Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil is known for its antiseptic properties and it has lots of uses.

I recently bought a small bottle of Tea Tree Oil to try out on my son's nappies (instead of using the Napisan; see other post). Apparently, he's stopped weeing in his nappies, so there's no need to soak them. So I tried it out on some moldy smelling T-shirts I had in my drawer. I can't seem to get rid of the smell using ordinary detergents, plus using bleach isn't that attractive.

I placed the 2 T-shirts in the washbasin, filled it up just enough to soak them and then added about 3-5 drops of the oil. Mixed it about and left it there for about an hour. After that I popped them in the wash with my other clothes and hung them to dry. No more moldy smell!!!

I think you can try adding to your wash as well instead of using all that antibacterial detergent.

Here are some other ways of using Tea Tree Oil from "Five Smart House Keeping Ways to use Tea Tree Oil":

1. General Tea Tree Oil Spray - combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil in 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake to blend. Spray on mold and don't rinse. The smell will dissipate in a few days.

2. Tea Tree Oil Grout Spray - using the same formula as in #1, spray grout to repel mold and mildew. While this formula won't take away the mold discoloration, it will kill the mold.

3. Musty Mold Remover - the must will be removed from anything using the above formula. Just don't rinse.

4. Household Antiseptic Spray - use the above formula to spray areas that need antiseptic attention, such as after someone has vomited. >> Agy - hmmm... I wonder whether this can replace Dettol?

5. Add 1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil to your laundry for towels and other fabric prone to getting moldy. >> Agy - will be trying this out on my hubby's smelly football gear; pong!