7% sodium chloride

I put it in the nebulizer and inhale it into my lungs. Both are medical grade, not oil and touted to have tremendous antibacterial qualities. Again, I stress that I have no medical degree nor am I recommending that you do this. It just works for me! I have done lots of reading and research.

@ktw1147 Thanks for explaining! If it's not oil what is it? Water soluble?

@scoop They are most likely medical grade essential oils. All of the literature on nebulizing tea tree oil talks about the insolubility in water, and when it is used clinically, they use a specially prepared solution where the particles have been physically broken down to be small enough to penetrate. So my concern is whether the oils actually penetrate the lungs, or just coat the inside of the neb cup.

I have used neither tea tree nor eucalyptus oil in a nebulizer because I refuse to put anything "foreign" in my damaged lungs except unless the supervision of my pulmo. The other concern I have is how to avoid contamination of the oil bottles once opened - most of what we nebulize comes out of sterile, single use vials.

That said, I am a big user of essential oils, and I am very careful handling all my oils, keeping them in a special dark container and cool temps, and not letting anyone else touch them. I blend them in a fully cleaned kitchen using sanitized bottles, vials, and tools. I sometimes blend tea tree, eucalyptus and plus a few other oils with a neutral oil in a tiny bottle, then drip a few drops on my finger and rub it UNDER my nose to inhale. It is helpful when used in conjunction with my meds if I have congestion or wheezy lungs.

@scoop hey scoop, you mentioned you heard Essential Oil may be harmful to humans and/or pets some time ago. Can you tell me where you heard that from? My wife uses it all the time, and I’ve questioned her about it many times, but she constantly insists it isn’t harmful to anyone or anything. I find that hard to believe.

@pacathy I thought coughing was what you wanted to do to get the mucus out of your lungs I love it when I cough maybe I'm wrong!!

@judyhodgern If your cough is productive, that is good. Mine is almost all dry. Also, the goal as I understand it, is to bring up mucus after huff or more controlled cough rather than "hacking brains out" as I used to do.

@spider109 Not sure where I originally read about the dangers of diffused essential oil to pets as they metabolize things differently than humans do. I know that if you diffuse essential oils it should be in a well ventilated room. Certainly I am no expert and if you are concerned definitely research it to see if it's right for you. Here's a good place to start.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-use-essential-oils-11833129

@spider109 When used properly, essential oils are safe for pets and humans. The key is PROPERLY. Some are inappropriate for use around pets, but okay for humans - and one can look up each oil to determine whether that is the case. Others are fine to inhale (when diluted) UNLESS a person has sensitivity - there are some oils to which I am allergic, and don't use. Many are okay to ingest - but just like mushrooms, you need to know what your are doing.

Finally, diffusers are nice, if you like them, but can be a repository for germs if not cleaned regularly. As for health benefits, the TINY amount one gets from a diffuser is unlikely to provide any. Roll-ons, creams and sprays, which have higher concentrations, can be helpful for some conditions.