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39 Unusual Uses for Cloves

July 22, 2013 by Robin 15 Comments

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Household Tips

Image from: DoTerraBlog.com

Before I share all of the wonderful frugal living tips that we came up with for cloves, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for being so engaged in this series. As you know, this series began as a way to re-create my grandmother’s lost WWII Homemaking journal. The original quest was to gather as much information as we could remember and share this piece of my grandmother with our entire family. Throughout the past several weeks the series has morphed into more than what I had originally intended.
Week after week, more and more family members have joined in on the quest, offering their input on the topic of the week. It has become kind of a family reunion, all of us coming together to celebrate our family’s legacy. Without the help of my family this series probably would have fizzled out weeks ago. There were so many times when I just couldn’t think of a topic and thank goodness one of my family members would come to the rescue.

This series has also opened my eyes and made me look at things in a totally different way. Now, when I’m at the store and I need to purchase a product for a specific task, I ask myself two questions “Can this product be used for more than one task?” and “Is there a more frugal alternative?”. It’s amazing how much money you can save by asking yourself these two little questions.

Now let’s look at the multiple uses that you can get from a little jar of cloves.

Health
always consult a doctor before using cloves as a treatment

  1. Bedsores – to reduce the risk, apply clove oil
    to the skin.
  2. Bunions – to relieve pain, soak a rag in clove
    oil and apply to the area.
  3. Burns – to relieve pain and avoid infection, immediately apply
    clove oil to the burn.
  4. Circulation – to improve, rub the area with
    clove oil.
  5. Congestion – to relieve, drink a tea made from 2
    cloves, 1 stick of cinnamon, 2 crushed cardamom seeds and 1 black tea bag. This
    tea will help loosen mucus.
  6. Cuts (minor)
    – to stop bleeding and reduce pain, immediately sprinkle with ground cloves.
  7. Dry Socket
    – to reduce pain from tooth removal, apply the affected area with clove oil.
  8. Earaches –
    to reduce pain and infection, dilute clove oil in olive oil, place on a cotton
    ball and place it in the ear.
  9. Flatulence –
    to relieve, drink a tea made by steeping 5 cloves in 8 ounces of boiling water.
    Allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Drink 2-3 time per day.
  10. Heartburn –
    to avoid, chew on a clove.
  11. Hypertension
    – to help reduce, chew on cloves.
  12. Indigestion
    – to prevent, drink a glass of water with a drop of clove oil before eating.
  13. Libido – to
    increase, add a drop of clove oil in your beverage.
  14. Muscles –
    to soothe aches and pains, rub the muscle with clove oil.
  15. Nausea – to relieve, drink a glass of clove tea.
    To make the tea, add 1 tablespoon of ground whole cloves to 8 ounces of boiling
    water. Let it steep for up to 20 minutes. Don’t drink on an empty stomach.
  16. Poison Oak or Poison Ivy – to relieve burning
    and itching, rub the affected area with clove oil.
  17. Stomach Ache – to calm, put a drop or two of
    clove oil in your beverage.
  18. Teething – to soothe teething pain, place a dab
    of clove oil on the gums.
  19. Tension Headaches – to reduce pain, apply clove
    oil on a rag and place on your forehead or temples.
  20. Toothache – to reduce pain, place a clove leaf
    on the area or apply clove oil to the affected area. Another option is to bite
    down on a clove.
  21. Warts – to relieve pain, soak a rag in clove oil
    and apply to the area.

Beauty

  1. Acne – to stop breakouts, apply a facial mask to your entire
    face made from 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of honey and 3 drops of
    lemon juice. Allow the mixture to remain on your face for 20 minutes and then
    rinse with cold water.
  2. Hair (Dark) – to enhance color and shine, pour 1 cup of
    boiling water over a mixture of 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    and ½ teaspoon ground cloves. Let the mixture steep for 30 minutes then strain
    and let it cool. Use as a final rinse after shampooing.
  3. Breath – to freshen, chew on a clove.
  4. Puffy Skin – to reduce puffiness, apply clove oil.
  5. Skin – to moisturize dry skin, apply clove oil to your skin.
  6. Stretch Marks – to lessen the appearance, apply clove oil to
    skin.
Cleaning
  1. Air Freshener – to make your own, in a spray bottle, mix clove
    oil and water. Be sure to shake the bottle well before spraying.
  2. Mold – to eliminate, spray the area with a mixture of ½ teaspoon
    clove oil and 2 cups of water. Scrub the area and don’t rinse.
  3. Must – to remove the smell, place some whole cloves in a
    piece of cotton and tie it shut.
  4. Odors – to reduce odors in the kitchen, simmer some cloves,
    adding water as the water evaporates.
  5. Thermos – to freshen, place whole cloves inside before
    storing.
Miscellaneous
  1. Ants – to kill, make a mixture using clove oil, cinnamon oil
    and water. Shake well and spray the ants and their trails.
  2. Bugs – to repel, plant clove plants around your patio or
    yard.
  3. Bugs – to repel, in a spray bottle, mix clove oil and water.
    Be sure to shake the bottle well before spraying your skin.
  4. Energy – to increase, add a drop of clove oil in your
    beverage.
  5. Flies – to deter, place a dish of whole in the area where
    flies are a problem.
  6. Moths – to keep them away, place a sachet filled with whole
    cloves in the area.
  7. Weeds – to kill, make a mixture of clove oil and
    water. Spray the weeds with the mixture and repeat weekly or after rain.
Homemade Clove Oil
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 cup Olive Oil
Mix the cloves and oil in a bowl, cover and let it sit for 24 hours.

 Strain and store in an airtight container.Are you as amazed as I am with how many uses there are for cloves? Do you have any unusual household tips using cloves that you can add to this list?

** If, by some small miracle, you worked at Amway in Ada, MI in the 1980’s and were the person my mother loaned the notebook to, please contact me. The notebook is a small (aprox. 6″x9″) black leather, 3-ring binder, and contains hand drawn patterns (teddy bear), recipes and household tips and tricks. It would mean so much to my family to have it back.

Filed Under: Frugal Tips, Save, WWII Series Tagged With: how to, two cents'

Comments

  1. Linda @ With A Blast says

    July 22, 2013 at 1:57 pm

    I love the smell of Cloves but have never thought of using it as an air freshener ! Another great collection, thanks Robin! {ps I think besides in cooking I have only used whole cloves and the oil for toothaches}

    Reply
  2. Savannah says

    July 22, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    That is so cool. I never knew there was so many different uses for cloves.

    Reply
  3. Jann Olson says

    July 31, 2013 at 2:50 am

    Robin, my favorite memory of cloves is how my mom would put them in an old coffee with water and simmer them on low during Christmas. She had to watch that the water didn't burn dry, but oh what a heavenly smell. I have done it from time to time also. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

    Reply
  4. Kathy A Delightsome Life says

    July 31, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    Oh, my! Who knew cloves had so many beneficial uses! LOVE it! Such a blessing! I am delighted that you shared with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

    Reply
  5. Tammy S Forsyth says

    March 8, 2017 at 2:00 am

    I was in a car accident and received brain damage in the frontal lobe of my brain and the back lobe of my brain. I lost all my memory from the day of the accident to the day I was born, My neurologist told me about a type of tea that would help mend my brain and replenish the cells. At the at point I was willing to try anything to regain the strength of my brain and boy it has really help and I love the taste.

    2 sticks of Saigon Cinnamon (sweetest cinnamon on the market)

    3-4 whole cloves

    3 tea bags

    1 1/2 cups of sugar

    Reply
    • Robin says

      March 8, 2017 at 10:59 am

      Wow what an endorsement! Happy to see that it helped.

      Reply
    • Catherine says

      September 5, 2019 at 8:52 pm

      Hello Tamnny S Forsyth,

      How much water would one add? 3 or 6 cups? So sorry to hear about your brain injury, but glad you are recovering.

      Reply
  6. Myya M Robinson says

    April 13, 2018 at 1:02 pm

    Wow my mom just told me my great grandma told her about the many uses of cloves so I just googled it and reading what everyone is saying and the natural tea for the brain I am in awwwwww we’ll I’ll be doing it all with cloves plus it makes me think of my great grandma she was my heart so I’m so happy right now

    Reply
    • Robin says

      April 14, 2018 at 11:11 am

      Grandma’s are pretty smart!!

      Reply
  7. Mike says

    December 3, 2018 at 9:11 am

    We use cloves to keep deer out of our lawn, works great ,mike

    Reply
    • Robin says

      December 3, 2018 at 10:24 am

      That is clever, I’m going to try it around our fruit trees!

      Reply
  8. Annette says

    June 29, 2021 at 8:12 pm

    Wow!!!

    Reply
  9. Evelyn Payton says

    February 3, 2022 at 11:14 pm

    I wonder if it will deter birds from my blueberry trees.

    Reply
    • Robin says

      February 6, 2022 at 4:43 pm

      If you try it, please let me know if it works!!

      Reply

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