Do you know what comes before every special event? Boils, and it’s awful! There is nothing uglier than boils on your face. These are not just painful but can be embarrassing too. That’s why everyone is in a hurry to get rid of these sores and enjoy fresh, clean, healthy skin.
You all must have gone through different treatments or expensive and ineffective methods like I did, but don’t fret! Here I am sharing my experience of treating boils with baking soda, which is a kitchen ingredient.
BAKING SODA? Yes, you read me right! The baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is a miracle that vanishes the boils with its alkalinity. It draws all the pus out from the pimple and dries it because of its basic nature.
The best thing is that it has no negative effect on your skin, and there will be no spot left on the boil area. Isn’t it amazing? So, let’s stick to this discussion, and trust me, after reading it, you’ll be delighted!
How to Treat Skin Boils with Baking Soda
A friend of mine once said that it is important to understand the root of any problem before solving it. This is the truest thing because you cannot get rid of boils without knowing their basic cause.
A boil is a bacterial contagion caused by Staphylococcus aureus and is also called staph infection. It occurs on the skin, near to hair follicles, when it gets sweaty. Sometimes, you also get boils on the skin parts that have been scrapped.
The symptoms of boils, sores, or pimples include a bump that causes redness and swelling around the infected area. Boils start with a small size which grows bigger and becomes harder, and then eventually it turns into a soft yellow head with pus.
The main reason behind the boil is poor hygiene. When you get infected with boils, the most important thing is “cleaning.” You have to keep the infected area super clean and treat it as early as possible because it can spread with time.
Sometimes, a single boil can lead to a carbuncle, a cluster, or a bunch of sores or boils. Thus, immediate treatment is essential because otherwise, a boil can cause iron deficiency, weak immunity, diabetes, etc.
The best way to treat boils is “the use of baking soda,” which is extremely effective, fast, highly affordable, easily available, and harmless. Why is baking soda given so much importance?
The answer is straightforward because of its antimicrobial properties. Anti means against and microbial means microorganisms, baking soda kills bacterial species and stops their growth, promotes the healing of infections caused by microbes, i.e., boils.
Baking Soda X Distilled Water
You all might be wondering how to use baking soda to treat boils? There are many different ways by which one can use sodium bicarbonate. The most common one is to apply baking soda paste over pimples to disinfect them.
The procedure is pretty simple: Take a teaspoon of baking soda and mix it with enough water to make a paste. Gently apply it on your boils and leave it overnight with a bandage to get effective results. The magic can work in 15 mins too, in case of baby boils.
Baking Soda X Essential Oils
Secondly, you can switch water with essential oils. The essential oils are very beneficial for killing microbes; it would be correct to say that these oils are more effective than antibiotics because some bacterial species have developed resistance against antibiotics.
To treat boils, add some drops of essential oils to baking soda and apply the paste to the infected area. I tried some effective essential oils, including thyme, lemongrass, patchouli, lemon, lavender, and cinnamon.
Baking Soda X Coconut Oil
Another way is to mix baking soda in simple oil. Oils possess fighting characteristics, too: castor oil has ricinoleic acid, which minimizes inflammation, coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, olive oil reduces redness, etc.
I found coconut oil the most effective of all. Mix the oil with baking soda in 1:1, and gently apply the paste on boils for a minimum of 10 minutes. Once the boils get treated properly, rinse the area and let it dry.
Baking Soda X Turmeric
Life is better with “Turmeric”! It is my favorite ingredient from the kitchen because of its myriad benefits. What is turmeric doing here? It has curcumin which is an anti-inflammatory agent that helps in aiding boils.
Take the turmeric and baking soda in 1:1 and mix ingredients in water or oil to make a paste. Ah! It smells so good. Apply it over your boils and wait for some time to see the magic.
Baking Soda X Apple Cider Vinegar
The last way of baking is with apple cider vinegar, which is again a kitchen ingredient with lots of miraculous benefits. Apple cider vinegar possesses antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Please don’t mix vinegar directly with baking soda because it is concentrated. Follow a simple dilution process in which you have to add 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Now use this diluted vinegar to make a baking soda paste and apply it for 15 to 20 minutes.
FAQs
Is it OK to put baking soda on an open wound?
Yes. Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is proven as a safe ingredient for treating wounds by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Baking soda is effective for wounds, sores, boils, or pimples because of its antimicrobial properties. It is inexpensive, easily available, and harmless.
Is baking soda an antibiotic?
Yes. Baking soda possesses antimicrobial properties, which researchers assessed through different experimental methods. The Standard Minimum Inhibitory Concentration Analysis revealed that sodium bicarbonate inhibits the growth of bacteria. After that, the ingredient is being used in various antibacterial applications.
Can I drink baking soda?
Yes, you can also drink baking soda. Take ¼ tsp of baking soda and mix it into a glass of water, and then drink it. This diluted baking soda drink is used to cure indigestion problems. Please don’t take this drink within 2 or 3 hours of other medications to avoid reactions.
Conclusion
Baking soda is a versatile compound used for boils or sores treatment, cleansing, teeth whitening, relieving burns, refreshing air, eliminating odor, preventing crops, killing weeds, deodorizer, and cooking. Isn’t it a blessing? In this article, I have summed up how you can apply sodium bicarbonate to treat boils without spending a single penny. Thank me later!
Take a look at the list below: