DIY: Antibacterial Cut Salve

Written by Kate Tietje

In the warmer months, many people look for a safe way to clean the inevitable cuts and scrapes during outdoor play.  There are plenty of commercial options, but there are also safer, more natural options.

That’s why I created this simple salve.  It’s easy to make and helps keep cuts clean, kills bacteria, and even helps stop bleeding.  Not bad for a simple little salve!

This is easy to make and a good thing to keep in your first aid kit!

If DIYs aren’t your thing, check out a similar premade product, Earthley’s All-Purpose Salve.

Antibacterial Cut Salve

The ingredients in this are carefully chosen to produce a quality, beneficial salve.

Turmeric is anti-bacterial and anti-viral.  Raw honey is antibacterial and antiviral, plus it keeps cuts clean.  Cayenne pepper and shepherd’s purse help to stop the bleeding.  Olive oil is good for the skin, and beeswax helps it all to solidify.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. shepherd’s purse
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp. raw honey
• 1 tbsp. beeswax

Directions:

Step 1: Mix the olive oil and shepherd’s purse together.  Let this sit for at least an hour in a warm place.  (I often leave it overnight.)

Step 2: Strain the oil through a piece of cloth into a small, clean saucepan.  Discard the herb.

Step 3: Add the beeswax and turn on very low heat until melted.

Step 4: Remove the salve from the heat and stir in the turmeric, cayenne, and raw honey until dissolved.

Step 5: Pour into a 2-ounce tin and let it cool and harden completely before putting the lid on.

That’s it!  Other than needing to let the herbs steep, this comes together really quickly and easily.  I keep one in my home first aid kit and one in my travel first aid kit.

How do you treat cuts and scrapes?