Oregano Essential Oil is used for everything from cleaning to diaper rash, from warts to dandruff! Here are my favorite 20 Oregano Essential Oil Uses!
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Oregano Essential Oil (Origanum vulgare) isn't as well known as frankincense, lavender, and tea tree, but it should be! It has many benefits that I wanted to share with you.
20 Oregano Essential Oil Uses
- Carpal Tunnel: This is my number one use for oregano essential oil since I spend so much time typing. Simply mix with a carrier oil and rub the arms, starting at the fingers and working up the arm to the shoulders.
- Anti-aging: Because of its high antioxidant content oregano is a great tool in fighting aging. Add to a carrier oil or your regular moisturizer and rub on nightly.
- Respiratory ailments: Massage on the chest and alongside nasal passages, in a light carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil.
- Wart removal: Apply oil directly to the wart with a cotton swab several times a day until they are gone.
- Dandruff: Add a few drops to your favorite shampoo (avoid getting in eyes)
- Immune Boosting: Apply to the bottoms of your feet before bed to stimulate the immune system.
- Pest Repellent: One of my favorite oregano essential oil uses is in a homemade bug spray. It can be added to your homemade bug spray to ward off mosquitoes and fleas, spray on your mattress for bed bugs as well. You can also whip up some citronella candles to keep bugs away outdoors too!
- Parasites: If you are being treated for parasites, try rubbing oregano oil on the soles of your feet and in a circular, clockwise motion on your stomach.
- Ringworm: Create your own blend of melaleuca and oregano oil with your favorite carrier oil and apply several times a day until gone.
- Athlete’s Foot: Apply just like for ringworm, but also wash your shoes & socks with a few drops of oregano essential oil.
- Natural Hand Sanitizer: Mix several drops of oregano essential oil with almond or coconut oil and rub into hands.
- Disinfectant: Combine 10 drops of oregano essential oil with 15 drops lavender in a spray bottle. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and use it as a disinfectant spray.
- Relieve Arthritis: Used externally oregano is great for alleviating painful symptoms of arthritis, increasing joint and muscle flexibility.
- Menstrual Issues: Oregano is believed to help balance hormones and mood as well as assist in Amenorrhea (menstrual block)
- Diaper rash: Mix a few drops into coconut oil and apply to the affected area.
- Acne Medicine: Dab oregano essential oil directly onto acne daily (in a carrier oil).
- Fungus and Mold killer: Add to water in a spray bottle and spritz showers and tub to reduce the growth of mold and fungus. Shake before each use. Or you can try my favorite mold & mildew removal spray!
- Treat Nail Fungus: Combine several drops with a tub of warm water and soak hands or feet or add to a carrier oil and rub on the affected area.
- Eczema: Add to a carrier oil and rub into any area that is affected.
- Cold and Flu: Diffuse oregano essential oil to alleviate cold and flu symptoms as well as to help kill germs in the air.
Can You Ingest Oregano Essential Oil?
For internal use, I recommend you stick with the herb and use the essential oil topically or in your favorite diffuser. Internal essential oil uses have become extremely popular and due to my research, it is no longer something I feel okay promoting. I like to err on the side of caution when it comes to matters of safety.
Is Oregano Essential Oil Safe for the Skin?
No! Oregano is considered a hot oil, so you should always dilute in a carrier oil like almond, avocado, jojoba or coconut oil. The recommended dilution is 10 drops of oregano per ounce of carrier oil.
Make sure to test a TINY amount on the inside of your wrist before slathering it on, even with a carrier oil. If you have a reaction, use a carrier oil to dilute further.
This also helps stretch your oil a little further without any loss of benefits from the essential oil & I'm all about saving money!
What Are The Benefits of Oregano?
Oregano itself is said to have some internal benefits that I wanted to address. As I said early, I recommend using the herb itself for internal use. Just make some delicious Italian dishes to help boost your oregano intake or try oregano tea.
Oregano is definitely an essential oil you will want to keep in your natural medicinal arsenal! There are only two negatives to oregano essential oil that I've found: you'll smell like an Italian restaurant after applying it and it's not safe for pregnant women, as it has been found to alter your hormones and could cause miscarriage.
Quantities of the herb in cooking have not shown any negative side effects though! I love that these oregano essential oil uses are so easy to incorporate into our daily life!
More Essential Oil Uses:
- 20 Uses for Frankincense Essential Oil
- 20 Ways to Use Grapefruit Essential Oil
- 20 Peppermint Essential Oil Uses
- DIY Mold & Mildew Removal Spray
- Homemade Muscle Rub
What are your favorite oregano essential oil uses? Do you have a use that is not listed here? Share it with us!
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Concern about a couple of the uses. For amenorrhea, you have already mentioned it acts as an agent for miscarriage–the woman needs to check that she is not pregnant–perhaps checking with a doctor. Some of the things that can cause amenorrhea include some other health issues such as anorexia or with athletes who have too little body fat. Oregano oil will not help and may prevent them getting the help they need.
Also any use of the oil on the face where it can get in the eyes is a concern. This is strong stuff and bad for the eyes.
Have you tried making the spray for the shower? Oregano oil doesn’t mix well with water–do you shake it into suspension and then spray? Have you tried perhaps rubbing alcohol for better dispersal?
You realize the oil and the herb are different species…
I wasn’t aware of the issues oregano can cause for those with too little body fat. In our society, that’s often a demographic that is largely ignored. Do you have a source for more information? I’d be quite curious to know what other oils could potentially cause an issue.
I’ll add an additional warning for near the eyes. I actually don’t recommend getting any oils, especially hot ones near the eyes or other sensitive areas.
I actually haven’t, because we only have a bathtub, but my mother does. I know she uses a little bottle like this & does shake it. I’ll add a note about that to the post.
There are several types of oregano. The most common used in cooking are Mexican (Lippia graveolens) and Mediterranean/Greek Oregano (Origanum vulgare). Greek Oregano is the same species as the oil I discuss and link to in this post.
I just started using Oregano oil. I was recommended to dilute it with a bit of water because it does burn when going down. It is not easy to just take without diluting it. The one that I have is very hot, or has quite a bite when you use it.
I can’t recommend using any essential oil internally, because of safety concerns, but I can say that putting oil in water is not diluting it. Oil & water do not mix. Dilution is done by adding an essential oil to a carrier oil. If you feel you need to take it internally, there are capsules you can put a drop in instead of burning your mouth & throat.