Friday, July 20, 2012

Rub Salt Into Open Wounds - At Least When it Comes to Poison Ivy

You know the saying "don't rub salt into open wounds"... well that is exactly the answer to quickly drying up open poison ivy blisters. I've heard home remedy stories of opening the blisters and rubbing bleach on it, to swimming in the ocean, soaking in an Epsom salt solution, to swimming a pool for a while. The common factor in all? Chlorine. So I got the idea of making a salt paste which has chlorine in it of course. Started rubbing it into my open blisters about 2 hours ago (hurt like hell) and reapplying 3 to 5 times. Now my blisters have all but stopped oozing. Crazy stuff!

You just knew you wanted to see it... here is my arm, packed with salt. It actually looks pretty good in this pic believe it or not.
You just knew you wanted to see it... here is my arm, packed with salt. It actually looks pretty good in this pic believe it or not.

How do you make the paste?  Just take a teaspoon, sprinkle a pinch of salt on it or however much salt you think you may need.  Then put a couple of drops of warm water on it.  Enough for almost all the water to be absorbed by the salt.  Mix it around with your finger until the salt clumps together.  Apply the salt to the poison wound and press it in.  As it dries, spots of poison that are still leaking will turn wet.  Reapply a salt paste to it every 30 minutes or so.  In no time at all, the blisters will stop oozing.

1 comment:

  1. Yikes! I would have NEVER thought to do that...but wish I had known last camping trip! I'm packing the salt this time though, thanks!

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