Citronella oil is sometimes also called citronella oil, which comes from the English term citronella oil. The oil is extracted from lemongrass, which is particularly familiar from Asian cuisine.
Citronella oil is mainly used as an insect repellent – but not in the EU, where it is banned.
In relation to human health, citronella oil also has a few uses – however, these are not scientifically proven and it is therefore not recommended to use citronella oil as medicine or similar.
In this article you can get an overview of the many uses and properties of citronella oil and the precautions you should take when in contact with it.
Properties of citronella oil
Undocumented properties
There is no scientific evidence that citronella oil can alleviate or relieve the following:
- Headaches
- Cramps
- Worm
- Fluid retention
Documented properties
The following properties are well documented for citronella oil:
- Insects: Citronella oil can be used to prevent insect bites and is particularly effective against mosquitoes, but also has an effect on ticks, lice, cattle midges and stable flies. Citronella oil has a deterrent effect on insects – unlike many other insecticides that kill insects. This makes citronella oil a natural and relatively harmless alternative to chemical mosquito repellents. In Denmark, insecticides containing the substance DEET are not permitted, partly because it enters our bloodstream (via the skin) and affects the nervous system – in other words, it is toxic and can have health consequences for humans. However, in most other countries (including Sweden) DEET is permitted and it is here in particular that citronella oil is recommended as an alternative to DEET-containing insecticides.
Even though citronella oil's effect on insects is scientifically documented, the use of citronella oil as an insecticide is currently prohibited in the EU. This is despite the fact that citronella oil has been used for more than 60 years (since 1948) as a natural insecticide in the USA. The ban stems from the so-called Biocidal Products Directive 98/8/EC, which deals with essential oils and came into force in May 2000. However, in the case of citronella oil, the ban has only been in place since September 2006. The directive has faced a lot of criticism since its adoption – partly due to the controversial aspect that citronella oil can still be used as an ingredient in perfume, but not in insect repellent.
Canada's Ministry of Health has chosen to phase out the use of citronella oil in insect repellents completely, and there are underlying reasons for this.
- Fungi: Besides having an effect on insects, citronella oil also has an inhibitory effect on fungi (though not on human fungi)
- Pets: Citronella oil has been shown to be effective for dogs that bark a lot and even to have a calming effect on pets that tend to break things around the house
Citronella oil application
- Insect repellent: To use citronella oil as an insect repellent, dilute it with water (and possibly also witch hazel oil) to a concentration of 1-10% (i.e. the ratio should be 1:99 – 1:9), depending on which citronella oil you buy (read the packaging instructions for applying the oil to the skin). For citronella oil to work effectively, you should apply it 1-2 times per hour
- Cosmetics and perfumes: In the world of cosmetics, citronella oil is mainly used as a fragrance in perfumes, soaps, lotions, etc. Chemical agents extracted from pine trees (e.g. fir trees) have long partially replaced natural citronella oil, although natural citronella oil is the preferred choice in the perfume industry
- Aromatherapy: Citronella oil is a somewhat overlooked oil in aromatherapy – mainly due to its insecticidal properties. Citronella oil can be blended with the following oils: cedarwood oil, orange oil, geranium oil, lemon oil and bergamot oil
Preparation
Citronella oil is derived from various species of lemongrass (Cymbopogon) – especially the following two:
- Cymbopogon nardus (also called Ceylon citronella and contains: 18-20% geraniol, 9-11% limonene, 7-11% methyl isoeugenol, 6-8% citronellol and 5-15% citronellal)
- Cymbopogon winterianus (also known as Java citronella and contains: 32-45% citronellal, 11-13% geraniol, 3-8% geranyl acetate and 1-4% limonene)
Citronella oil is extracted from the leaves and stems of lemongrass. The total world production of citronella oil is approximately 4,000 tons and the main producers are China and Indonesia, which together account for around 40% of production.
Citronella oil should not be confused with other “lemon-like” oils such as the oil from Lemon Pelargonium (Pelargonium citrosum) or Lemon Eucalyptus (Corymbia citriodora).
Precautionary measures
- Inhalation: Do not inhale citronella oil as it can cause lung damage
- Skin: Although most people can safely apply citronella oil to the skin, some people experience allergic reactions. You may want to test with smaller areas of skin
- Ingestion: Do not ingest pure citronella oil – i.e. do not drink the oil or take it as a dietary supplement (even if small amounts of citronella oil in food is harmless). Naturally, children should not consume citronella oil either
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid all contact with citronella oil, as the health consequences for either the mother or the fetus/child are unknown
- Heart rate: Citronella oil may increase heart rate in some people