10 Uses for Pure Lemon Essential Oil

Various essential oils are known for a variety of medicinal and aromatherapy properties. Lemon essential oil is no different. In fact, more uses are being discovered all the time. Here are ten of the most common household and medicinal uses for lemon essential oil, accompanied by instructions on how to use the oils for each. Orange oil and other citrus oils have some of the same uses as lemon oil. However, lemon oil seems to be more effective.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Respiratory Ailments
According to EssentialOils.co.za, lemon essential oil can be used in conjunction with a steam inhalation treatment for wheezing, colds, cough, and other upper respiratory problems. Note that this should not be used in those with asthma. To take a steam inhalation treatment with lemon essential oil, fill a large bowl or pan with boiling hot water and a few drops of lemon essential oil. Place the afflicted person's head over the bowl and then place a towel over the head and bowl, in a tent-like fashion so that no steam escapes. The person should take a few deep breaths, breathing the vapors in deeply for a couple minutes. If at any time, the treatment causes you to feel uncomfortable, stop right away. As with any medical treatment, contact a licensed medical professional before starting any medical treatment.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Disinfectant
Lemon is a disinfectant. Lemon essential oil can be added to a spray bottle of water and sprayed into the air as a deodorizer, neutralizer, and air sterilizer. The same concoction can also be sprayed onto tables, counter tops and other surfaces.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Mouthwash
Lemon essential oil can be used as a mouthwash. Add a couple drops to a 4 oz glass of water and gargle. The disinfectant properties are great for germs in the mouth and for neutralizing bad breath odors, as well.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Energy
For a quick, refreshing energy boost, combine a couple drops each of lemon essential oil and peppermint essential oil in a glass of water and drink up.

Pure Lemon Essential Uses: Insect Repellent
Put a few drops of lemon essential oil in a spray bottle filled with water and spray onto the skin as an insect repellent. However, do not use this repellent method in the sun. Lemon oil can do damage to the skin if the treated skin is exposed to the sun. Avoid sun exposure for 12 hours after applying lemon essential oil to the skin. This method is best used at night or on cloudy and cool days.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Heartburn
Add a couple drops of lemon essential oil to a glass of water. Drink the full glass. This is said to relieve heartburn symptoms by neutralizing the acid.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Cough, Sore Throat, Fever
Adding a couple drops of lemon essential oil to your glass of water can help soothe a sore throat, calm a cough, and quell a fever. Lemon oil fights against bacteria, as well as viruses. There aren't many substances around that can do both. Many will do one or the other.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Hair, Skin, and Nails
Lemon Oil can be used to fight against oily skin and hair. It also has cleansing properties and is often an ingredient in homemade hair products. One thing to keep in mind with using lemon in the hair is that if you go into the sun, the lemon oil might react in such a way that it lightens your hair up a bit. In my experience, this can make for some good highlights, if applied in the right manner. Lemon oil is also great nourishment for the nails and can help fight against nail fungus.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Anxiety
According to AnandaApothecary, scientific studies have shown the anti-depressant qualities of essential oils, specifically lemon oil and lavender oil. In the study mentioned, the inhalation method, like the one mentioned above for respiratory ailments, was used.

Pure Lemon Essential Oil Uses: Memory & Thought Clarity
AromaWeb mentions that lemon essential oil, when used in combination with Rosemary may help increase memory, increase concentration, and provide more clarity of thought. To create this helpful blend, use 3 drops of rosemary, 3 drops of lemon oil, and diffuse it with one of the methods mentioned on the AromaWeb website.

Note:

** The author is not a medical professional. Before using any treatments, natural or not, a licensed medical professional should be consulted.

Sources:

(1) Personal Experience

(2) Essential Oils
http://www.essentialoils.co.za/essential-oils/lemon.htm
http://www.essentialoils.co.za/steam-inhalation.htm

(3) More Than Alive
http://www.morethanalive.com/Lemon-essential-oil

(4) The Ananda Apothecary
http://www.anandaapothecary.com/aromatherapy-essential-oils-news/2008/01/essential-oil-anti-anxiety-studies.html

(5) Aroma Web
http://www.aromaweb.com/recipes/memory.asp