1. Onion Poultices for Chest Colds
Generations ago, families swore by the idea of pressing warm onions onto the chest to help with coughs and congestion. It sounds a little like something you’d read in a fairy tale, but onions do release sulfur compounds when heated, which can have mild antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. People would chop the onions, warm them up, wrap them in cloth, and hold the bundle against the skin. The strong smell wasn’t pleasant, but it often provided some relief for stuffy chests and wheezy coughs.
While modern medicine has more effective options, the onion poultice worked well enough that people kept coming back to it. Even today, some folks still use onions around the house when they’re feeling under the weather, claiming the warmth and vapors ease their breathing. It might not cure a cold, but for many, it brought comfort at a time when that was the best anyone could hope for.
2. Whiskey on Baby’s Gums
Before teething gels and numbing drops, parents in the past often rubbed a dab of whiskey on their baby’s sore gums. It sounds shocking now, but the tiny amount of alcohol acted as a mild anesthetic. The sweet warmth dulled the pain and probably calmed fussy little ones as well. It was common advice passed down from grandparents, and few questioned it at the time.
Of course, giving babies alcohol isn’t recommended today, but the idea wasn’t entirely off base. Modern teething gels work on the same principle, using numbing agents to dull gum pain. It’s one of those questionable remedies that technically “worked,” even if we now understand it wasn’t the safest route.
3. Mustard Plasters for Muscle Pain
Back when pharmacies weren’t on every corner, people turned to the spice cabinet for relief. Mustard plasters, made by mixing mustard powder with flour and water, were applied to sore muscles and stiff joints. The paste produced a warming sensation that increased circulation and eased aches. If left on too long, it could even burn the skin, so people had to be careful.
As strange as it sounds, this home remedy worked a lot like modern-day heat patches. The mustard’s heat-producing oils penetrated the skin and provided temporary relief. It wasn’t glamorous, but it got the job done and kept people moving in the days before ibuprofen and heating pads.
4. Vinegar for Sunburn
A sunburn was once treated not with aloe vera, but with a splash of vinegar. Families would soak cloths in apple cider vinegar or white vinegar and drape them over red, tender skin. The vinegar’s cooling effect and mild acidity helped take away the sting, and people swore it shortened healing time.
Though it sounds harsh, vinegar does have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory qualities. While dermatologists would probably point you to gentler treatments today, many people in the past found real relief from something that cost just pennies and was already sitting in the kitchen cupboard.
5. Spider Webs for Cuts
Before bandages were common, people reached for what was available—sometimes even spider webs. Old tales say that farmers and woodsmen used clean webs to stop bleeding and cover small wounds. Surprisingly, spider silk contains natural proteins that can promote clotting and even have antibacterial properties.
The silky threads formed a protective barrier and helped keep dirt out. While grabbing a web off the barn wall isn’t the best modern choice, the practice wasn’t as wild as it first sounds. Nature had a way of providing first aid in unexpected places.
6. Potato Slices for Headaches
One of the simpler remedies involved placing raw potato slices on the forehead or temples to ease headaches. It probably looked ridiculous, but potatoes contain potassium and other compounds that can reduce inflammation. The cool, damp texture of the slices also felt soothing against the skin.
Some people even tied the slices in a cloth and wore them like a headband until the pain passed. While science hasn’t fully confirmed potatoes as a headache cure, the ritual itself offered comfort. Sometimes the act of stopping and applying something cool was enough to help the pain fade.
7. Soap Under the Sheets for Leg Cramps
A particularly odd tradition involved slipping a bar of soap under the bed sheets to prevent nighttime leg cramps. No one is entirely sure why this caught on, but many swore it worked. Some theories suggest that the soap released chemicals that eased nerve activity, while others think it was purely psychological.
Still, countless people slept easier believing in this quirky fix. Whether it was the placebo effect or something chemical, it offered peace of mind—and sometimes that’s half the battle with nagging nighttime cramps.
8. Honey for Burns
For centuries, honey was smeared over burns and wounds. It might sound like a sticky mess, but honey is naturally antibacterial and creates a protective barrier over the skin. It also keeps the area moist, which speeds healing and reduces scarring.
This isn’t just an old wives’ tale—modern medicine recognizes honey’s value in wound care, with special medical-grade honey still used in hospitals. It’s a rare example of a remedy that has stood the test of time with both tradition and science backing it up.
9. Turpentine on a Sugar Cube for Coughs
One of the more dangerous-sounding remedies was giving children a sugar cube soaked in turpentine to ease a cough. The sugar masked the awful taste, and the turpentine acted as a mild expectorant, helping clear mucus. It was a common practice in some rural communities where doctors weren’t close by.
Obviously, this isn’t something anyone would recommend now, as turpentine can be toxic. But the fact that some people found temporary relief shows why it lingered for so long as a household trick. It’s a reminder of how people once made do with what was on hand.
10. Black Pepper for Nosebleeds
When someone had a nosebleed, sprinkling a little ground black pepper on the bleeding nostril was an old go-to. The spice’s natural compounds can help blood clot faster. It wasn’t pleasant—there’d be stinging and sneezing—but many swore the bleeding stopped quicker.
As uncomfortable as it sounds, there was some truth behind it. The pepper acted as a coagulant, and the irritation made people pinch their nose tighter, which also helped. It was messy, but for households without access to medical supplies, it worked in a pinch.
11. Cabbage Leaves for Breast Pain
Nursing mothers once placed chilled cabbage leaves inside their bras to soothe engorgement and breast pain. The cool leaves offered instant relief, and some believed the plant’s compounds even reduced swelling. This tradition was passed down for generations, often whispered between women as trusted advice.
Interestingly, cabbage leaves are still recommended today as a natural remedy. While it might sound silly to walk around with salad tucked in your shirt, the method is inexpensive, safe, and surprisingly effective. Sometimes the old ways don’t need updating.
12. Kerosene for Lice
Families struggling with lice in the past often turned to kerosene as a treatment. Mothers would comb it through children’s hair, believing it killed the pests on contact. Unfortunately, it was highly flammable and dangerous, but many households swore it did the trick when nothing else seemed to work.
Though kerosene isn’t safe, the idea behind it—using strong agents to suffocate or kill lice—led to the creation of safer chemical treatments later on. It’s a troubling example of how desperation drove people to risky measures that still, in their own way, got results.
13. Baking Soda for Indigestion
Long before antacids lined store shelves, people mixed baking soda with water to settle an upset stomach. The fizzy mixture neutralized stomach acid and often provided quick relief. The taste wasn’t great, but the results made it worth it.
Even now, baking soda is still sometimes used for heartburn in a pinch. Doctors don’t recommend it regularly because of the sodium content, but it’s one of those simple, time-tested remedies that really does work.
14. Garlic for Ear Infections
Sticking a clove of garlic in the ear might sound more like folklore than medicine, but it was once a common household trick. Garlic contains allicin, a compound with antibacterial properties, which could help fight infection. Sometimes people warmed garlic oil and dripped it gently into the ear canal for relief.
The strong smell and unusual look of someone walking around with garlic sticking out of their ear probably raised eyebrows, but the remedy often brought comfort. While modern antibiotics are more effective, the old garlic trick wasn’t completely off base. It’s a testament to how resourceful people were with the simplest ingredients around them.