How to Treat Skin Boils with Baking Soda

A boil is a skin infection that starts as a red area on the skin and becomes a hard lump. After about a week pus starts to develop and the lump gets larger and more tender. The pus continues to accumulate and the lump gets larger and more painful as time goes by. Once a pocket of pus begins to develop on top of the lump, it has developed into a severe infection. Treating a boil with baking soda in the early stages will usually keep it from developing into a condition that needs to be treated by a doctor.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda
• Soft cloth
• Small bowl

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Instructions

• 1

  Place a small amount of baking soda in a bowl. Mix just enough water in to make a paste. Blend until smooth.

• 2

  Apply the paste mixture onto the boil and the surrounding area.

• 3

  Soak a cloth in warm water and wring it out to create a warm compress. Place the compress over the boil and baking soda paste.

• 4

  Leave the compress in place for 10 minutes. Check to see if the boil is draining.

• 5

  Repeat the process for up to two hours as necessary. If the boil is still not draining you should contact a physician before the infection becomes severe.