10 Uses For Witch Hazel Or 'What The *&#! Is This Stuff For?!'

When I was growing up, there were always three bottles in our medicine cabinet:  rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and witch hazel. Now, I understood what the rubbing alcohol was for - disinfecting tweezers when I got a splinter. Peroxide was the much-feared, pain-causing stuff Mom put on my knees before she dabbed on Mercurochrome (the pre-historic antiseptic later removed from the market because it contained mercury).  BUT WHAT WAS WITCH HAZEL FOR? 

Recently, I found some in my medicine closet and, thanks to menopause, can't remember buying this shit nor why we have it. So I researched this mystery substance and discovered it's got a MULTITUDE of purposes. So here are

10 USES FOR WITCH HAZEL

1. Acne – This is probably the most commonly-known use for witch hazel, but don't think it's exclusively for teenagers! As those of us in middle-age know, pimples happen well into adulthood. Dab a little witch hazel on those dots to reduce inflammation.
   
   
   
   
2. Varicose Veins – Soak a wash cloth in witch hazel and lay it on those veins which pop above the skin. The witch hazel tightens the veins to temporarily reduce discomfort. Great for those late nights when EVERYTHING aches!
   
   
   
   
3. Stop Bug Bites From Itching – The anti-itch magic of witch hazel is great for treating bug bites (for more treatments for mosquito bites, click here. Just tab a bit on the bite. 
   
   
   
   

   

   A witch hazel shrub

     
4. Clean Your Kitchen Counters – Save money with this easy cleaner!  Mix ½ cup of witch hazel with 1 cup of water and a tablespoon of lemon juice in a spray bottle. The combo cuts through grease, kills bacteria and leaves a lemon-fresh smell. Watch your countertops sparkle!
   
   
   
   
5. Heal Bruises – Sometimes I look down and see a random bruise I can't remember getting. Dab witch hazel on a bruise three times a day to reduce the healing time.
   
   
   
   
6. Peel Away Price Stickers – One of the banes of my existence are those price stickers they place on merchandise from The Dollar Store. Saturate a piece of paper towel with witch hazel and hold it on a sticker for about 30 seconds. The witch hazel breaks down the bonding agents in the sticker and makes it easier to peel off.
   
   

   

   Witch hazel leaf

    
7. Make Your Own Air Freshener – Mix ½ cup of witch hazel, 1 cup of water, and 15 drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. Spritz it around the house to kill odor-causing bacterial and add wanted scents to your house.  Especially useful in teenagers' rooms!
   
   
   
   
8. Sooth And Prevent Razor Burn – This anti-inflammatory wizard stops itchy bumps from forming around irritated hair follicles. Use it before or after shaving the face, armpits or legs and see if it helps with red skin.
   
   
   
   
9. Heal Cuts And Scrapes – Known as “nature's version of Neosporin” by some pharmacists, witch hazel kills bacteria and reduces swelling. Use instead of peroxide to clean scrapes.
   
   
   
   
10. Clean Vinyl, Linoleum, And Tile Floors – Just mop with ½ cup of witch hazel to 1 gallon of warm water. You can also stir in 1 tablespoon of borax before you mop for extra cleaning power. Witch hazel strips away old wax, making floors nice and clean. 
    
    

As I've said before, I am no medical professional, so if you have any questions about using witch hazel for medicinal purposes, please double-check with your doctor. These uses for this drug store staple have worked for me, at a fraction of the cost of other products. NOW I remember what I bought that white bottle for!

What do YOU use witch hazel for? Let me know!

Thank you for reading!

9 Natural Remedies For Mosquito Bites

Some people kid that New Jersey's State Bird is the mosquito. Obviously, that's not true, but we do have a lot of those bloodsuckers here in the Garden State.  Every time my daughter goes out to play, she comes in with lots of mosquito bites. Granted, when I offer to spray her with diluted white vinegar (don't laugh – it works!), she blows me off and runs outside anyway. I know that later, she'll be lying bed, complaining about how itchy she is. That's when I reach for one of these:

9 Natural Remedies For Mosquito Bites

Aloe

1. Ice – Place some ice in a wash cloth and apply to the itch. It numbs the nerves that conduct the itching and subsequent pain. 
   
   
   
   
2. Lavender or tea tree oil. I keep tea tree oil because it serves a multitude of purposes (it's fantastic for cleaning) and itch relief is one. Dab a little on the skin.  Just be sure to check the label on the bottle first to make sure it's okay to use on skin. If you need to, dilute it with a little cooking oil.  Both lavender and tea tree oils contain anti-inflammatory properties that sooth what itches you.
   
   
   
   
3. Baking soda and water. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water and apply to the itch. Note: don't use if the skin is broken.. 
   
   
   
   
4. Apple cider vinegar. Dab a little on the bite and let the acid in the vinegar take away the itchies.
   
   
    
5. Lemon juice. Lemons have anesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties and can be effective against itches. Again, don't use if the skin is broken or if the child is going outside since lemon can react with the sun to cause blistering.
   
   
   
   
6. Honey. Long-known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, this “honey” of a remedy works well for mosquito bites.
   
   
   
   
7. Peppermint toothpaste. It's the mint in the toothpaste that calms the itch.
   
   
    
8. Aloe. I keep an aloe plant in the house for burns but it's also great for relieving bug bites.
   
   
   
   
9. Witch hazel. This drug-store staple is great for relieving those itchy welts. (Check back here soon for more uses for witch hazel).
   
   

If all else fails, I will reach for the Benadryl spray. Obviously I'm not a medical professional, but the above remedies, most of which you probably already have in your house, work great for me. 

Give them a try and let me know what works for YOU!