Citronella and All of Its Uses
By: Peter Demmon
Citronella is a perennial lemongrass, meaning that it lasts three seasons or more. Citronella comes in two forms, Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus. While some use citronella as an ornamental grass in their yard, its oil has many, many uses both unverified and verified. The general assessment of citronella is positive. The only harm that seems to come from citronella is a mild rash for those allergic to it. Other than that, the praise for this lemongrass is astonishing. Citronella is popular with aromatherapists, it is also useful as an antiseptic, an insect repellant, a fragrance, a detergent, as food seasoning, and as a bark suppressant spray in some dog collars.
Citronella has beneficial qualities that make it useful to aromatherapists. One of the chief aromatherapy claims is that citronella is a cicatrisant. This means that it has the power to cicatrize or work as a decent healing agent and help with the forming of scar-tissue. Aromatherapists also claim that citronella is a great diuretic (a substance that increases urine output), or even an emmenagogue (something that stimulates menstrual flow). It can also be used as a bactericidal antispeptic (meaning that it kills germs and is safe for humans). There are even some unproven claims that citronella can be used to treat colds, fevers, coughs and the flu. It is even used by some to treat migraine headaches and neuralgia (pain from a malfunctioning nerve). It is also said that citronella softens the skin. It has even been used as a vermifuge, which is a treatment for getting rid of intestinal parasites.
Citronella is also a widely respected insect repellant. citronella has a documented history of being able to specifically repel mosquitoes. It is also a successful agent that can be used against ants, moths, ticks, and fleas. Studies have shown that citronella can protect cardboard from insect infestations as well. In some cases the protection is 50% more than other food-packaging insect repellents. The residue of a citronella treatment to a cardboard box can last for 16 weeks or more.
Citronella can also be found in some specialty soaps and detergents. It is commonly used as a fragrance oil and as a perfume additive. It is mostly employed with candle-making. If you smell a lemony candle, there is a good chance that you are smelling some citronella. citronella grass is also used in many Vietnamese recipes as a seasoning.
One of the most interesting uses of citronella is that it's in specially-made dog collars for bark suppression. Dogs don't appreciate the smell of citronella. It isn't harmful to them, but they would rather smell something else. There are now several dog collars on the market that employ citronella as their anti-barking agent. This is a positive turn in the bark-suppression collar industry. The original standards have been shock collars and collars that emit high frequency sounds to get zealously barking dogs under control. citronella spray collars work like this: There is a microphone on the collar, and when the dog barks, a shot of citronella oil is sprayed from below the dog's jaw to leave a lingering cloud before the dog's face. This is that three-pronged sensation attack. The dog hears the hiss of the citronella spray, he smells it, and he sees it. All of this is enough to get him in an uncomfortable enough space that he will reconsider unnecessary barking in the future.
For a decorative grass that smells lemony when crushed in one's hands, citronella has a plethora of uses. The oil from citronella grass is becoming more and more relevant to our daily lives. Its use for aromatherapists, those who want to be safe from mosquitoes, as a soap or detergent, and people training their dogs to not bark unnecessarily. citronella's uses are paramount, and as time passes who knows what will be next for the perennial lemongrass?
Citronella has beneficial qualities that make it useful to aromatherapists. One of the chief aromatherapy claims is that citronella is a cicatrisant. This means that it has the power to cicatrize or work as a decent healing agent and help with the forming of scar-tissue. Aromatherapists also claim that citronella is a great diuretic (a substance that increases urine output), or even an emmenagogue (something that stimulates menstrual flow). It can also be used as a bactericidal antispeptic (meaning that it kills germs and is safe for humans). There are even some unproven claims that citronella can be used to treat colds, fevers, coughs and the flu. It is even used by some to treat migraine headaches and neuralgia (pain from a malfunctioning nerve). It is also said that citronella softens the skin. It has even been used as a vermifuge, which is a treatment for getting rid of intestinal parasites.
Citronella is also a widely respected insect repellant. citronella has a documented history of being able to specifically repel mosquitoes. It is also a successful agent that can be used against ants, moths, ticks, and fleas. Studies have shown that citronella can protect cardboard from insect infestations as well. In some cases the protection is 50% more than other food-packaging insect repellents. The residue of a citronella treatment to a cardboard box can last for 16 weeks or more.
Citronella can also be found in some specialty soaps and detergents. It is commonly used as a fragrance oil and as a perfume additive. It is mostly employed with candle-making. If you smell a lemony candle, there is a good chance that you are smelling some citronella. citronella grass is also used in many Vietnamese recipes as a seasoning.
One of the most interesting uses of citronella is that it's in specially-made dog collars for bark suppression. Dogs don't appreciate the smell of citronella. It isn't harmful to them, but they would rather smell something else. There are now several dog collars on the market that employ citronella as their anti-barking agent. This is a positive turn in the bark-suppression collar industry. The original standards have been shock collars and collars that emit high frequency sounds to get zealously barking dogs under control. citronella spray collars work like this: There is a microphone on the collar, and when the dog barks, a shot of citronella oil is sprayed from below the dog's jaw to leave a lingering cloud before the dog's face. This is that three-pronged sensation attack. The dog hears the hiss of the citronella spray, he smells it, and he sees it. All of this is enough to get him in an uncomfortable enough space that he will reconsider unnecessary barking in the future.
For a decorative grass that smells lemony when crushed in one's hands, citronella has a plethora of uses. The oil from citronella grass is becoming more and more relevant to our daily lives. Its use for aromatherapists, those who want to be safe from mosquitoes, as a soap or detergent, and people training their dogs to not bark unnecessarily. citronella's uses are paramount, and as time passes who knows what will be next for the perennial lemongrass?
