Quick answer: Everyone knows lavang oil for toothache. What surprises people is how much else it's good for, from a stiff neck to the mosquitoes buzzing round your balcony at dusk. Eugenol does all that. It's also what makes the oil rough on skin, so stay at 0.5% or under on the body. Never drink it.
Ask anyone in India what lavang ka tel is for, and you'll hear one answer. Daant dard.
Fair. That's its most famous job. But a bottle of clove oil sitting in your cupboard can do a lot more than rescue you from a toothache at midnight.
I work at an essential oil manufacturing facility in Nimbri, Panipat, where we distil clove bud and clove leaf oil. Honestly, our customers keep surprising us. Soap. Ant trails. Some even spray it on the balcony every evening. So I've put together the lavang oil uses I've actually seen work, along with the safety stuff that usually gets left out.
What is lavang oil?
If you've been wondering, lavang is simply what clove is called in Hindi and Marathi, so lavang oil and clove oil come from the very same Syzygium aromaticum tree. In north India you'll also hear it called laung ka tel.
There are two main types. Bud oil, made from the dried buds sitting in your masala dabba. And leaf oil, from the leaves, easier on the wallet. Both are loaded with eugenol. That's the stuff that numbs and gives clove its bite. LiverTox, the NIH database, pegs it at around 70 to 90% of the oil.
For anything near the mouth or skin, bud oil is the better pick. I dug into the lab numbers on that in our clove bud oil vs clove leaf oil comparison, if you're curious.
How much clove oil is safe on skin?
Start here, because it matters for most lavang oil uses below.
Clove oil is one of the stronger essential oils. Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young literally wrote the book on this, Essential Oil Safety. Their cap for clove bud oil on skin? Half a percent. Eugenol irritates, and over time it can make you allergic.
So what's half a percent in real life? One teaspoon is about 5 ml, which is near 100 drops. Two teaspoons of carrier, one drop of clove. Done. That's it. It feels weak, but it's enough.
They also say no to clove on the skin of kids two and under. And no clove in the bath, even diluted.
Does lavang oil help with toothache?
Oh, absolutely, this is the job it's famous for. The eugenol settles the nerve down, and when the Journal of Dentistry tested clove gel back in 2006, it held up about as well as the 20% benzocaine you'd get in a chemist's numbing gel.
For teeth, the mouth can handle a slightly stronger mix than skin, around 1 to 2%, on a cotton bud. I've already written a whole piece on how to use clove oil for toothache, so I'll spare you the repeat. If it's your gums or a cavity bothering you, look at clove oil for teeth, and if you've been wondering whether peppermint might do better, our oil for toothache ranking settles it.
Can clove oil ease muscle and joint pain?
It can help a little. Ever smelled clove in a tin of pain balm? There's a reason. It warms, and it numbs a touch.
Try stirring one drop of clove bud oil into two teaspoons of sweet almond oil and working it into your neck after a long day hunched over the laptop, though it's just as good on tired calves after a walk. Then wash your hands. Clove in the eye is not fun.
Keep it away from any cuts or scraped skin. Burning or red? Stop.
Does lavang oil keep mosquitoes away?
This one has real research behind it. A 2005 study in Phytotherapy Research by Trongtokit and colleagues compared 38 essential oils against mosquito bites. Clove oil gave the longest complete protection, two to four hours, against all three mosquito species tested.
Here's the catch. That top result was with clove oil straight, undiluted, way past the safe limit for skin. So I'd spray it around you instead of on you.
My go to: a small spray bottle of water, a splash of rubbing alcohol, ten drops of clove. Shake hard. Then, as the sun goes down, give the door frames and curtains a light mist, or just put a few drops in a diffuser out on the balcony if that's easier.
Can you use clove oil in a diffuser?
Yes. Just two or three drops are enough to make the room smell like someone's frying Diwali sweets next door, and in December I like adding a little orange or cinnamon to it. Eucalyptus too, if someone's got a cold.
Half an hour, an hour max. Keep a window open while it runs, because breathing in too much clove can leave your throat feeling scratchy. If there's a baby, a pet or someone with asthma in the house, I'd pick a milder oil for the diffuser.
Is clove oil good for cleaning?
It's excellent. It's tough on germs, and frankly its smell wins against last night's fish fry without any effort.
The spray is simple enough. Pour a cup of water and half a cup of white vinegar into a bottle, add about ten drops of clove leaf oil, and use it on the counter, the sink and that smelly dustbin lid. Shake each time. If your counter is granite or wood, test a small hidden patch first, because vinegar can take the shine off some surfaces.
Leaf oil is perfect for this. It costs less, and since it's not going on your body, there's no reason to pay for bud oil here.
Can clove oil keep ants and pests away?
Ants really don't like strong spicy smells, so I mix a few drops of clove oil into some water and wipe it along the windowsills, door gaps and the back of the kitchen counter where ants usually march in.
There's an old household trick of putting a single drop on a cotton ball and tuck it into a cupboard corner, which keeps both insects and that musty monsoon smell away. Just change the cotton every few days.
How is clove oil used in soap and candles?
Plenty of small soap brands use clove leaf oil. Warm, spicy, and it survives cold process fairly well. Keep within IFRA's eugenol limits though, too much and your customers' skin will complain.
Buying for a soap or candle business? Before you place a big order, have a look at our guide on choosing a clove oil manufacturer in India.
Candle makers often like blending it with cinnamon, orange or vanilla, which gives that warm festive feel people want around Diwali. Stick to whatever fragrance load your wax supplier suggests.
Is clove oil good for hair?
Some people mix it into their hair oil hoping for a scalp boost. The proof is thin, I'll be honest. Want to try anyway? One drop in two teaspoons of coconut or almond oil, scalp only.
Patch test first. A scalp reaction to clove can be very itchy. Want growth? Rosemary has much better studies behind it.
Can you use clove oil for acne or skin problems?
I'd skip it. Yes, it kills bacteria. It's also one of the harshest oils you can put on a face. Angry pimples will get angrier.
For spots, tea tree is the gentler, better researched pick.
Can you eat or drink lavang oil?
No. Cloves in your pulao? Totally fine. The essential oil? Never down the throat.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center's poison control team warns that 5 to 10 ml, about two teaspoons, can seriously poison a small child. Seizures, liver damage. Top shelf, always.
Who should avoid clove oil?
Children aged two and under, for topical use. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, please talk to your doctor before using it. The same goes if you're on blood thinners or have surgery coming up, as eugenol may slow down clotting. Allergic to clove? Then obviously not.
Which lavang oil should you buy?
Going on your skin or in your mouth? Get bud oil. Ours, the clove bud essential oil, is buds and steam, that's it. Cleaning, soap, bug spray? The clove leaf essential oil is cheaper and works just as well there.
Need a carrier for dilution? I'd grab fractionated coconut oil, light and nearly scentless. Cross ₹999 and shipping's free. First order? FIRSTORDER at checkout. Bulk or COA questions, mail info@rvorganica.com or ring +91 8937003005.
We manufacture in Nimbri, Panipat, Haryana 132104, under our parent company RV International. Over the years we've picked up nine certifications, including ISO 22000, HACCP, Halal, Kosher, FDA and MSME recognition.
FAQs on lavang oil uses
What is lavang oil used for?
Toothache, mainly. After that? Massage for sore muscles. People also make mosquito sprays with it, run it in diffusers on winter evenings, clean the kitchen, keep ants away, and use it in soaps and candles.
Can I apply lavang oil directly on skin?
No. You'll want to dilute it every time, and for skin that means half a percent at the most, which works out to about a drop in two teaspoons of carrier oil.
Is lavang oil good for joint pain?
A little, yes. Diluted and rubbed in, it warms things up. Arthritis is a doctor's job though.
Can lavang oil be used in cooking?
Not the essential oil. For cooking, stick to whole or ground cloves and keep the essential oil well away from the kitchen pot.
What's the difference between lavang oil and clove oil?
None. Same oil, two names. Lavang is simply the Hindi and Marathi word for clove.
Final thoughts
These lavang oil uses go way past nani's toothache trick. Sore shoulders. Mosquitoes. A grimy kitchen. A dull room in winter. Just respect its strength. Dilute. Keep it somewhere the kids can't reach, and I think you'll find it earns its place on your shelf.
I write this from inside a certified essential oil unit in Panipat, where both clove bud and clove leaf oil get distilled.