it directly under your sink’s faucet. Turn the faucet on to fill this glass to the top with water. Then, place the glass of water down on a counter.
2. After taking off the citronella essential oil bottle’s lid, angle the bottle above the opening of the water glass, making sure that the citronella oil bottle’s top is a couple inches away from the water.
3. With a gentle shaking motion, release about three drops of citronella essential oil into the water that’s in the glass.
4. With a spoon, gently stir the citronella essential oil into the water for 20 seconds.
5. Drink the citronella essential oil and water mixture. Do this twice daily until the internal bacterial infection is gone.

3. Kill Mold Around Your Home to Keep Your Family Healthy

Extensive studies have proven that citronella essential oil can kill many different strains of mold. One study compared the anti-fungal properties of several different essential oils and concluded that citronella essential oil is highly useful as an anti-fungal agent (source).

Many people have negative reactions to household mold due to allergies. Symptoms of a mold allergy include itchy eyes, nasal congestion and a scratchy throat. However, some household molds can actually be deadly when a person is exposed to them on a daily basis (source).

Citronella essential oil can kill household mold virtually on contact. By spraying the oil around damp areas of your home, you can kill mold and prevent it from developing in the first place.

The Spray Method for Eliminating Mold from Your Home

1. Purchase a plastic spray bottle that can hold 20oz of liquid.
2. Clean the inside of the bottle by rinsing it with hot water for 30 seconds. This will disinfect the inside of the spray bottle.
3. After removing the bottle’s nozzle, put a small funnel into the spray bottle’s mouth.
4. Pick up a bottle of white distilled vinegar in one hand. Tilt the vinegar bottle on its side and gently position the mouth of the vinegar bottle against the mouth of the small funnel. Vinegar should begin pouring into the spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle to the top with the white vinegar.
5. Put the vinegar bottle down.
6. Pick up your citronella essential oil bottle after unscrewing its cap. Flip the citronella essential bottle vertically. The nozzle of the citronella oil bottle should be about one inch above the mouth of the funnel.
7. By shaking the citronella essential oil bottle vigorously, allow 30 oil droplets to fall through the funnel and into the vinegar that is inside of the spray bottle.
8. Put down the citronella essential oil bottle and screw its cap back on.
9. Tightly twist the nozzle back onto the 20oz spray bottle. Pick up the spray bottle and shake it for 50 seconds.
10. Spray this citronella oil and vinegar mixture onto areas in which mold develops around the home.

The Oil Diffuser Method for Cleansing the Air of Mold

1. Lift the lid of your oil diffuser’s tank and place it down somewhere that is nearby. If you do not own an oil diffuser, you can find one easily online.
2. Pick up the oil diffuser in one hand and position it below your sink’s faucet.
3. Turn the faucet on to pour water into the tank of the oil diffuser. Be careful not to fill the tank of water beyond the maximum fill line.
4. Turn off the faucet and bring the oil diffuser into a room that attracts mold such as a kitchen or a bathroom.
5. Place the oil diffuser down on a flat surface.
6. Once you have unscrewed a citronella essential oil bottle’s cap, hold the bottle in one hand. Turn the citronella oil bottle upside-down. Shake the citronella essential oil bottle to pour five drops into the tank of the diffuser.
7. Place the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap back on with a twisting motion.
8. Place the plug of the oil diffuser into an outlet. Press the diffuser’s power button to turn it on. Once the power button of the oil diffuser has been pressed, you should see steam coming out of its lid and you should be able to smell citronella essential oil.

4. Lose Weight in a Totally Safe and Natural Way

Weight loss supplements are everywhere these days. While watching television for a few hours, you’re likely to see countless advertisements for all kinds of diet pills and weight loss teas that promise to help you lose inches from your waist in a matter of weeks.

Of course, many of these supplements simply aren’t effective. More frighteningly, however, is that many of them do work effectively while putting a person at serious risk of health problems.

Many weight loss supplements contain high levels of caffeine. Commonly consumed in coffee and tea, caffeine is a stimulant that boosts the metabolism by increasing the activity of the nervous system. Those who consume high doses of caffeine may experience hypertension, racing heart rate and breathing difficulties (source).

Other popular weight loss products act as laxatives, helping the body eliminate food through the intestines before it fully absorbs into the body. The problem with these laxatives is that they pass food through the digestive attract before the body gets a chance to absorb important nutrients. Additionally, laxatives can damage the intestines when taken over a long period of time (source).

Fortunately, there are safe methods for losing weight that rely on the power of essential oils. Citronella essential oil can aid in weight loss by suppressing the appetite in a healthy way. Additionally, citronella essential oil’s anti-inflammatory properties can help a person lose weight by reducing inflammation of fat tissue in the body. When the body’s fat tissue is inflamed, a person will gain weight (source).

Citronella essential oil’s effects on weight loss were proven by a scientific study. Rats that inhaled citronella essential oil actually lost weight. The study demonstrated that citronella essential oil burns fat, suppresses appetite and blocks the absorption of fat (source).

The Inhalation Method to Reduce Your Appetite

1. Take off an oil diffuser’s cap and place it down on a nearby surface. If you do not have an oil diffuser in your possession, purchase one in a specialty shop or online.
2. Unscrew the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap and put it down on a surface.
3. Holding the citronella essential oil bottle in your hand, tilt it on its side and put its spout against the opening of the oil diffuser’s tank.
4. With one finger, hit the citronella essential oil bottle’s side. This will release one drop into the tank at a time. Pour four drops of citronella essential oil into the tank.
5. Pick up your oil diffuser and hold it directly beneath the faucet of your sink. Turn on your faucet and fill the tank up to the maximum fill line with water. Put the oil diffuser’s lid back on by pressing it down tightly onto the mouth of the tank.
6. Put the oil diffuser on a surface in a room that you will be occupying for a while. Plug it into an outlet.
7. Turn the oil diffuser on by pushing its power button. Vapor should immediately begin to pour out of the top of the diffuser.

The Ingestion Method for Incredible Weight Loss

1. Into a water glass, pour three drops of citronella essential oil. To do this, unscrew the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap and place it on a surface. Then, after picking up the citronella essential oil bottle with one hand, angle the bottle so that its tip is facing the opening of the water glass. Tapping the citronella essential oil bottle’s side, count as one droplet falls into the glass at a time.
2. Put the citronella essential oil bottle down. Pick up the drinking glass with one hand.
3. Position the glass below the faucet of your sink. Turn the faucet on and fill the glass with water. You may choose to use filtered water instead if you wish.
4. Stir the water and citronella essential oil together for 20 seconds with a whisk or a spoon.
5. Drink all of the liquid that is inside of the glass. Do this once each day for weight loss.

5. Get Rid of Intestinal Worms Safely and Effectively

Intestinal worms are parasites that can enter the body through contaminated food. Common intestinal worms like tapeworms are notoriously difficult to eliminate because they can feed off of just about anything that is consumed. As time goes on, they continue to grow as they feed off of food that has been digested. These worms can cause a host of problems including severe weight loss, numerous nutritional deficiencies and severe digestive problems.

Frighteningly, many people who have intestinal worms do not know that they are infected for a long time. That’s because the symptoms associated with intestinal worms are similar to that of common digestive troubles. Symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal cramps and weight loss are often attributed to factors like diet and stress.

Treatment for intestinal worms often requires the use of antibiotic drugs that are prescribed by doctors. These drugs are usually effective at killing worms. However, taking high doses of antibiotics can lead to other digestive problems. The intestines carefully maintain a balance of bacteria that keeps the digestive system running smoothly. Antibiotics throw this balance off tremendously. When antibiotics disrupt the balance of bacteria in the intestines, problems like constipation, excessive gas and malabsorption can occur. In fact, it can take a very long time for the digestive system to recover completely from powerful antibiotics (source).

As a vermifuge, citronella essential oil has the unique ability to kill a variety of intestinal worms. By ingesting a small dose of the oil, you can rid your intestines of harmful parasites quickly and naturally. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about disrupting the important balance of bacteria inside of the intestines by consuming citronella essential oil (source).

The Oral Method for Killing Worms in No Time

1. Into a tall drinking glass, pour filtered or tap water. Fill the drinking glass completely with water.
2. Take off a citronella essential oil bottle’s cap by unscrewing it with your hand. Place the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap off to the side.
3. Holding the citronella essential oil bottle upside-down directly on top of the water glass, hit the citronella oil bottle’s top with one finger gently. This will allow individual droplets to fall into the water. Watch as three citronella essential oil droplets fall into the water that’s inside of the glass.
4. Tightly place the cap back onto the citronella essential oil bottle.
5. Carefully stir together the citronella essential oil and the water. You may use a whisk or a spoon. Stir the two ingredients together for 20 seconds so that they are well-mixed.
6. Drink the citronella oil and water combination twice each day until you are no longer experiencing an intestinal worm infection.

The Topical Application for Relieving Anal Discomfort Caused by Worms

1. Grab a measuring spoon that can hold one tablespoon. Put it down on a surface.
2. Place a small bowl onto the same surface.
3. Take out a bottle of a carrier oil known for its moisturizing properties. A carrier oil with a thicker consistency is ideal. Castor oil is a good example.
4. Remove the cap from the bottle of your carrier oil. Place this cap on a surface nearby.
5. Hold the carrier oil bottle in your hand and the tablespoon in the other hand. Tilt the carrier oil bottle and place the tablespoon right below the spout of the carrier oil bottle. Fill the tablespoon with carrier oil and put the bottle of carrier oil down onto your surface.
6. Pour the tablespoon full of carrier oil into the small bowl.
7. Unscrew the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap and put it down. Pick up your citronella essential oil bottle in your hand and position it in a way that allows its mouth to face the bowl containing the carrier oil.
8. With your middle or index finger, nudge the citronella essential oil bottle’s side so that two drops of oil fall directly into the carrier oil that is inside of the bowl. Put down the citronella essential oil bottle and screw its lid back on.
9. Mix together the carrier oil and citronella essential oil by stirring the contents of the bowl with a fork for 15 seconds.
10. Into the mixture of carrier oil and citronella essential oil, dip a clean and unused q-tip. Hold the q-tip in the combination of oils until the cotton of the q-tip is totally saturated.
11. Remove the q-tip from the bowl and dab it gently onto the sections of tissue that are irritated by the intestinal worm infection. You may do this several times per day until the itchiness and pain has dissipated.

6. Keep Mosquitoes Away with a Calming Scent

When it comes to using essential oils to keep mosquitoes away, nothing is more powerful than citronella essential oil. This essential oil is so potent as a mosquito repellent that candles containing the oil can be found in drug stores everywhere.

Many studies have proven that citronella essential oil can keep mosquitoes away effectively. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers citronella essential oil to be a nontoxic mosquito repellent that can be used safely on the skin and around the home (source).

During the summertime, keeping mosquitoes off of the body is essential. Mosquito bites are itchy and irritating and a person can be bitten a dozen times while spending just a couple of hours outdoors during the hot summer months.

In addition to their annoyance, mosquito bites can actually be deadly. Many mosquitoes carry dangerous diseases with them, infecting their victims when they feed off of their blood. Each year, several cases of West Nile Virus are reported. Symptoms of West Nile Virus include fever, seizures, rashes and swollen lymph nodes (source).

Despite the potency of citronella essential oil as a mosquito repellent, millions of Americans still rely on commercial bug sprays during the warm months. These bug sprays have been proven to be dangerously toxic to humans when inhaled and when absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin tissue. In fact, one of the most popular bug sprays has been linked to seizures, dizziness and even death (source).

Considering the toxic chemicals used in most bug spray products, it’s wise to rely on citronella essential oil instead. This totally natural and safe essential oil has been proven to keep mosquitoes away for hours at a time.

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The Oil Diffuser Method for Keeping Mosquitoes Away from Your Home and Your Patio

1. After taking off its lid, pick up an oil diffuser in one of your hands. If you do not possess an oil diffuser, purchase one online or in a specialty store.
2. With your hand firmly wrapped around the tank of the oil diffuser, place it beneath a sink’s faucet. To fill the tank of your diffuser with water, turn the faucet on. It is important that you do not fill the tank with water past its maximum fill line.
3. Place the diffuser in a room or an outdoor space that has an available outlet and that is prone to mosquitoes.
4. Remove a citronella essential oil bottle’s lid and hold the bottle in your hand. Flip the bottle and make sure that the citronella essential oil bottle’s spout is a couple of inches above the water inside of the oil diffuser’s tank.
5. With a gentle up-and-down motion, wiggle the bottle of citronella essential oil bottle. Allow five drops of citronella essential oil to release into the tank of water.
6. Tightly place the cap back onto the citronella essential oil bottle. Secure the lid back onto the oil diffuser’s tank.
7. Put the plug of the oil diffuser into an outlet. Press the oil diffuser’s power button. At once, citronella-scented vapor will emit from the oil diffuser and fill the air. This method will keep mosquitoes away for hours at a time.

The Powerful Mosquito-Repelling Spray Method to Avoid Mosquito Bites

1. Grab a tall plastic bottle that has a nozzle for spraying. Twist off the nozzle and put it down on a nearby surface.
2. Holding the neck of the plastic bottle, position it underneath a faucet and fill the bottle completely with water. You are free to use filtered water instead of tap water.
3. Take off the citronella essential oil bottle’s lid by unscrewing it with one hand. Place the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap on a surface.
4. After firmly grasping the citronella essential bottle with your hand, turn it vertically. Let the citronella essential oil bottle’s spout lean on the mouth of the plastic spray bottle.
5. With your other hand, nudge the top of the citronella essential oil bottle gently. This method will ensure that one drop of citronella essential oil leaves the bottle at a time. Count as 30 drops of citronella essential oil fall through the mouth of the plastic bottle and into the water.
6. Place the lid onto the citronella essential oil bottle.
7. Firmly twist the nozzle cap back onto the spray bottle so that it is tightly in place.
8. With vigor, shake the bottle containing the citronella essential oil and water for 45 seconds.
9. Spray this mixture liberally to keep mosquitoes at bay.

7. Kill Odors in Your Home Instantly

Odors in the home are unpleasant and embarrassing. A household full of children and pets can produce some seriously bad smells over time. For this reason, many households rely on commercial air fresheners to give their homes a fresh and pleasing scent.

The reality, however, is that these commercial air fresheners don’t belong in the home. For one thing, inhalation of commercial air fresheners has caused asthma attacks because of the products’ harsh and toxic chemicals (source).

Because the manufacturing of air freshener products is unregulated, these products are loaded with ingredients that are known carcinogens. Daily exposure to these carcinogens can lead to a variety of health problems including kidney damage, liver dysfunction and damage to the endocrine system.

Like many essential oils, citronella oil boasts powerful deodorizing abilities, making it the perfect product to mask odors around the household. Especially when combined with other deodorizing essential oils, citronella oil can leave your home smelling fresh and clean (source).

The Potent Spray Method to Mask Odors of All Kinds

1. Clean out an empty 20oz bottle that has a spray nozzle. Use hot water to make sure that it is completely clean.
2. With the nozzle still removed, place the mouth of the empty bottle underneath the sink’s faucet and turn the water on. Totally fill the bottle with water.
3. Unscrew the cap off of a citronella essential oil bottle. Put the cap down.
4. Pick up the citronella essential oil bottle and position it at an angle. Let the citronella essential oil bottle’s cap lean toward the 20oz spray bottle’s mouth.
5. Use your finger to hit the side of the citronella essential oil bottle gently. As you hit the citronella essential oil bottle’s side, allow 30 drops to fall from the bottle’s spout and into the water inside of the 20oz plastic bottle.
6. Return the cap to the citronella essential bottle.
7. Tightly screw the nozzle cap onto the 20oz spray bottle.
8. Holding the 20oz bottle in one hand, shake it for 50 seconds to combine the citronella essential oil and the water.
9. Spray this citronella oil solution all over your home to mask a variety of common household odors.

The DIY Powder Method for Removing Odors from Fabrics

1. Into a measuring cup, pour one cup of baking soda.
2. Pick up the measuring cup containing the baking soda and tilt it to pour the baking soda into a piece of tupperware.
3. Remove your citronella essential oil bottle’s cap and flip it vertically in one hand. Lean the citronella essential oil bottle’s spout right above the baking soda inside of the tupperware.
4. Shake the citronella essential oil bottle up and down several times so that 15 drops of citronella essential oil fall into the baking soda.
5. Tightly place the lid onto the tupperware. Make sure that all four corners of the tupperware are sealed.
6. Shake the tupperware with both hands for 25 seconds to allow the citronella essential oil to infuse the baking soda completely.
7. Dust this mixture over fabrics of your home to eliminate odors that hide in fabric fibers.

8. Clear Your Mind and Stop Feeling Overwhelmed with Stress

About a quarter of the American population suffers from an anxiety disorder. Common anxiety disorders include social anxiety, panic disorder and general anxiety disorder. For many people who suffer from anxiety disorder, simple tasks like running errands and going to social events can be overwhelming.

Severe anxiety can lead to panic attacks. When a person experiences a panic attack, their nervous system responds to a mental trigger by increasing heart rate and rate of breath. The sufferer may experience sudden dizziness, feelings of impending doom, racing thoughts and numbness in the arms and hands.

Because of the terrifying and debilitating symptoms associated with panic attacks and other anxiety symptoms, sufferers often rely on anti-anxiety medications that are prescribed by a doctor or psychiatrist. These anti-anxiety drugs belong to a family of medications called benzodiazepines. They work by turning off certain neurotransmitters of the brain, blocking feelings of anxiety and fear. They are extremely effective. They are also extremely addictive and can lead to serious physical withdrawal symptoms when a patient stops using them. Withdrawal symptoms include seizures, tremors and anxiety symptoms that are worse than before.

Needless to say, these drugs should be avoided as much as possible. Luckily, aromatherapy has been proven to treat all types of anxiety disorders. In fact, ancient civilizations used essential oils to treat a variety of mental ailments.

One of the most effective essential oils for treating anxiety is citronella essential oil. The oil is often used in spa environments to relax clients and put them in a calm, sedated mood. By inhaling citronella essential oil, you can stop a panic attack and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety (source).

The Bath Time Steam Inhalation Method for a Calm Mind

1. Before taking a bath, make sure that the exhaust fan of your bathroom is turned off. Also, make sure that all of the windows inside of your bathroom are closed as well as the doors.
2. Turn the faucet of your bathroom to fill the tub with hot water. As the water pours into your bathtub, you should see steam coming off of the water’s surface.
3. As the water is pouring into the bathtub, unscrew a citronella essential oil bottle’s cap and hold it upside-down over the water in your tub.
4. Shake your citronella essential oil bottle to pour 20 drops of citronella essential oil into the water. You should instantly smell the aroma of citronella essential oil.
5. When the tub is filled with water, turn off the faucet.
6. Sit down in the tub. While you soak, concentrate on taking long, deep breaths through your nose. Do this once per day to relax your mind.

9. Improve Your Digestive System to Avoid Indigestion, Gas and Heartburn

It seems like everybody has some complaint about their digestive system. With today’s high-fat, high-sugar and high-gluten diet, we are constantly consuming foods that lead to poor digestive health. Foods that are loaded with sugar, gluten and fat are more difficult to digest. Similarly, processed foods that are loaded with preservatives move very slowly through the digestive tract, causing common ailments like gas, bloating and constipation.

Sugar and gluten are also notorious for causing inflammation. When the digestive tract is inflamed, a person can develop chronic digestive problems like colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. These conditions can become quite painful and debilitating, greatly reducing the sufferer’s quality of life (source).

Thanks to citronella essential oil’s strong anti-inflammatory properties, ingesting the oil can soothe the entire digestive tract and greatly reduce inflammation. Many common digestive disorders are the result of inflammation. By consuming citronella essential oil daily, a person will experience less symptoms like gas, heartburn, indgestion and constipation (source).

The Oral Tonic Method for Soothing the Digestive Tract

1. Hold a drinking glass that can contain eight ounces under the mouth of your sink’s faucet and turn the faucet on in order to fill the glass with tap water. Alternatively, you may fill the glass with filtered water.
2. Put the glass of water down on a surface.
3. Remove a citronella essential oil bottle’s lid by unscrewing it. Pick up the citronella essential oil bottle upside-down by twisting your wrist. Place the citronella essential oil bottle’s spout right next to the drinking glass’ mouth.
4. Pour three drops of citronella essential oil into the water inside of the glass by nudging its side with your middle or index finger.
5. With a tall spoon, stir the citronella essential oil into the water for 15 seconds.
6. Drink the citronella essential oil and water combination after every meal in order to ease your digestive tract and prevent digestive discomfort, gas and bloating.

The Calming Topical Application Method for an Upset Stomach

1. Place a small bowl on a surface like a table or countertop.
2. Twist off a carrier oil bottle’s lid. For this application, use a carrier oil with a thin enough consistency to spread on your skin with ease. Jojoba oil and sweet almond oil work very well for this application.
3. Pour one fourth of a cup of your carrier oil into a measuring cup. Tilt the measuring cup above the bowl to pour out the carrier oil.
4. Take off your citronella essential oil bottle’s cap. Hold the citronella essential oil bottle in one hand at an angle. Face its spout toward the bowl containing the fourth of a cup of carrier oil.
5. With a subtle side-to-side motion, jiggle the citronella essential oil bottle to pour five drops of citronella essential oil into the bowl.
6. Mix the citronella essential oil into the carrier oil for 25 seconds with a fork or a whisk.
7. Submerge a washcloth beneath the surface of the citronella essential oil and carrier oil mixture. Let it soak in the oil combination for 15 seconds.
8. After the 15 seconds have passed, remove the washcloth and wring out any excess oil.
9. Lie down on your back and place the cloth on your abdomen. Allow it to sit on your abdomen for 20 minutes.

10. Treat Debilitating Arthritis Pain without Taking Pills

About 40 million people in the United States suffer from arthritis, a painful and chronic condition caused by inflammation of the joints. While arthritis is common in the elderly, people of all ages can develop this condition as the result of a variety of factors including genetics and previous injuries (source).

Many people use anti-inflammatory drugs to treat their arthritis pain. Because the pain can be crippling, many sufferers take these drugs multiple times a day in order to perform daily tasks without pain getting in the way. Unfortunately, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs should definitely not be taken every day. Taking high doses of these pills on a regular basis can lead to serious side effects including stomach bleeding and kidney failure (source).

It’s better to use natural anti-inflammatory remedies when treating the pain associated with arthritis. Like many essential oils, citronella oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties that give it the ability to eliminate arthritis pain. By applying citronella essential oil to the skin, it will reduce inflammation by stimulating blood flow to the affected area and relaxing tense muscles and joints. While anti-inflammatory pills need to move through the digestive system first in order to take effect, the topical application of citronella essential oil works quickly by absorbing through the skin and accessing the inflamed tissue in a matter of minutes.

The Pain-Relieving Massage Oil Method for Localized Pain

1. Purchase a plastic squeeze bottle that can contain 20oz of liquid. With hot water, rinse the bottle out to disinfect it.
2. Place a little funnel into the squeeze bottle’s opening.
3. Take off the cap of a carrier oil bottle. A carrier oil that is ideal for this type of application has a thinner consistency so that it can be massaged into the skin with minimal friction. Coconut oil, avocado oil and olive oil work well for this application.
4. Through the funnel, fill the 20oz plastic squeeze bottle with carrier oil. Then, put the carrier oil bottle down.
5. After removing its cap, hold a citronella essential oil bottle directly above the funnel and twist your wrist so that the bottle is in an upside-down position. Shake the citronella essential oil bottle up and down to allow 40 drops to fall into the squeeze bottle.
6. Tightly place the lid onto the squeeze bottle and shake it vigorously for 40 seconds.
7. Into one palm, squeeze one tablespoon of the citronella and carrier oil mixture.
8. With circular motions, massage the oil mixture into the area that is affected. Massage the oil for 20 seconds.

11. Clean Your Home with Lemony Citronella Oil to Eliminate Dangerous Germs

Because household surfaces like kitchen countertops and bathroom sinks are notoriously full of dangerous germs, most people use germ-killing household sprays multiple times each day. These sprays have strong antiseptic agents that can eradicate all kinds of harmful bacteria from the home.

However, most commercial household cleaners are known for their toxic ingredients. These products are not regulated. As a result, manufacturers of cleaning products can use virtually any ingredients that they’d like regardless of the consequences to one’s health.

Many popular cleaning sprays contain a variety of carcinogens that are known to lead to serious health problems like seizures and liver failure. If these sprays are used around the home on a daily basis, the exposure that one has to these chemicals can be extremely dangerous health (source).

The good news is that essential oils are renowned for their antiseptic properties. In particular, citronella essential oil has the ability to kill household germs that can be harmful to one’s health. Citronella essential oil also has anti-fungal properties that can eliminate mold around the home. Plus, the lemony scent of citronella masks odors and gives the home a pleasing aroma (source).

The DIY Household Spray that will Kill Germs on Contact

1. After rinsing out a 20oz spray bottle with hot water, fill it with water by holding it in one hand below the faucet of a sink in your home.
2. Unscrew a citronella essential oil bottle’s top and put it down. Pick the citronella essential oil bottle up and turn it upside-down. Hold the citronella essential oil bottle one inch away from the opening of the 20oz spray bottle.
3. Pour 40 drops of citronella essential oil into the spray bottle by vigorously shaking the citronella essential oil bottle.
4. Screw on the 20oz plastic spray bottle’s cap tightly and shake the spray bottle for 50 seconds.
5. Spray this citronella essential oil solution onto surfaces throughout your home.

12. Keep Your Furry Friends Calm and Happy

For years, people have been using shock collars to control their dog’s behavior. These collars are attached to a remote control that, when activated by the pet owner, will send small electrical shocks to the dog through the collar. The ethical nature of these collars is questionable and the constant pulses of electric energy may be traumatic to the dog.

Interestingly, studies show that dog collars that spray miniscule amounts of citronella oil upon activation by a remote control work more effectively than shock collars. This completely ethical and safe method can stop a dog from barking and exhibiting bad behavior. Dogs respond very well to this method and do not experience any trauma or physical pain (source).

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The Collar Method for Controlling Your Dog’s Behavior

1. Purchase a citronella dog collar online or in a pet store. Follow the instructions carefully to ensure that you are using it properly. Whenever your dog is displaying bad behavior, use the remote control to spritz a small amount of citronella essential oil out of your dog’s collar. The oil will have a subtle tranquilizing effect on your dog, calming him or her down instantly.

Citronella Essential Oil FAQ

What is Citronella Essential Oil?

Citronella essential oil comes from a specific type of lemongrass plant that is native to regions of Asia, Australia and Africa. The essential oil is derived from the leaves and stems. Today, citronella essential oil is mostly manufactured in China and Indonesia where the plants are cultivated (source).

What are the Uses of Citronella Essential Oil?

Citronella essential oil is renowned for its mosquito-repelling ability. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers citronella essential oil a nontoxic biopesticide.

The oil is also commonly used in household cleaning products, perfumes and skincare products because of its relaxing lemony scent as well as its antiseptic properties.

Additionally, citronella essential oil has many healing properties because of its unique combination of chemical compounds. The oil is used for its antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties. Citronella essential oil also acts as a sedative, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety.

What is the Composition of Citronella Essential Oil?

Citronella essential oil is composed of citronellic acid, borneol, citronellol, geraniol, nerol, citral, citronellal, camphene, dipentene and limonene.

How is Citronella Essential Oil Made?

Citronella essential oil is extracted through the steam distillation process. First, the leaves and stems of the plant are removed and left to dry in the sun. Once they are completely dried out, high-pressure, extremely hot steam is pushed through them. As the steam is pressed through the leaves and stems, it is collected. The collected steam is then separated into water and essential oil.

Does Citronella Essential Oil Work?

As a mosquito repellent, citronella oil is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency for its effectiveness. For centuries, citronella essential oil has been used to keep mosquitoes away.

Citronella essential oil has also been scientifically proven to have strong anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Additionally, citronella essential oil is used as a sedative in aromatherapy. Scientific studies have confirmed the oil’s ability to slow down the nervous system.

How is Citronella Essential Oil Taken?

Pediatric

Citronella essential oil is often applied topically to the skin on children for its mosquito-repelling ability. Children may also benefit from citronella essential oil’s antiseptic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Adult

Adults use citronella essential oil as a mosquito repellent. The oil also acts as a sedative, alleviating stress and anxiety when inhaled. Citronella essential oil can be ingested by adults to kill intestinal worms, bacterial infections and fungal infections as well as soothe the digestive tract. Additionally, it is used in household cleaning products to clean surfaces, kill bacteria and eliminate household mold. Citronella essential oil is also used as a weight loss aid.

Is Citronella Essential Oil Safe?

Whether applied topically to the skin, ingested or inhaled, citronella essential oil should always be diluted in a liquid or a carrier oil. When ingested in large quantities, citronella essential oil can be poisonous. When inhaled without being diluted, citronella essential oil has caused damage to lung tissue. When applied topically to the skin undiluted, citronella essential oil can irritate the skin. Some people may have an allergic reaction to citronella essential oil (source).

Citronella essential oil may irritate the skin of pregnant women.

What are the Side Effects of Essential Oil?

Citronella essential oil may be poisonous if it is consumed undiluted or in large quantities. Symptoms of citronella essential oil poisoning include nausea, vomiting, fainting, diarrhea, dizziness and seizures. Severe citronella essential oil poisoning may be poisonous.

In some instances, damage to the tissue of the lungs has been reported as the result of inhaling large quantities of undiluted citronella essential oil. Some people have reported allergic reactions to citronella essential oil. When applied undiluted to the skin, citronella essential oil may cause skin irritation.

Medical Interactions

There are no known interactions between citronella essential oil and other medications.

Pregnant Women

Citronella essential oil should not be applied directly to the skin of pregnant women without being diluted. During pregnancy, a woman’s skin is more sensitive than usual and the oil may cause irritation (source).

Children

Children can safely take citronella essential oil.

Ingesting Citronella Essential Oil

When diluted, citronella essential oil may be ingested in small quantities.

Facts About Citronella Essential Oil

Botanical name: Cymbopogon Nardus
Common method of extraction: steam distillation
Plant part typically used: leaves and stems
Color: clear
Consistency: thin
Strength of aroma: medium
Aromatic scent: lemony
Blends well with: lemongrass, eucalyptus, peppermint

Where Can I Buy Citronella Essential Oil?

Citronella essential oil can be found online. You may purchase citronella essential oil in specialty shops as well as some grocery stores.

Citronella Essential Oil Benefits Infographic

Summary

As you can see, there’s much more to citronella essential oil than just its ability to keep mosquitoes at bay. This powerful product can knock out multiple illnesses, alleviate anxiety disorders, keep the home clean and even keep your dog’s behavior in check.

Have you ever used citronella essential oil for its health benefits? Feel free to tell us about it by leaving us a comment in the comments section below. Don’t forget to share this article with any of your friends who are interested in natural health and essential oils!