About 75% of Ayurvedic remedies contain some form of neem! Indians call the sacred neem tree "the village pharmacy", and have limitless faith in its abilities.
Neem oil is pressed out of the seeds obtained from neem trees. In addition to its use as an organic insecticide spray, it has been used medicinally and in the cosmetics industry.
Neem oil is used on humans, on animals, and on plants, for a huge range of different problems.
How to use 100% pure cold-pressed Neem Oil:
Recommended ratio for making spray solution: mix 1 teaspoon pure neem oil in a quart of warm water and 1/4 tsp. castile soap. Shake it well to mix properly. Quantity of neem oil can be increased proportionately for making spray in larger quantities.
Here is some ways to use Neem oil below. Remember: to keep your dilution of Neem oil to about 2 - 5% of any mixture that you apply directly onto your skin. Some of the recipes below use higher percentages - but keep a lookout for any skin irritation.
Cuts, wounds, minor skin disorders and mosquito and insect repellant. Mix with a carrier oil in a ratio of 1:5 and apply to affected area.
Athlete’s foot. Add 15 ml to warm water and soak the feet in this preparation.
Head lice. Mix 50/50 with a carrier oil and massage into the hair and scalp. Leave on for 1 hour and shampoo. Repeat once weekly for 3 weeks or as long as the problem persists.
Stop mosquitoes breeding. Spray or pour oil on all breeding areas. The oil can be emulsified (to mix with water) by adding Castile or any natural liquid soap.
Plant protection. Add 30 ml to 1 liter of water and add 1 ml of castile or any natural soap. Mix well and spray immediately for plant protection. Do not store the mixture; make fresh formulation for each spray. Spray the mixture on top of all the leaves and on the undersides where insects often hide – you can also spray it around the roots.
Lamp oil to ward off mosquitoes. Add 5 – 10% oil to any lamp oil and burn lamp normally.
Dandruff and itchy scalp. Add a few drops to your regular shampoo.
Ticks and fleas on animals. Add a few drops to your normal pet shampoo (ratio should be 30 ml (1 oz.) to 240 ml (8 oz.) shampoo). Personally we have found that plain castile soap works the best.
Warts. Apply 1 drop of undiluted oil directly on warts once per day. Watch carefully for any possible irritation, and should that occur discontinue use. Continue for 2-3 weeks.
Psoriasis, cold sores, eczema, athletes foot, skin ulcers and other fungal skin conditions. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) with 4 ounces (120 ml) carrier oil such as jojoba or grape seed oil and apply twice a day to affected skin. Should skin irritation occur, discontinue use, or make mixture with less Neem oil.
Pet and livestock spray for ticks, fleas, mange mites and other pests. Mix 1 ounce (30 ml) oil with 1 gallon (3.8 liter) water and add a few drops of Castile Soap (to emulsify the oil). Place mixture into a spray bottle or other type of sprayer, and spray animals once every two weeks. (This mixture can be used on indoor and outdoor plants as well as flowers and vegetables.)
Cleaning the house. Add to carpet shampoos and spray mattresses to kill dust mites.
Hand wash. Add a couple of drops to liquid hand soap for antibacterial properties.
FOR ALL THE ABOVE. As Neem oil has a rather strong smell you might want to add a few drops of essential oil to any mixture to mask the smell. Lavender or lemongrass essential oils work well – but you could add your personal favorite. Store neem oil in a cool dark place, away from sunlight. In case neem oil solidifies due to low temperatures, put the bottle in warm water (below 95 degree F) to liquefy. Putting the bottle in very hot water may reduce the effectiveness of oil.