With old-school antibiotics and common disinfectants losing their disease-fighting power, science may be taking a more natural path to fight superbugs with the help of essential oils, concentrated liquids containing volatile, aromatic compounds derived from plants, according to a pair of studies.

Thyme was the most effective of the eight essential oils Greek researchers tested in one study, as it virtually eliminated bacteria within an hour. Extracts of thyme and cinnamon were very useful in battling various species of Staphylococcus too.

In a second study on essential oils conducted at Brighton University (at the behest of a UK company), a food-grade version of thyme eliminated the ever-popular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA (a strain of infection that's resistant to broad-spectrum antibiotics), in two hours with no adverse effects on skin.

Learn more about the array of safe and healthy cleaning alternatives you can use in your own home -- for example, mix a few drops of essential oils with water for a clean and natural difference -- by reading How to Deep Clean Your Home, Naturally in our latest newsletter.

ScienceDaily April 4, 2010

News.Scotsman.com March 31, 2010

University of Brighton March 12, 2010