How To Get Eucalyptus In The Shower: With Or Without Branches

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Potential Health Benefits of Hanging Eucalyptus in Your Shower

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Corey Whelan — Updated on October 3, 2024

Potential benefits
Creating a eucalyptus bouquet
Toxicity warnings
Takeaway

Hanging eucalyptus leaves in your shower may offer some therapeutic health benefits. Anecdotal reports suggest shower steam helps activate and release eucalyptus oil compounds into the air, which you breathe in.

Eucalyptus leaves contain oil, which is often distilled and sold as an essential oil for aromatherapy. Eucalyptus oil can be found in many products, including decongestants, cough suppressants, mouthwash, cosmetics, and muscle rubs.

Some of the compounds in eucalyptus oil provide potential health benefits that include promoting relaxation and clearing nasal congestion.

This article reviews the potential health benefits of hanging eucalyptus leaves in your shower.

Potential benefits of eucalyptus in the shower

In addition to being pleasing to look at and having a scent that many people enjoy, the oils released by hanging eucalyptus in the shower may provide health benefits when inhaled.

However, it’s worth noting that the studies and potential benefits cited below used concentrated eucalyptus oil. It’s unclear whether hanging eucalyptus leaves in your show will produce the same results.

Potential health benefits of eucalyptus oil include:

Stress reduction: For some people, the scent of eucalyptus can produce an immediate sense of calm. This may be due to the effects of eucalyptol, a major component of eucalyptus. According to a 2014 study, eucalyptol, when inhaled, was shown to decrease anxiety in 62 people awaiting surgery. Eucalyptol is also referred to as 1,8-cineole.
Pain relief: A 2013 study involving people who had just had total knee replacement surgery found that inhaling eucalyptus oil reduced their sensation of pain and lowered their blood pressure.
Respiratory health: A 2021 study noted that eucalyptus oil is “widely used in traditional medicine to treat symptoms of airborne infectious diseases, including the common cold, pulmonary tuberculosis, nasal congestion, sinusitis, bronchial disease, and asthma, and is also used as a disinfectant, antioxidant, and antiseptic agent, especially in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.”
Sinusitis: Eucalyptus inhalation may be beneficial for treating sinus congestion and sinus infections. It can also help clear out mucus from nasal passages and relieve coughs.

How to hang eucalyptus in the shower

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Supplies

3 to 12 small branches of fresh or dried eucalyptus leaves
twine, ribbon, or string
a small, thin rubber band or hair tie (optional)
a scissor

Based on how full you wish your bouquet to be, you’ll want to use around 7 to 12 eucalyptus leaf branches, but you can do this with as few as 3 or 4.

Steps

To make a bouquet for your shower:

Gather the branches with the cut ends down.
Clear the stems. Remove leaves from the bottom of each branch so that you have room to tie them together.
Cut string or twine to approximately 24 inches long. Longer is better; too short, and it’ll be difficult to tie the bouquet and hang it on your showerhead.
Wrap the string tightly around the stems. Tie the branches together, right under the leafy part, so that the bare stems are below the twine. You may want to wrap a rubber band around the stems to temporarily hold them together while you secure the string around them.
Use the ends of the string to attach your eucalyptus bouquet to the showerhead or another part of your shower. Make sure to tie it securely.
Position the bouquet so that it is not directly under the water stream.
Replace the bouquet every 3 weeks or until you no longer smell eucalyptus.

Where can you find fresh or dried eucalyptus branches?

While you can find eucalyptus trees thriving in a lot of places, including your backyard, there are places to buy inexpensive branches. The added benefit? They’re already cut down to size.

Find eucalyptus bundles from a florist or at grocery stores where floral arrangements are made. Or buy eucalyptus bundles and eucalyptus leaves from sellers on Etsy.

Eucalyptus warnings for people and pets

Keep eucalyptus branches away from the water

Eucalyptus oil can irritate skin and eyes, especially when not diluted in a carrier oil. Water and oil don’t mix or create a diluted mixture. For this reason, don’t place the leaves directly under the water stream. Rather, let the steam from your shower activate and release the oil into the air.

Swallowing eucalyptus oil can cause seizures

Don’t swallow eucalyptus oil. If swallowed, eucalyptus oil can cause seizures in some people.

Another reason to keep the leaves away from the water stream is so that the oil doesn’t go into your mouth or eyes.

Eucalyptus can irritate skin

Stop using eucalyptus if your skin becomes irritated or if you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as hives. Some people may have a eucalyptus allergy.

Call your doctor or 911 if you have a severe allergic reaction, such as anaphylaxis.

Not for kids or pregnant women

Eucalyptus oil is generally recognized as safe, or GRAS, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But don’t use eucalyptus oil near children or if you’re pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or nursing, without your doctor’s approval. Studies on the use of inhaled or topical eucalyptus oil in these groups are limited.

Toxic to pets
Inhaling or coming into contact with eucalyptus oils can be toxic to animals, including dogs, cats, and horses, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Don’t use eucalyptus oil as aromatherapy if there are pets in the home.

The takeaway

Eucalyptus compounds may help some people find relief from stress, nasal congestion, coughing, and body aches. Inhaling its strong scent may also be beneficial.

Hanging eucalyptus branches in your shower is one way to capture the invigorating scent of eucalyptus and the stress-reducing effects that scent may provide.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — Written by Corey Whelan — Updated on October 3, 2024

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