Well what if I told you that certain ailments can be taken care of in the comfort of your home, using natural ingredients and products you likely have on hand…
With items that can be found in your drawers and cupboards, you can remove a wart, treat an ingrown nail, stop bleeding and fight that pesky itch caused by spider bites. Now here’s news you can use.
Try these DIY easy fixes:
Remove a wart
The common way to remove a wart would be to see your doctor or use an at-home freezing kit or products that contain salicylic acid. Although most warts will disappear on their own in due time, if you seem to have one that won’t go away, get out your duct tape.
The handyman’s duct tape can remove warts located on the hands or feet – although never use it to remove facial warts. To complete this removal, place duct tape over the wart for about six days. On the last day, soak the wart for about five minutes in warm water. Scrub off any dead skin using an emery board and keep the wart exposed overnight.
On the following day, replace the duct tape and continue this process until the wart is completely gone.
A 2002 study by Madigan Army Medical Center concluded duct tape to remove a wart is safer than cryotherapy (freezing), and less traumatizing for children who have to endure the constant weeks of freezing off the wart by a caregiver or at the doctor’s office.
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Stop minor bleeding
Minor cut that doesn’t seem to stop bleeding? Nothing that some black pepper can’t stop.
You can quickly and effectively stop bleeding with a dash of the spice in a few easy steps.
First, rinse out the cut to make sure it is clean. Next, put a dash of black pepper on the wound and cover it with a band-aid. The black pepper helps the blood to clot and therefore stop the bleeding. Monitor the cut over the next few days to make sure it doesn’t show signs of infection.
Black pepper should only be used with minor injuries. In cases of larger lacerations or major bleeding, seek medical assistance.
Relieve spider bites
The annoyance of a bug bite can drive anyone insane, in need of relief. The itching doesn’t seem to stop and you only irritate it more with every scratch. For relief of this kind, we look to our military friends for guidance.
Common practice among military personnel has been to place a battery on the bite. For better results, wet the tip of a battery and place it on the bite. This enhances the conductivity of the battery against the venom leaving it “inactive” and you itch-free.
Try this for any bite with venom. Unfortunately it won’t help you with pesky mosquitoes!
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Ingrown toenail
An ingrown toenail can be quite painful as the nail begins to grow into the skin, making it difficult to walk or wear your favorite shoes. As long as the ingrown nail isn’t infected, this too can be treated at home.
Begin by soaking your feet in warm water for about 20 minutes. Do this up to four times a day as it will decrease the swelling. Once you’ve soaked your feet, slide dental floss underneath the ingrown nail. Lifting up the nail in this way will ensure it begins to grow above the skin, as the nail should.
For further care, use an antibiotic cream to prevent infection. In the following days of treatment, wear open-toe shoes, or if you must wear closed shoes, make sure there is ample room for your toes.
If infection does begin to appear, seek medical attention right away.
Everyday home products can be a great way to treat minor ailments that can happen on a whim, catching you off-guard. Try these at-home do-it-yourself tips to help you and your family, naturally and effectively.