Peppermint has a surprising amount of medicinal benefits, making it one of the most helpful plants for not only your home, but also your health. If your stomach is feeling upset, try drinking some herbal peppermint tea.

Peppermint works great for soothing sore throat. The menthol in the peppermint cools your throat while helping to thin any mucus buildup. In addition, peppermint helps to relieve the pain and inflammation often accompanied with a sore throat.

Add a few drops of peppermint oil onto a small object, such as a small tea bag, and you have an instant air freshener. Simply hang or place the object in the area you want to freshen, and let the peppermint do its work.

Mix peppermint, lemon, and lavender oils in a diffuser to help with coughs. Or, you can mix the oils and rub them on a small cloth to use as a portable inhaler. Just like with a sore throat, the peppermint helps soothe irritated throat tissue.

Add some drops of peppermint and wild orange oils and vanilla extract to a cup of water in a spray bottle to make a mint and citrus air freshener. To do away with odors, simply spritz the air in the room with the offending smell to quickly freshen up the room.

Undiluted peppermint oil dabbed onto the forehead, temples, and other areas is a quick way to reduce a high fever. Keep in mind you still need to see a doctor for very high temperatures. If you have sensitive skin, make sure to dilute the peppermint oil before applying.

To neutralize pet smells, put some peppermint oil into a spray bottle along with all-natural fabric softener, baking soda, tea tree oil, and some water. Shake well before use. The spray not only freshens the air, but also helps kill bacteria and fungus. Check here for more information.

Add a few drops of peppermint oil to a bowl of steaming distilled water to clear your sinuses. Lower your face over the water, and place a damp towel over your head, making sure to trap the edges of the steam with the towel. Inhale deeply to clear your airways.

Mix peppermint oil with either tea tree or lime essential oils for a powerful disinfectant cleaner. Place the oils in a spray bottle with some water and shake well. The spray is good against germs and bacteria and can help cut down instances of the flu in your home.

Peppermint oil-infused bath salts are a great way to get rid of general aches and pains in your body after a hard day at work. Simply place the bath salts into a tub full of hot water and soak away the aches. Mix the peppermint oil with Epsom salt to make these soothing bath salts.

Create a peppermint oil-infused shampoo for daily use. Mix peppermint oil with avocado oil, tea tree oil, castile soap, vegetable glycerin, and water. Shake well before each use. You can find the entire recipe at Eden’s Garden.

Peppermint oil can also help reduce the pain from rheumatoid arthritis. Make sure to dilute the peppermint oil in a carrier oil, such as almond or coconut oil, before applying. Massage the oil into painful joints for quick relief.

Mix peppermint oil with white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, and lemon and rosemary oil, to make a homemade glass cleaner. Place the ingredients in a spray bottle with some warm water and shake well before using. You can find how to make this glass cleaner here.

Peppermint oil mixed with a carrier oil, such as almond or coconut oil, also works great at relieving muscle soreness. Mix the peppermint oil and carrier oil together, and then massage directly into your sore muscles for fast relief.

To freshen the smell of your carpeting, mix peppermint oil with baking soda. Sprinkle the mixture onto your carpet, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Vacuum the mixture up, leaving behind the fresh scent of peppermint.

To relieve a tension headache, massage peppermint oil, either straight or diluted, into your temples for fast pain relief. You can also massage the oil behind your jawbone and across your forehead.

Mix peppermint oil with some other oils, such as rosemary, wintergreen, or tea tree oil, in a spray bottle with some water and vegetable glycerin to create a great mold- and mildew-fighting spray. You can also spray your indoor plants to keep mold and mildew away.

Relieve itchy and irritated skin by massaging peppermint oil mixed with a carrier oil directly into the affected area. This works great in relieving rashes, burns, and dryness. The oil should soothe the pain while moisturizing your skin, refreshing it.

Keep spiders out of your home by putting a few drops on a cotton ball and placing in areas where spiders can get into your home. Suitable locations include around windows and doors. Spiders hate peppermint and will avoid areas where it is located.

Get a few sprigs of peppermint, and place it into a bag or pillow (something your pet won’t bite). Tuck it under or beside their bed. Peppermint can actually repel certain fleas and other bugs that might latch onto your four-legged friend.

The smell of peppermint oil is also great at keeping away rodents, such as rats and mice. The smell of the peppermint irritates the sensitive noses of these animals, keeping them at bay. Place a cotton ball with peppermint oil on it in areas where these critters like to frequent.

The scent of peppermint even helps fight nausea in some people, even women with morning sickness. If peppermint oil helps you fight off nausea, simply place some oil in a diffuser the next time you feel sick to your stomach.

You can use peppermint oil for seasonal allergy relief. The scent of the peppermint oil helps to relax the muscles in your nasal passage, helping to clear mucus and pollen from your respiratory tract. You can either diffuse peppermint oil at home using a diffuser or apply peppermint oil to your temples, neck, and chest.

You can relieve gas and bloating by taking coated peppermint capsules specially designed to prevent the heartburn and indigestion often caused by directly ingesting peppermint oil. This help relieve these symptoms, even when eating foods that cause them.

Taking a whiff of peppermint before working out can give you a needed burst of energy to help with workout performance, according to studies. You can also ingest peppermint oil for improved performance while exercising, including increased grip force, jumping ability, and increased oxygen levels.

To quickly relieve a tooth ache, place a few drops of peppermint oil on a cotton swab and apply directly to the hurting tooth. In addition to relieving pain, the peppermint oil should also disinfect the area. Make sure to see a dentist to deal with the cause of the toothache.

Peppermint oil, taken in special time release capsule form, has been shown to help with symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS. Relief from this treatment comes in the form of reduced bleeding, pain, discomfort, diarrhea, and constipation.

You can make a homemade mouthwash using peppermint oil to help freshen your breath. Mix a few drops of peppermint and tea tree oil in a few tablespoons of baking soda and four ounces of distilled water in a sealable container. Shake before use, and swish in your mouth for a few minutes. Spit out. Do not swallow the mouthwash.

Peppermint oil has also been shown to reduce dandruff and promote hair growth. You can simply add a few drops of peppermint oil to your normal shampoo, make your own peppermint oil-infused shampoo as shown here, or simply massage peppermint oil into your scalp while showering.

You can also make a toothpaste using peppermint oil that is good for your teeth and gums. Wellness Mama has the recipe for this mineralizing toothpaste. You can even store it in a squeezable tube for easier access, just make sure to use a BPA-free tube.

Peppermint oil also helps with the treatment of a variety of skin conditions, including acne. To use, mix peppermint oil with a carrier oil and some water and apply to the acne with a cotton swab. Leave on overnight.

According to studies, using peppermint oil in conjunction with a specially designed comb is effective when dealing with head lice. Mix 15 to 20 drops of peppermint oil with two ounces of olive oil, and dab onto the scalp using a cotton ball, leaving on overnight. Place a drop on the back of your hand before using this treatment to check for any allergic reactions first.

The menthol in peppermint oil also works great in relieving sunburn. Mix the peppermint oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, and rub into the affected area. The peppermint oil should help reduce the inflammation, swelling, and redness of the sunburned area.

You can use peppermint oil to treat intestinal worms. Use the same specially coated peppermint capsules that you use for gas, boating, and IBS. These capsule bypass the stomach and release in the intestines, where such parasites live. Also see a doctor for your condition.

While ingesting a large amount of peppermint oil has been shown to cause heartburn, peppermint oil in a smaller amount can actually relive the condition. Simply mix a drop of peppermint oil in a glass of warm water and drink. The peppermint oil promotes the production of bile, which helps the digestive process.

Mix peppermint oil with a few drops of lemon oil and some distilled water and unscented glycerin soap in a pump container. Dissolve the glycerin soap in some boiling water, and add the essential oils after the mixture has cooled. You can find the recipe here.

To calm a colicky baby, mix peppermint oil with a carrier oil and rub onto the stomach and chest of the colicky baby. The peppermint oil helps calm and soothe the colicky baby by reducing spasms in the baby’s intestines and colon and releases gas that can become trapped in the stomach.

Mix peppermint oil with a few tablespoons of organic cane sugar, extra virgin olive oil, and flax seed oil for a face-cleansing exfoliating sugar scrub. Place the mixed ingredients in a small glass jar for easy access.

Create a perfect remedy for a teething baby by mixing peppermint oil with coconut or olive oil. Once mixed, rub on the baby’s teeth and gums to provide numbing and cooling relief.

Peppermint plants are a perfect way to keep away all of those pests you hate without using any harmful chemicals. Like mentioned previously, keeping a few potted peppermints around can keep rodents and other creatures, such as flies and ants, at bay.