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It does help, and it smells fantastic, too. It's the same idea as those vicks disks you put in the bottom of your shower.

Just the other day I shook down a few drops of eucalyptus oil (purchased from Whole Foods) on the shower floor to ease my poor husband's nasty cold.

We added Eucalypytus Essential Oil from Whole Foods into our humidifier. Works like a charm!

I find it's more effective to use the essential oil itself. I bought a little bottle at Whole Foods and sprinkle a drop or two drops around the shower drain (it can be irritating to skin, so I try not to put it anywhere I'd come in direct contact with). Even though "pouring it down the drain" seems like a waste, the steam spreads the scent throughout the bathroom regardless.

Plus, if you're in the throes of a bad cold, the oil is better for more concentrated doses, like putting some in a bowl of hot water and inhaling the steam.

The full plant in the shower looks prettier, though. ;)

Weird - we all posted almost the same thing at the same time!

I had alot of eucalyptus that had dried so I just crushed it up and made soap with it. I would think it would be good for stuffy noses, I haven't had one yet, but I love for post workout.

Be careful where you purchase your eucalyptus. Many craft stores will paint/soak the plants in dye, even if it's the correct color.

The eucalyptus bits fall off the plant and make a nasty mess in the shower; use the oil instead.

"Enjoy the sCent for" ... am assuming it's a typo...

I prefer the smell of the oil. It has more of an antiseptic quality to it and seems to open up and soothe my nasal passages/throat/etc. more.