A bottle of Olbas oil is always knocking around somewhere in our house. Either on the bedside table, in a pocket or occasionally where it should be, in the medicine cabinet. The reason it turns up all over the place is twofold.

1. It is incredibly useful!
2. We are very bad at putting stuff away.

Primarily it's a decongestant but it has lots of other uses too.

It's made from natural ingredients which include clove oil, eucalyptus, juniper berry and cajuput. (What on earth is Cajuput?) It has a fresh strong smell which seems to cut through blocked noses like a dream.

If I am getting a bit snuffly I will put some on a handkerchief and carry it round inhaling the aroma from time to time. It helps to keep my sinuses clear.

At night, rather than put it straight onto the pillowcase I will liberally sprinkle a tissue with it and put the tissue into the pillowcase. I do this because it reduces the risk of staining the case and it means that I don't run the risk of getting it in my eyes whilst I'm sleeping. (Which hurts like Hell!)

It's good to help you breathe during the night and helps children sleep better too if they are getting a cold. You can put a few drops onto their pyjamas or their favourite teddy bear.

Now this sounds a bit odd but if you put a little on the soles of your feet before you sleep it seems to help sleep too. I've tried it (to humour a friend who kept recommending it) and it worked for me. Apparently Vicks does the same.

You can use it as a steam inhalant by putting some in a bowl of hot water and covering your head and bowl with a towel, sit and breathe the steam in for a while. (I feel really silly when I do this, but it works well!) The strong menthol and cloves really work fast on blocked noses.

You can also use it in a little warmed olive oil to drop into your ear if you have earache. It makes your ear feel warm and soothed. Of course, if your earache persists, go to a doctor. But for mild earache in the middle of the night it works wonders!

I have used it on dogs ears too. If the dog is showing signs of earache or irritation you can use the Olbas oil, diluted with olive oil to clean the ears. Don't use it neat or you might not see your dog for dust as it tries to run away from it's stinging ears!

I like cats but if cats are scratting about in your flower beds you can put a few drops on some old teabags and scatter them about. Cats hate it! Occasionally I put some around the wooden rim of my fish pond. It stops the cats going fishing and the fish never get colds!

A word of caution. Wash your hands after using this because if you rub your eyes it does hurt. I don't hink it does any actual damage but it stings. (I know I'm repeating myself a bit here)

A bottle goes a long way, the rim of the bottle is designed to dispense a drop at a time, even shaking it out doesn't get you much more! So you don't need to buy it often.

There are two bottle sizes, 10ml and 28ml. They cost between £2 and £4.50 respectively. They don't seem to go off either so you won't waste any by going past a 'sell by' date. I have not noticed any reduction in it's smell or efficacy with age.

It is possible to buy Olbas Tissues which come in a neat little pack. It is much cheaper just to put it onto your own tissues but not as neat and tidy.

There is a decongestant nose spray by Olbas but I haven't tried that yet.

If you prefer to use natural health products before resorting to medicinal drugs (or any other kind for that matter!) then this is the one to try.

When it finally runs out, the glass bottle is recyclable.