Clove Water: Benefits, Evidence and Risks

Videos and personal accounts about clove water are currently spreading rapidly across social media. Made from nothing more than cloves and hot water, the drink is said to fight tiredness, settle the stomach, smooth the skin and even support weight loss. The trend centres on an old active compound with a new image – but a closer look reveals where the enthusiasm is justified and where wishful thinking takes over.

What is driving the clove water craze?

Most people know cloves simply as an ingredient in red cabbage, mulled wine or Christmas baking. Yet they have played a far more significant role in traditional healing for centuries. In particular, cloves have long been a staple of home remedies in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine.

This longstanding knowledge is now returning in a contemporary form. Wellness blogs, advice sites and influencers have picked up the topic, calling clove water a “natural energy drink” or a “beauty tonic” and claiming a wide range of benefits. Many users report:

• greater drive and less everyday fatigue
• a calmer stomach and less bloating
• clearer skin and fewer blemishes
• breath that feels better and a fresher mouthfeel

At the heart of the trend is the essential oil eugenol – the clove’s principal active compound, responsible for the spice’s distinctive intense aroma and flavour.

Depending on the variety and quality, eugenol accounts for around 60 to 90 per cent of clove oil. This substance is precisely what gives cloves their medicinal significance – and why researchers have been examining the spice more closely for years.

What studies really show – and what is more myth than fact

Some of the advertised effects of clove water can be supported by scientific research, while others are more like marketing claims from social media. What is clear is that eugenol has antibacterial and antifungal properties, meaning that it acts against certain bacteria and fungi.

Laboratory tests have indicated that the compound can attack both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including problematic germs such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Effects have also been described against fungi including Candida albicans, which can be involved in conditions such as oral thrush or vaginal yeast infections.

Strong evidence for the mouth

Its use in the mouth has been researched most extensively. A widely cited 2013 study in the dental journal “ZWR – Das deutsche Zahnärzteblatt” compared clove extract with the standard agent chlorhexidine, which is used, for example, in mouthwash products.

The result surprised even experts: in this study, clove extract worked at least as well as the reference treatment and, in some cases, even more effectively. The researchers concluded that clove oil could provide useful support for dental treatment, including in cases of inflammation in the mouth.

There is evidence relating to toothache, too. Studies in the “Journal of Dentistry” suggest that clove oil may relieve pain in a similar way to the anaesthetic benzocaine. This fits with the clove’s long history as a classic home remedy when a tooth is “throbbing” and a dentist cannot be reached immediately.

Where the claims go too far

The situation is different for some promises circulating primarily on TikTok and Instagram. Robust evidence is still lacking for the following claims:

• lasting weight loss through clove water alone
• major anti-ageing effects on the skin
• visibly thicker hair growth from rubbing in clove water
• curing chronic digestive issues without any further measures

Many personal reports in these areas are based more on subjective impressions. Anyone who changes their diet overall, drinks more and lives more mindfully will often feel better anyway – and may then credit the effect to the trending drink.

Clove water can be one element of a healthier lifestyle, but it replaces neither a balanced diet nor medical treatment.

How to prepare clove water correctly

A major attraction of the trend is that preparation is extremely simple and costs very little. Only a few ingredients and a little time are needed for a basic recipe:

1. Measure out 10 grams of whole cloves.
2. Heat 250 millilitres of water in a saucepan or kettle.
3. Put the cloves into a heatproof container and pour over the hot water.
4. Leave to infuse for at least three hours, preferably overnight.
5. Strain out the cloves – and the clove water is ready.

Many guides recommend lightly crushing the cloves before steeping them, for instance with a pestle and mortar. This releases more eugenol and produces a stronger infusion. In flavour terms, clove water resembles a spiced herbal tea and can leave a slightly numbing sensation in the mouth.

Use	Recommended use
Mouth rinse	Rinse with a small mouthful several times a day; do not swallow
Drink	Consume small amounts throughout the day
Skincare	Dilute with water or a hydrolat, and test on a small area first

How safe is clove water – and what are the risks?

Although it may seem like an innocuous kitchen spice, cloves contain a powerful essential oil. Using undiluted clove oil or greatly overdoing it can harm the body.

In high quantities, eugenol is considered irritating and potentially harmful to the nervous system. Very large doses may place strain on the liver. For this reason, specialists recommend using it in moderation, especially when dealing with concentrated clove oil bought from a pharmacy or online.

As a tea or mild clove water, it is generally unproblematic for healthy adults in usual amounts – but high-dose oil should be handled by experienced users.

People with certain pre-existing conditions should take particular care or speak to a doctor first, including those with:

• known liver problems
• pregnancy or breastfeeding
• young children
• known allergies to spices or essential oils

For children, very weak teas are a more suitable option unless a doctor advises otherwise. Pure clove oil should not be within children’s reach.

When clove water may be useful

Used appropriately, this trending drink can have a place in everyday life. Its antibacterial properties are particularly useful in the mouth. Anyone prone to gum inflammation can try using it as a mouth rinse for a limited period – in addition to normal dental hygiene, not instead of it.

Many people also appreciate its perceived effect on digestion. Its strong, slightly numbing taste may ease a feeling of fullness to some degree, and many find clove water pleasant after a rich meal. Although this digestive effect is less well supported scientifically, its long-standing use in traditional medicine suggests that more may be involved than pure imagination.

The picture is more complicated for skin and hair. Individual users report clearer skin or less itchy scalp after applying it externally. Reliable studies are not currently available. Anyone wishing to try it should always dilute it heavily and test a small patch of skin first, to rule out irritation or allergic reactions.

Practical ways to use clove water every day

Anyone who wants to try the trend can begin gradually. Here are several simple ways to incorporate clove water into a daily routine:

• as a morning ritual: a small glass of lukewarm clove water on an empty stomach
• as an evening rinse: briefly rinse the mouth with clove water after brushing teeth
• as an “emergency helper”: rinse more frequently for one or two days if the mouth is mildly irritated
• as a short course: drink one or two glasses daily for a week and pay attention to how the body feels

Important: anyone with severe or persistent problems in the mouth, teeth or digestive system must not replace a visit to a healthcare professional with clove water. This home remedy may offer support, but it cannot provide a diagnosis or take the place of necessary treatment.

Why simple home remedies are becoming so popular

The success of clove water reflects a wider trend: many people want straightforward, natural solutions they can make themselves. Among lifestyle drinks, supplements and expensive serums, a packet of cloves from the supermarket feels refreshingly uncomplicated – and at around £2 a packet, exceptionally affordable.

At the same time, there is a growing desire for rituals that bring structure to everyday life. Someone who deliberately prepares a glass of clove water in the evening is making time for themselves, thinking about their health and perhaps automatically placing the sweets a little further away. All of this may further strengthen the positive perception of the trending drink.

Those who approach clove water with realistic expectations are likely to benefit most: as an inexpensive, pleasant-tasting home remedy with proven effects in the mouth and interesting, partly under-researched effects on bacteria and fungi. It is not suitable for claims of curing everything – but it can certainly offer a straightforward health boost from the spice cupboard.