Using Healing Herbs – How To Make A Homemade Poultice For Healing

by johnah on November 23, 2020

Baking Soda Poultice For Infected Finger

The most common cause of infection in fingers is bacteria or fungus. These infections are very painful and sometimes even fatal. Bacteria can grow in the following places:

In wounds (cuts) and scrapes from cuts, scratches, bites etc. From scratches on hands, arms, legs, feet etc. From cuts/scrapes from fingernails/toenail clippings etc. From cuts/scrapes from other body parts such as ears, nose, mouth, genitals etc.

Fungi can grow in the following places:

On the skin (insect bite), around sores and infections (from insect bites) And also inside wounds/infections from insects like lice, fleas etc. They usually do not spread easily but they can cause severe infections if left untreated.

If you have any of these types of infections then it is better to get rid of them immediately. There are several ways to do so. One way is using baking soda. Baking soda kills all kinds of bacteria and fungi on your skin and helps heal wounds quickly. You can use baking soda for many purposes including making homemade bandages, soap, toothpaste, shampoo etc.

How To Use Baking Soda Poultice For Wounds?

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is a mild alkaline agent. It is mildly soluble in water. Baking soda can remove the infection and reduce the pain of your wound. Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Clean The Wound With Water

Clean your wound with water thoroughly and let it dry out by itself. Do not use any antiseptic or other cleaning solutions.

Step 2: Make A Baking Soda Paste

Take a small amount of baking soda in your hands and add a little water to make a thick paste.

Step 3: Make The Paste Into A Poultice

Apply the paste directly on to the wound and cover it with a bandage or a cloth strip. Make sure that there is no excess paste outside the wound as it may cause skin irritation around the wound.

Step 4: Leave It For 15 Minutes

Keep the poultice on your wound for about 15 minutes and then remove it. You can re-apply it again after every 4 hours if required. The paste should get absorbed into your skin and will not cause any stains or marks on your skin or clothes.

Precautions For Using Baking Soda Poultice

It is best to seek medical advice before using baking soda for treating a wound.

Do not use this method if you have a known allergy to baking soda.

Do not apply it on deep puncture wounds, animal bites, serious burns or open sores

Do not apply it on your eyes or genitals

It should not be used by diabetics without medical advice.

It is not suitable for use during pregnancy

It should not be used on serious medical conditions without expert medical advice

How Does Baking Soda Poultice Work?

Baking soda paste when applied directly to the wound causes mild alkalinity in that area. This process helps kill bacteria and reduce the pain. It also draws out the impurities from the affected area.

Why Should You Use Baking Soda For Medical Purposes?

You should use baking soda for medical purposes in the following conditions:

Minor skin cuts, scratches or burns

Itching from insect bites

Sunburn

Minor skin irritations and rashes

Once you have used up all the baking soda paste then you do not need to keep the package or canister anymore. It can be recycled or thrown away when it is empty.

Baking soda is a very safe and easy to use home remedy. It has several other household usages also!

How Long Is Baking Soda Good For?

A box of baking soda that has been properly stored in a cool, dry place will usually last up to 1 year.

Other Ways To Use Baking Soda

There are several other ways to use baking soda. It can be used for cleaning purposes, as well as for personal hygiene and other minor medical issues.

Freshen Up With Baking Soda

A lot of people keep an open box of baking soda in their fridge to absorb unpleasant smells, but did you know that you can also use it to freshen up your food containers, cutting boards, and even your garbage cans?

Just add a roughly quarter of a spoon of baking soda to your food containers to keep them fresh, and add about a spoon of it to your garbage cans to get rid of foul smells.

Keep Your Cutting Board Clean

To prevent nasty smells from building up in your kitchen cutting board, simply keep a container of baking soda in your kitchen. Whenever you are done using the cutting board for the day, simply scrub it with some water and baking soda to get rid of any bacteria building up on its surface.

Clean Your Garbage Disposal

If you have a garbage disposal in your kitchen sink, it can start to develop awful smells after a while. To get rid of these smells, simply drop a piece of hardened bread down the disposal, and then follow it with a cup of baking soda. The baking soda will get to work scrubbing away any gunk that has built up in the drain, and neutralize the awful smells at the same time.

Keep Your Hands Soft

If you suffer from dry or rough skin on your hands, make a habit of washing your hands with a small amount of baking soda added to your everyday hand soap. The baking soda will gently exfoliate your skin while you wash, getting rid of old skin cells and leaving your hands feeling soft.

Shiny Silver With Baking Soda

To make your old silverware shine, all you need to do is wrap a damp (not wet) rag tightly around a silver item, then wrap it in a second dry rag. After that, put a generous amount of baking soda on to the silver, and gently rub it in with your fingertips. When you are done, rinse the silver under cool water, and dry with a clean cloth.

Get Rid Of Mold

If you find mold growing in hard to reach areas, such as under the sink, in front of your refrigerator, or behind the toilet, you can scrub it away using nothing but some baking soda and elbow grease. Make a paste using one part baking soda to three parts water, and scrub away the mold with a damp cloth. After you are done, wipe the area down with a damp cloth and some clean water to remove any traces of the baking soda paste.

Neat And Tidy Laundry

To freshen up your linen or work clothes that have become smelly after a long day at work, make a solution of one teaspoon of baking soda to one quart of water. Pour this in to the wash cycle right before you add your clothing, and your clothes will come out smelling clean and fresh.

Have an Oil Spill?

No Worries.

If you happen to have an oil spill in your kitchen while frying food, do not panic. Simply pour a small amount of baking soda over the spill to absorb the oil. After it has soaked up all the oil it can, scoop it up and throw it away. The oil should be gone, leaving no damage at all to your floor or stove top.

Toughen Up Your Feet

If you spend lots of time in heels, whether for work or play, you may find that your feet start to become irritated by your shoes. To prevent this from happening, add a small amount (about a teaspoon) of baking soda to your foot bath before you fill it with water. Not only will your feet smell nice and fresh after your bath, they will also be softer than ever before.

Wake Up With A Fresh Complexion

Struggle with breakouts?

Simply add a teaspoon of baking soda to your regular cleanser to remove dirt and oil that get trapped in your pores, helping to prevent blemishes.

Kills Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a menace when the weather is warm, and the buzzing drives you crazy. To get rid of them, simply mix up a batch of baking soda and water to create a thick paste. Spread it around windows and doors to keep mosquitoes from coming inside. They won’t be able to fly through the slippery surface, and will soon die.

Kill Ants

If you see ants trailing in to your home, you can get rid of them by mixing up a batch of baking soda and water to create a thick paste. Spread this over any visible ant trails, and the ants will carry it back to their nest and kill the queen.

Unclog A Drain

If your drain is clogged, you can fix the problem by pouring a kettle of hot water down it, and then adding a cup of baking soda. The combination of the two should relieve your clog.

Clean Your Iron

If your iron isn’t working as well as it should, the problem may be that it has built up a layer of gunk on the bottom. To fix this, simply fill the bottom with water and add a cup of baking soda. Let the iron heat up, and then watch as the gunk dissolves away.

Kill Weeds

If you have weeds growing through your sidewalk or driveway, you can get rid of them by pouring a mixture of baking soda and salt on them. The salt will kill the weeds, and the baking soda will prevent more from growing in its place.

Clean The Fridge

To freshen up your fridge by getting rid of unpleasant odors, add a cup of baking soda to a damp sponge and wipe the insides of the door. The combination of the damp sponge and the baking soda will kill any lingering germs as well.

Treat Poison Ivy

Once you’ve gotten into contact with poison ivy, you’ve got two options: suffer through it, or treat it.

Sources & references used in this article:

The green pharmacy: New discoveries in herbal remedies for common diseases and conditions from the world’s foremost authority on healing herbs by JA Duke – 1997 – books.google.com

From healing herbs to deadly drugs: Western medicine’s war against the natural world by M Kheel – 1989 – martikheel.com

The New Age Herbalist: How to use herbs for healing, nutrition, body care, and relaxation by R Gladstar – 2012 – Storey Publishing

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