jar of DIY clove mouthwash, a wooden spoon of dried whole cloves and a bowl of whole cloves on white wooden background with title text

My life-long philosophy has been: Why pay for something when I can make it myself? Anyone else out there feel the same way? I’ve been looking into ways to make my own dental products to see if it can be another area to save money. Guess what? It is! This DIY Clove Mouthwash costs under $1 to make!

How is Clove Mouthwash Effective?

I’m sure we’ve all used whole cloves to stud an orange for holiday decorations. It smells amazing and adds to the warm feeling of the holidays. Cloves, however, pack a way more powerful punch than I have been giving them credit for.

Cloves have antiseptic, anti-fungal, antibacterial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. What does that mean? Basically, cloves can reduce gum swelling and irritation, stimulate circulation, enhancing gum tissue health, help soothe toothache pain, fight bad breath and kill bacteria in the mouth.

Phew, like I said. They pack a punch. So, why not use whole dried cloves to brew some homemade, budget-friendly mouthwash! Healthline has a helpful article on even more benefits of cloves beyond dental care.

Flavor Additions

This recipe is for basic clove mouthwash. It has a tingly, spicy flavor similar to cinnamon. Feel free to add any of the following ingredients to your clove and water mixture and steep together.

Peppermint leaves
Cinnamon sticks
Orange Peel
Rosemary

How to Make Clove Mouthwash

pouring water into a mason jar with one tablespoon of whole cloves

Bring 8 ounces of water up to a boil. Pour it over the dried whole cloves in a mason jar.

mason jar of whole cloves steeping in water

Allow the cloves to steep in the water until the water is completely cool.

pouring whole cloves and water mixture into mesh strainer over glass bowl

Strain out the cloves. That’s it! You’ve got 8 ounces of Clove Mouthwash for the cost of a couple Tablespoons of cloves. It couldn’t be easier, and it’s a huge cost saver!