Category: home remedies

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Do You Have Cockroaches in Your House? Keep Them Away Using Peppermint Oil.

This sounds gross, but there are cockroaches all of the place where I live. Huge, nasty bugs that move a million miles an hour and (obviously) have no regard for my personal space. I live in North Carolina, and when I first relocated here, I was shocked at how many there were (people here misleadingly call them “Palmetto bugs”), but now I guess I’ve gotten used to it.

If you’re in the same boat as me (and you probably are if you live in certain parts of the country), here’s a home remedy you should consider to keep those pesky bugs out of your house and out of your life, especially if you prefer to use non-toxic products.

Researchers from Auburn University released a study that shows that a mix of peppermint oil and white vinegar will keep roaches (and spiders) away.

Here’s what you should do: put 10 drops of peppermint oil into a spray bottle along with two parts water and one part white vinegar. Spray the mixture around your cupboards, along your baseboards, under your sink, near door entrances, and anywhere else you think roaches might be lurking. This will not kill the roaches, but it will keep them away from the sprayed areas—and hopefully out of your hair (sometimes literally).

Another tip: you can also use peppermint oil by itself to wipe down countertops.

Give this a shot and see how it works for you—I know I’m going to. If you’re not seeing any improvement, it might be time to call in an exterminator.

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If You Have These Tiny Bumps on Your Skin, They’re Called Milia and You Should Leave Them Alone

Listen up, this is important.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed small white bumps on your skin? Have you been tempted to squeeze them? Except then you do, and they don’t anything like normal pimples.

Because they aren’t pimples.

These little irritations are called milium cysts, which, when they’re in a group, are called milia.

Photo Credit: Pexels, Dhyamis Kleber

Healthline says, “Milia occur when keratin becomes trapped beneath the surface of the skin. Keratin is a strong protein that’s typically found in skin tissues, hair, and nail cells.”

But milia are nothing to worry about in most cases – they are more nuisance than something serious. However, if they do appear, don’t pick them! That could cause scarring, especially if you have quite a few. I know, it is tempting, but you do not want to risk it.

How do you get rid of them?

In most cases, milia will go away on its own. And they really are unnoticeable to others unless they are super close to your face, which really isn’t a big deal. But some people may experience milia that can cause slight pain or irritation, in which they should talk to a dermatologist if it worsens. Doctors will use treatments to eliminate them, such as:

  • Deroofing. A sterile needle picks out the contents of the cyst.
  • Topical retinoids. These vitamin A-containing creams help exfoliate your skin.
  • Chemical peels. Chemical peels cause the first layer of skin to peel off, unearthing new skin.
  • Laser ablation: A small laser focuses on the affected areas to remove the cysts.

Prevention

Photo Credit: Pexels, Vitória Santos

The great news is you can prevent these annoying bumps! Healthline shares a few home remedies:

  • Clean and exfoliate the skin. Milia occur under the eyes due to an excess of keratin. Gently exfoliating the area with a warm washcloth may get rid of dead skin cells and help bring trapped keratin to the surface.
  • Steam. Spending some time in your bathroom with the door closed and a hot shower running creates an easy at-home steam treatment for your face.
  • Rose water or manuka honey. Spritz a bit of rose water or use a manuka honey mask on your face. Research has found anti-inflammatory properties in roses and honey.
  • Avoid picking or poking. It may seem counterintuitive, but leaving milia bumps alone helps them heal faster. If you pick milia bumps to the point where they become irritated, infection and scarring become more likely.

So there you go.

But, just to be clear, always go to a doctor if you’re worried about your health. They can help you out better than the internet.

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Doctor Explains Why You Should NOT Put Garlic in Your Vagina

This really doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that should actually REQUIRE explanation, but in 2019 the whole world is upside-down and nothing makes sense anymore. This is not a bandwagon you want to jump on, ladies.

Apparently, women have started putting garlic in their vaginas because there’s some misinformation floating around that it’s a good home remedy for yeast infections. So Dr. Jennifer Gunter, who is both an OBGYN and a health columnist for the New York Times, put out a Twitter thread explaining all the reasons why you should never, ever do it.

Are you listening? Pay attention to the good doctor, because she’s about to drop some (for some reason much needed) wisdom on all of us.

Are you listening? Because Dr. Gunter isn’t done yet.

And then Dr. Gunter concluded her argument.

So what’s the lesson to be learned to be here? Stick to proven, over-the-counter treatments and consult your doctor before you stick anything anywhere, yeasty or not. And be sure to get your hands on a copy of Dr. Gunter’s upcoming book, The Vagina Bible.

Well, I think that old wives’ tale has now been put to bed…

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10 Weird Ways to Use Potatoes (Besides Eating Them)

I mean…I don’t know why, exactly, you would have potatoes and not eat them, but these 10 things are pretty cool, too!

How many of them did you know? They were new to me!

#10. Alleviate your headache

Photo Credit: Brightside

Wash and slice a raw potato, then put them on your temples and forehead (you can secure them with a raw bandage). Lie down in a dark room and close your eyes until the pain disappears.

#9. Get rid of rust

Photo Credit: Brightside

Cut a potato in half, then dip it in baking soda, table salt, or dish detergent (your choice), then rub it over the rusty item until it’s clean. Then just rinse your formerly rusty item and let it dry!

#8. Drink the juice

Photo Credit: Brightside

Yep, really. Potato juice is packed with vitamins and minerals – calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C, to name a few. Drinking the juice can strengthen your immune system, among other health benefits like helping with ulcers, heartburn, and prevent bacteria from breeding.

Recent studies also think they can lower your cholesterol and make you less prone to cancer, constipation, and weight gain.

All you have to do is blend it up an then strain the paste to extract the juice.

#7. Treat burns on your skin

Photo Credit: Brightside

Wash and slice a couple of potatoes then apply them to the burned area of your skin for 10-15 minutes. If you’re dealing with something more serious than a sunburn, like a hot water burn, mash or grate the potatoes into a paste – it’s the juice you’re after – and leave it on your burn until the pain disappears.

#6. De-fog your glasses

Photo Credit: Brightside

Cut potato halves rubbed over your glasses (then wiped clean) will de-fog your spectacles in the blink of an eye.

#5. Clean up stains – even bad ones

Photo Credit: Brightside

They can remove stains from fabrics (and your hands!) by grating raw potatoes into a bowl full of 0.1 gallon of water. Remove the potato and add the same amount of water in its place, wait for 10-15 minutes, and then dip a sponge into the potato water to wash fabrics clean.

#4. Clean your windows

Photo Credit: Brightside

Wipe a half of a cut potato over your windows, then wipe them clean with a rag. Done!

#3. Easily clean tarnished silverware

Photo Credit: Brightside

Without scrubbing, y’all. Just boil some potatoes and then take them out of the water (you can eat them – you’ll just need what’s left behind), then put your tarnished silverware into the potato water and leave them for an hour. Afterward, you should be able to lightly scrub it with a soft brush, then rinse it clean.

#2. Make hot and cold compresses

Photo Credit: Brightside

Potatoes are great for either – make mash out of them and secure them to your cuts, bruises, and pains with some gauze.

#1. Lighten your underarms

Photo Credit: Brightside

If your underarms are too dark for your liking this summer, you might be able to fix them – in time – with potatoes. Wash and slice it, massage your armpits with the slices for 3 minutes or so, then wait a half hour before rinsing the water off.

Don’t expect it to work right away, though – it might take several applications.

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