How to Make Oil of Cloves (+ Its Many Benefits & Uses)

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Plus, expert tips on using clove oil effectively

Co-authored by Lorena Barcal and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: January 9, 2026 Fact Checked

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Making Clove Oil at Home

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Benefits & Uses

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Expert Q&A

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

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Clove oil is a powerful antioxidant and natural remedy for everything from toothaches and acne to coughing, headache, stress, and pain relief. You can buy commercially prepared clove oil anywhere essential oils are sold, but it's also relatively simple to make your own. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide on making your own clove oil at home. We’ve also spoken to health care professionals about the benefits and uses of clove oil.

Health Tip: If you're thinking about using clove oil, mention it to your doctor—they can advise you of any precautions you might need to take, especially if you're already taking medication for a chronic health condition.

How to Make DIY Clove Oil at Home

Clinical herbalist and clean beauty specialist Lorena Barcal credits clove oil with helping reduce infections, inflammation, and pain (including tooth infections). To make your own DIY clove oil, follow these steps:

Crush 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of fresh whole cloves.
Place the crushed cloves into a small, dark jar.
Cover the cloves with a carrier oil.
Seal the jar and let it sit for 1-2 weeks.
Strain the cloves out of the oil before placing the oil into an airtight jar or bottle.
Store your clove oil in a cool, dark place for up to 4 months.

Section 1 of 2:

How to Make Clove Oil at Home

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1
Buy fresh whole cloves online or at a grocery store. The eugenol in cloves starts to degrade as they age, so make sure the cloves you use are as fresh as possible so you get the best results. Dried cloves won't contain as much eugenol, so they may not be as effective.
- Cloves also come in ground or powdered form, but you won't get as much of the essence out of those, either.
- Eugenol is a phenolic chemical compound found in clove, cinnamon, and basil plants, known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.^{[1]
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  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  
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Meet the wikiHow Experts

Pradeep Adatrow, DDS, MS, is a board-certified dentist & oral surgeon with over 15 years of experience.

Lorena Barcal is a clinical herbalist and clean beauty specialist developing natural alternatives for beauty products.

Ritu Thakur, MA, is a natural health care professional with over 14 years of experience in ayurveda, naturopathy, and holistic care.
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Crush roughly 2 tablespoons of cloves with a mortar and pestle. Measure out 2 tablespoons (about 28 grams) of whole cloves. Put your cloves in a bowl, then gently crush them using a mortar and pestle. This helps release the essence from the cloves. Stop crushing when your cloves have an even, rough consistency.^{[2]
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- It’s optional to toast your cloves in a pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes before crushing them to help release the oils inside the cloves.^{[3]
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- Use a spice grinder, blender, or rolling pin if you don’t have a mortar and pestle. When using a spice grinder or blender, pulse the whole cloves until they are the desired consistency. With a rolling pin, place cloves inside a sealed plastic bag or between sheets of plastic wrap and lightly crush them with a rolling pin on a flat surface.
- When making aromatherapy oils, you can pour a little of the carrier oil you're using (for example, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and almond oil) onto the whole cloves before you crush them. This helps the oil mix more completely with the cloves.
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Place your cloves in a small dark glass jar. Choose a dark glass jar that holds at least 2 ounces (56.6990 g). Dark glass keeps the light from deteriorating the oil. Drop the crushed cloves into the bottom of the jar. You can shake it around a bit to make sure they're evenly distributed in the bottom of the jar.^{[4]
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- Amber- or cobalt-colored glass works well. If you only have a clear glass jar, that's fine—just make sure you're keeping the jar in a place that isn't exposed to light.
- Boil any bottles or utensils you use when making your clove oil to sterilize them. Otherwise, the oil can absorb any bacteria or other impurities.
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Cover the cloves with a carrier oil. Natural health care professional, Ritu Thakur, MA, recommends “grapeseed oil, coconut oil, almond, or jojoba oil” as the best carrier oils to use.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Ritu Thakur, MA
Natural Health Care Professional

Expert Interview} Pour the oil over the top of the cloves until they are just submerged under the oil—you won't need much.You might want to shake the jar around a little just to make sure your cloves are completely covered.^{[6]
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- You can use more carrier oil if you prefer, but your clove oil won't be as strong.
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Seal the jar and shake it gently a couple of times. Put the lid on the jar so that it's closed tightly to prevent spills. Shaking the oil helps distribute the clove essence evenly throughout the bottle of oil.^{[7]
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- If you're sure the lid is tightly secured, try flipping the jar upside down a couple of times. That way, you can be sure that the cloves are completely covered in oil.
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Let the jar sit for about a week or 2. Take the jar out and shake it once a day. Shaking ensures that the clove essence is evenly distributed in the carrier oil. Store the jar in a cool, dark place, such as in the back of the pantry.^{[8]
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- Technically, your clove oil is ready to use within a couple of days if you need it, but it won't be as potent.
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Strain the cloves out of the oil into an airtight jar. Secure a piece of cheesecloth over the top of a sterilized airtight jar with a rubber band. The oil will run through the cheesecloth and leave the solids in the jar. You can also drain the oil into a bowl and then pour it right back into the jar using a funnel once you've removed all the solid pieces.^{[9]
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- You can leave the cloves in the oil if you want—as with making all essential oils, the oil will just get stronger. However, if the cloves stay in the oil for over a month, add more olive oil before using it so it isn't too potent.
- It's fine to transfer the clove oil to a different jar as well. A jar with a built-in eyedropper in the lid makes it easier to dispense the oil, but this is entirely optional.
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Store the clove oil in a cool, dark place for up to 4 months. You can still use it after that, but it will gradually lose its potency. For best results, keep your clove oil below 77 °F (25 °C). Light and heat will make it lose its potency more quickly.^{[10]
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- Refrigerating your clove oil might help it last a little longer, but it isn't necessary.
- To make emergency clove oil: If you're suffering from a horrible toothache or have another urgent need for clove oil, crush a few whole cloves, place them in a small cup or bowl, and mix them with a small amount of a carrier oil. Dip a cotton swab or ball into the mixture and apply it to the affected gum or tooth. You can also buy clove oil online to keep in case of an emergency if you don’t have cloves to use.

Section 2 of 2:

Clove Oil Benefits & Uses

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Toothaches Pradeep Adatrow, DDS, MS, describes clove oil as “a natural antiseptic because it contains eugenol.” Eugenol has analgesic and antiseptic properties that can relieve pain. To use clove oil for tooth pain, Dr. Adatrow recommends “applying a small amount of clove oil on a clean cotton ball to the infected region. It will immediately relieve the pain, and can be diluted with a few drops of water if it seems too solid."^{[11]
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Expert Source

Pradeep Adatrow, DDS, MS
Board Certified Dentist & Oral Surgeon

Expert Interview}
- Clove oil contains “a chemical called eugenol, which has anesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties,” notes Dr. Adatrow.^{[12]
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  Pradeep Adatrow, DDS, MS
  Board Certified Dentist & Oral Surgeon
  
  Expert Interview}
- Avoid swallowing clove oil when applying it to your teeth or gums. Even small amounts that you might ingest have been linked to seizures, liver damage, and imbalances of fluids.^{[13]
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- Using clove oil to treat tooth pain is just a temporary remedy. Always be sure to see a dentist as soon as possible when treating a toothache.
- Exposure or ingestion in large amounts can damage the liver and kidneys. If you're only using a drop or two of clove oil at a time, you should be fine. Overdoses involve consuming 10 to 30 millilitres (0.34 to 1.01 fl oz) of clove oil at once, which can lead to a decrease in consciousness and coma in just a few hours.^{[14]
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  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  
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Hair growth Some research suggests that the eugenol compound in clove oil can improve blood circulation to the scalp. Improved blood circulation in the scalp can be an important part of encouraging new, healthy hair growth. Its antioxidant properties may also protect existing hair follicles from oxidative stress.^{[15]
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- Clove oil’s antimicrobial and antifungal properties are also associated with preventing dandruff and allowing for a healthier scalp.
- Other research suggests that clove oil may play a part in preventing breakage in hair by conditioning, repairing hair shafts, and strengthening existing hair strands.
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Acne Research has shown that clove oil’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties can kill acne-causing bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). It’s also been thought to reduce inflammation, redness, and swelling in the skin.^{[16]
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- Always use a carrier oil when applying clove oil to the skin to avoid irritation and skin damage.
- It’s very important to do a patch test first to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction to the clove oil. If you see a rash after applying clove oil, wash your skin thoroughly with soap and warm water, and stop using the clove oil.
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Mosquito bites Dab clove oil on your skin at pulse points to repel mosquitoes. A lotion containing a concentration of 10% clove oil has been shown to prevent mosquito and other incest bites for over 90 minutes. The eugenol in clove oil is a natural insect repellent.^{[17]
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- If you already have mosquito bites or are experiencing other itching symptoms, try rubbing it on your skin to ease itching or inflammation. Barcal suggests that "clove oil is a great essential oil for reducing infections, inflammation, and pain.”^{[18]
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  Lorena Barcal
  Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
  
  Expert Interview}
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Bad breath Mix a few drops of clove oil with warm water to use as a mouthwash to prevent bad breath. Swish the mixture around in your mouth for about a minute before spitting it out—do not swallow any mixture containing clove oil.^{[19]
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- Using clove oil for bad breath can help reduce inflammation and kill bacteria that causes bad breath.

Expert Q&A

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What are the benefits of clove oil on skin?

Lorena Barcal
Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist
Lorena Barcal is a Clinical Herbalist, Clean Beauty Specialist, and Writer for IslandBeauty.co, a blog dedicated to sharing the benefits of using all-natural beauty products and recipes created by herbalists. Lorena specializes in studying and developing natural alternatives for beauty products. After finishing her herbal studies, Lorena managed an herbal lab in Barcelona developing natural beauty products. As a writer for IslandBeauty.co, she shares knowledge and insights to promote the natural beauty industry.

Lorena Barcal

Clinical Herbalist & Clean Beauty Specialist

Expert Answer

Clove oil is a great essential oil for reducing infections and inflammation. It can reduce pain and be used to treat teeth infections, too.

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Warnings

If you take clove oil along with another medication that slows blood clotting, including warfarin and even over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, you might have an increased chance of bleeding and bruising.

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As of 2021, there isn't enough scientific information available to recommend an appropriate dose of clove oil. The best dose for you depends on your age and health, as well as other conditions. Consult your healthcare provider before using clove oil, especially if you plan to use it for an extended period of time.^{[20]
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Never give clove oil to children. It can cause severe side effects if ingested, including seizures and liver damage. Use caution if you're pregnant or nursing.

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If you're diabetic, using clove oil while taking diabetes medications can cause your blood sugar to drop too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely while using clove oil.^{[21]
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Avoid clove oil if you have a bleeding disorder. The chemical eugenol slows blood clotting.

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