Vinegar Home Remedy for Cold Sores

Cold sores are large, sometimes embarrassing sores that usually appear on or around the mouth. Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus, though usually through a different strain than the genital version. Herpes sores can occur anywhere on the body, but usually only those found on or near the mouth are referred to as cold sores. While there are a few cold sore medications on the market, natural remedies are cheaper and can sometimes be safer.

White Vinegar

• White vinegar, usually derived from white wine or acetic acid, can help heal cold sores more quickly than they would heal on their own. By simply soaking a cotton ball in white vinegar and holding it against a cold sore for 5 minutes, germs, bacteria and other harmful substances can be cleaned from the sore and healing can be accelerated. This could sting a little and leave an undesirable taste in the mouth, but these are both normal side effects that shouldn't last long after the application is finished.

Apple Cider Vinegar

• Many people prefer apple cider vinegar over white vinegar since it is derived from a fruit source instead of from wine. The application process for apple cider vinegar is the same as with white vinegar, though it is believed that because of the fruit components of apple cider vinegar, it could bring even faster relief to cold sore sufferers.