Do you ever pass those big, expensive bottles of essential oils at the natural foods store and wonder who needs that much? Most of us are used to using just a few drops at a time; after all, they’re super-concentrated. But next time, you won’t blink an eye at the thirty dollar price tag on that 4-ounce bottle of tea tree oil. Why? Because it’s possibly the most powerful essential oil there is, with dozens of medicinal, beauty and domestic uses. Seriously: you need tea tree oil. Lots of it. Here are just 10 examples of what you can do with it.

Mold Killer

I recently had a knock-down, drag-out fight with mold. Things got ugly fast when a leak in the basement wasn’t fixed quickly enough, and before long, mold was all over everything that was stored down there. While I had to throw a lot of things away, I saved a lot thanks to a really easy and natural solution that kills virtually all strains of fungus – plain white vinegar with about a teaspoon of tea tree oil added to it, in a spray bottle. Spray liberally and vigorously wipe all affected surfaces, but don’t rinse.

Laundry Scent and Booster

Anyone who’s ever dealt with dirty cloth diapers, cloth menstrual pads or a post-illness load of laundry knows that sometimes, your clothes and linens need a little something more than just plain old laundry detergent. But don’t break out the bleach. A teaspoon of tea tree oil in your wash water will kill any germs and other gross stuff – just hang them out in the sun to dry and stains will disappear, too.

Insect Repellent and Bite Soother

When all else fails – even trusty old citronella – tea tree oil keeps annoying mosquitoes, gnats and other buzzing and biting bugs far away. Pour about an ounce of tea tree oil and four ounces of witch hazel into a spray bottle, and shake it up before applying. Both ingredients are soothing to existing bites. You can add some cedar, lemongrass, or lavender to make it even more powerful and prettier-smelling, too.

All-Purpose Cleaner

Sometimes referred to as ‘Mother Nature’s most powerful antiseptic’, tea tree oil is a great addition to just about any homemade all-purpose cleaner recipe. Here’s my favorite: add 2 cups of hot water to 2 tablespoons of 20 Mule Team Borax, ½ teaspoon of liquid dish soap and ½ teaspoon of tea tree oil in a spray bottle; shake it and spray it anywhere germs lurk, like doorknobs and toilets.

Relief from Chest Colds

Put 2-3 drops of tea tree oil in a basin of hot, steaming water, then cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam for up to 10 minutes. Since tea tree oil has antiviral properties, it can help keep that cold from getting out of hand, especially if you catch it early enough.

Cold Sores

Nothing says “kiss me” like a hideous, contagious eruption right next to your mouth. Tea tree oil can help make it go away fast, since its antiviral effect subdues the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores. Apply a few drops to the sore with a cotton swab once a day until it’s gone, and don’t forget to pop some lysine, an amino acid that has been proven to stop the herpes virus from replicating.

Gum and Sticker Remover

Whether it’s a wad of gum someone stuck under your dining table or a stubborn label on a gift, tea tree oil is so astringent that it cuts through sticky substances with ease. Just pour on a few drops on a cotton ball and rub away.

Acne Buster

The active ingredient in tea tree oil, terpinen-4-ol, is thought to kill the the bacteria that colonizes our pores and throws the disgusting, unsightly parties that result in acne. Just a drop added to a paste of baking soda and castile soap makes a super-effective natural face and body scrub that will also buff away the dead skin cells that make breakouts even worse. Some people can be sensitive to high concentrations of this powerful oil, so if you get a rash, discontinue use.

Athlete’s Foot and Other Fungal Issues

As gross as it sounds, the same properties that make tea tree oil such a potent mold-killer make it great for the fungus that causes athlete’s foot, too. The same goes for any other fungal infection, like ringworm, dandruff and nail infections. Mix a few drops of tea tree oil in a base oil like sweet almond, olive or coconut and apply it to the affected area, add it to your shampoo or add it to hot water for a foot soak.

Head Lice Zapper

What do you do when your kid’s got a head full of creepy-crawly, blood-sucking lice? Blast those suckers into oblivion as soon as possible. But many parents inadvertently expose their children to even worse health problems when they resort to noxious chemicals. Try tea tree oil first – research shows that it can dislodge mature lice. Mix a teaspoon of tea tree with 4 teaspoons of either olive or coconut oil, rub it into the scalp and leave it on for 15 minutes; then use a nit comb before washing the mixture out.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

We all know that baking soda can be used to clean everything from your counter tops to your teeth. But did you know that there are plenty of other eco-friendly cleaners that you can whip up with a few common kitchen ingredients? Here are five of our favorites.

1. Vodka laundry freshener

   The smarties over at Webecoist say a spritz or two of vodka on your clothes will freshen them up between washes. They swear that the booze scent evaporates quickly, along with the noxious odors you’re trying to kill. This isn’t technically a “recipe” since you’re not combining any ingredients with the vodka, but it’s too clever an idea to pass up. And, no, we don’t recommend mixing orange juice into your vodka-filled spray bottle.

2. Creamy soft scrubber

   Sure, those goopy white creamy cleansers do a great job of removing gunk from sinks and showers, but we can do without the fumes and chemicals. Care2 has a terrific idea for making a similar cleanser that won’t leave you gasping for air every time you use it. Put about 1/2 a cup of baking soda in a bowl, then add a little liquid detergent until the mixture resembles cake frosting. Scrub to your heart’s content without unleashing a cadre of chemicals into your home.

3. Glass cleaner

   To make your widows and mirrors sparkle, try the approach recommended by Green Homes. Add two tablespoons of white vinegar to a gallon of water, put some in a spray bottle and go nuts. If the smell of vinegar bothers you or evokes memories of that bad egg-dyeing session you’re trying to forget, use club soda or lemon juice instead.

4. Drain cleaner

   Oh, this one is fun! Eco-Friendly Cleaning says forget the caustic drain cleaner from the hardware store, grab a box of baking soda, a cup of vinegar, lemon juice and a gallon of hot water instead. Call the kids in to watch while you create your own little homemade volcano. First pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it up with the vinegar, then about 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Let it foam and fizz for a while, then rinse the drain with the bucket of hot water.

5. Furniture polish

   Lighter Footstep nails down a great homemade recipe for making your wood furniture glow. Fill a spray bottle with a cup of olive oil and 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Your furniture (and lungs) will thank you for not rubbing chemical-laden spray all over the place. As an added bonus, if all that house cleaning leaves you famished, spritz a plate of pasta with your new furniture polish, toss in a handful of basil, and there’s lunch!

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I never thought I would spend so much time worrying about what I clean my floor with until I had to deal with housebreaking a puppy. The guilty fur ball left puddles of pee everywhere. Not only did the amount of necessary floor cleaning increase by about 1,000 percent, but also with a dog constantly licking the floor and eating the rug, I had extra reason to find a highly functional, non-toxic, eco-friendly solution. If only the stubborn pup would’ve stuck to his wee-wee pad! Here are my top three cleaners for tackling pet accidents.

Clean + Green Dog Urine Odor and Stain Remover

Clean + Green’s line couldn’t be easier to use. They have an array of products designed for every scenario from Furniture Refresher for Cats to Concrete Grout Cleaner for Dogs. And while a lot of stain removers require a long soaking and rinsing ritual, the Carpet Upholstery formula needs no attention – just spray it and leave it. The same goes for the Wood and Tile solution, however I always wipe my wood floors dry anyway.

ECOS Earth Friendly Products Pet Stain Odor Remover

If you have something to clean and need an eco-friendly solution, chances are ECOS has the product you need. Their Pet Stain Odor Remover works on any kind of surface your furry friend decides to mark as his territory, from upholstery to wood floors. You’ll need to let the cleaner sit on fabric spills for five minutes and you can let it soak for up to two weeks if you have really tough odors hanging on.

Simply Neutral All-Purpose Cleaner

While this green cleaner (made with only three ingredients) isn’t specifically for pets, it’s my top choice for a fresh scent. While the other two formulas do the job, this all-purpose cleaner leaves behind a lovely citrus scent, which makes me forget about the stink that got me down on my hands and knees in the first place! The formula also has tea tree essential oil inside, which has natural antibacterial and anti-fungal effects.

Image: Tonystl

I’m always looking for ways to burn calories while living life off the elliptical.

A Swiss friend tells me her mother always did core exercises while driving. I’ve tried those crunches behind the wheel, as well as kegel tightening during pregnancy and stretching the burgeoning turkey neck with a series of juts and releases of my chin in slow traffic. The neck thing is a bit pathetic. I’m certain passersby think I’m a crazed soccer mom with a terrible tick.

Truth be told, I prefer lifestyle burning in the seclusion of my own house, including the kitchen, where I’m totally willing to work for food.

Here are a few ways to burn while your churn, spin, scrub and whisk. Get your kids into the act, as well, for family fun and fitness. Even Martha Stewart would agree the eco-kitchen workout is a good thing.

1. The Salad Spin Arm Rotation

We tend to get lazy relying on the prewashed lettuces at the market. My husband reminds me that’s how cases of salmonella have occurred from bags not really washed so well. Instead, wash it yourself, and spin in a good eco fiber spinner, such as the nifty bamboo bowl from Cooking. You will tone your biceps (say goodbye to that jiggly upper arm flab) and gain wrist strength from the crank or pull cord. Your reward will be a healthier salad with low calorie dressing. Opt for lettuce like arugula which takes extra effort to dry. Spin away, sexy mama!

2. Floor Scrub Cardio Boost

Get down on your hands and knees, you, and start scrubbing away the extra pounds that piled up while you were lazy using that mop. Benefits include having a floor clean enough to eat off of. And, you probably will just grab a bite from the fridge while you are on the floor, since you will be too exhausted to get up and eat lunch. I once heard a Weight Watchers leader (a nutritionist at Stanford) say scrubbing the kitchen floor is how she builds up her cardio endurance. Use a safe product, like Earth Friendly Floor Cleaner or BILO wax/polish to help get the job done, along with reusable towels instead of disposables.

3. Refrigerator Wipe Down Lunges

You don’t have to bend over backwards to clean the shelves of your refrigerator, but you can do some nice lunges removing the compartments and getting them as spanking clean as this Energy Star appliance from the Eco Fridge company. Your friends will envy your sense of order and your shapely thighs. You can also stretch the calves and toe muscles reaching those higher shelves. When you’re done, eat an orange. You deserve it.

4. Washing and Drying by Hand

I remember so well doing dishes by hand in my college apartment sans a dishwasher. I was so slim. Wait, I also ran about four miles a day. Anyway, the old wipe-on, wipe-off saves lots of water and energy and gets that heart pumping. Heck, you can work up quite a lather scrubbing those pots, sister! Whistle while you work and burn even more C’s. Try using a green dishsoap, like the fragrant Nancy Boy, and organic flour sack towels for wiping like this set from Williams-Sonoma.

5. Hunt and Gather and Make From Scratch Marathon

Try following Martha’s example of making an entire meal by scratch, from the harvesting of organic veggies and fruit from your yard (think slow simmering casseroles in the crock pot or homemade pies) to the kneading of your bread and preparation of your own delicious pasta or free range meat dish. It’s a lot of work but you never heard those pioneer women kvetch, did ya? Invite the kids to help because they love to cook and need exercise, too.