Natural Household and Medicinal Uses for Cloves

Natural herbal remedies using cloves includes: Relieving toothaches, earaches, nausea, hypertension and pain from burns and wounds. Also helps respiratory problems, great air freshener, mosquito repellent, fly deterrent, and ant killer.

Cloves (myrtaceae) come in 3 different forms, whole, ground and oil. All three forms have the same properties with differing degrees of potency. Oil has the highest potency and is best used diluted with a carrier oil like almond oil. Whole cloves are medium potency the oils are still in them and they can be ground in a mortar and pestle for use. Ground cloves are the least potent, most of the oil has already been released.

Toothache: All three forms can be used with differing degrees of results and applied in different ways. Clove oil can be applied with a q-tip, a drop will do, remember it is very potent, you may even want to consider diluting it for this purpose. A whole clove can be crushed slightly and placed on the gum where the toothache is located, or place a small amount of ground cloves into a piece of coffee filter, wrap, wet and place between gum and lip. Using any of these applications will alleviate the pain, the higher the potency, the quicker the relief. Using clove oil will not only alleviate the pain it will also draw out any infection from an abscess so you won't need antibiotics before seeing the dentist.

Earaches: Clove oil is best used for an earache, dilute with a carrier oil (never water), place on a cotton ball and place just inside the ear canal. The pain will subside quickly and it will help to reduce infection if any is present.

Nausea: Clove tea has a very unique flavor and aroma. The best part of drinking clove tea is the quick relief from nausea and the fresh breath you have afterwards. In fact chewing on a clove from time is the best breath mint ever and keeps nausea and heartburn away. However too much tea or chewing on cloves can produce heartburn, especially if done on an empty stomach.

Hypertension: Regularly chewing on cloves for at least six weeks or more can help reduce hypertension. Always be sure to discuss this with your doctor before deciding if it is a right option for you.

Burns and open wounds:  Apply clove oil directly and immediately to 1st and 2nd degree burns and minor open wounds and cuts to alleviate pain, reduce possibility of infection and reduce healing time.  For minor open wounds and cuts just sprinkling ground cloves will help stop bleeding and reduce pain immediately.  I never go any where with out either a small bottle of ground cloves or clove oil.

Respiratory aid: Aromatherapy is the best way to use cloves as a respiratory aid. Make clove tea and breathe in the aroma from the hot tea. A pomander as pictured can be hung in various places to have a continual aroma therapy and improve respiratory problems.

Air Freshener: Cloves have a great aroma and can be used in a variety of ways to remove offensive smells rather than using aerosols or other artificial air fresheners. Make an atomizer in a spray bottle mixing clove oil with water, shake well before each use as oil and water do not stay mixed. A clove pomander is another way, see instructions below for how to make one. After the pomander has lost its effectiveness, the cloves still have more aroma to share, crush slightly and add to a potpourri. Cloves are always a great addition to spicy potpourris or an oil burner.

Mosquito Repellent:  Using the same atomizer you freshen the air with, shake and spray lightly on exposed skin.

Fly deterrent and ant killer:  The aroma alone from cloves will deter flies whether it is in a potpourri an air freshener or a pomander.  A drop of clove oil will kill ants instantly.  Mix clove oil, cinnamon oil and water and shake well before each use to kill ants.

    To make a clove pomander randomly insert whole cloves into an orange penetrating the skin and into the fruit.  tie a string, ribbon or bow around it and hang.  A clove pomander is an effective respiratory aid, air freshener and fly deterrent for approximately 6 months.