Traditional household remedies are a mixture of things that genuinely work, things that are harmless but do nothing, and a few that are actively dangerous. We have tried to say which is which rather than repeat them all uncritically.
Ones with reasonable evidence behind them
- Honey for a cough, in adults and children over one. It coats the throat and there is
decent evidence it helps. Never give honey to a baby under one year because of the risk of infant botulism.
- Cool running water for a minor burn, twenty minutes, as soon as possible. This is
standard first aid and it works. Not ice, not butter.
- Oral rehydration for a stomach upset. Fluid and salts matter more than anything else.
- Magnesium sulphate paste for a splinter that will not come out. It draws it to the
surface over a day or so. Genuinely useful and available in any pharmacy.
- A cold compress for a sting or bruise to reduce swelling.
Ones that are harmless but not doing much
Most of the folklore sits here: it will not hurt, and any improvement is probably the condition running its course. That is not nothing, because comfort has value, but it is worth knowing the difference between feeling better and getting better.
Ones to avoid
- Butter, oil or toothpaste on a burn. They hold the heat in and make the injury worse.
- Sucking a snake or insect bite, which does nothing useful and adds infection risk.
- Putting anything in an ear to remove wax, including ear candles, which have been
associated with burns and perforations.
- Neat essential oils on skin, which cause chemical burns in some people.
- Anything at all for a suspected poisoning other than ringing 111 or 999. Do not induce
vomiting: corrosives damage a second time coming back up.
When to stop reading and get help
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, a burn larger than the palm of the hand or on the face, hands or genitals, a wound that will not stop bleeding, a rash that does not fade under pressure, confusion, or a baby under three months with a fever. None of those is a home remedy situation.