Vicks VapoRub (long post)

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

Everyone who knows me knows I love this product! I've been using it since my mom rubbed it on my chest when I was sick as a little girl. When DH and I were married he had a mild form of pneumonia (according to the doctor we visited). After a short honeymoon to the beach, we visited our families. I had met his family one time before we were married. When we visited them, I wanted to show him I would be a good wife. Our first night there I spread Vicks on his chest, microwaved a damp towel, and put the towel on him until it got cool, and repeated this process for a number of times. The next morning his mom wanted to know why her microwave smelled like Vicks! OOPS! I was so embarrassed, but she laughed about it. At least she knew I would take good care of her only son!

Anyway - I found this and thought it was interesting. I have only tried it for softening my heels, and it works. I can't tell you if any of these other suggestions DO work, so please don't hold me accountable! And of course you don't have to mind the smell of the eucalyptus, camphor, and methol. If you try any of them, let me know!

Other uses for Vicks:

1. Keep bugs at bay. Bugs hate the smell of eucalyptus. Dabbing some Vicks behind your ears will keep them away.

2. Keep pets from using the bathroom in places you don't want them to. Put some Vicks on the spot they're using, and they'll stay away. They don't like the powerful smell.

3. Heal your stretch marks by rubbing Vicks on them.

4. Ease migraines by applying Vicks on your temples.

5. Soothe aching muscles by rubbing some Vicks on them. The cooling sensation will feel good.

6. Dry up acne breakouts. A dab of Vicks on a blemish will eliminate it overnight.

7. Heal foot and nail fungus and soften calluses by applying Vicks nightly.

8. Keep your cat from scratching your sofa. Wipe a bit of Vicks on his favorite scratching place and he will stop.

9. Cure earaches. Saturate a cotton ball with Vicks and leave it in the infected ear. This will reduce pain and inflammation.

10. Safely remove ticks without breaking them apart and risking infection. Wipe some Vicks over the tick and it will release on its own.

11. Spread some Vicks on your feet overnight to banish cold symptoms. Your feet will absorb the medicinal properties of Vicks and you should wake up feeling totally restored.

12. Use Vicks to help heal bruises. It reduces the appearance of bruising by driving blood away from the surface of the skin.

13. Vicks can be used as an antiseptic for cuts. Dabbing them with Vicks will help heal them fast and prevent infection.

14. Clear up sinus headaches.

15. Treat eczema.

16. Heal tennis elbow by rubbing Vicks onto the area that hurts.

17. You can even use Vicks to help reduce belly fat. Mix one tablespoon baking soda, one tablespoon crushed camphor, one tablespoon alcohol, and half a regular jar of Vicks. Stir it until it becomes a paste. Apply to your belly, wrap it with saran wrap, and do your exercises. Once you are finished rinse it off. Continue this for several weeks.

18. Master tears on command. Rub a small amount of Vicks under your eyes and you will start to cry.

19. If you have a splinter, rub a small amount of Vicks on the affected area before you use tweezers to remove it. The Vicks will help cool and ease the pain you feel when the tweezers pinch the nerve endings on your skin.

(There must have been #20, but I missed it!)

Now everyone go find your jar of Vicks!

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

bonnielu · ‎03-11-2010

Thanks for sharing this. Going crazy with my dog taking liberties in the wrong place. I am going to try it.

Ms Nixie · ‎08-18-2014

@beach-mom - thanks for posing this. Next trip to store will purchase this..

kitty45 · ‎11-05-2011

I use it on my joints to ease arthitis pain.

CelticCrafter · ‎03-09-2010

My mom was the Vicks Queen!

If she thought it would heal a broken bone, she would have told you to rub Vicks on it.

According to her, it healed just about everything.

Harpa · ‎03-10-2010

Thanks so much for your post, @beach-mom! In spite of any essential oil naysayers, there are healing properties in them! I simply don't know why I don't have a jar of Vicks on hand! That will definitely be corrected!

Thank you again!

apple1964 · ‎08-07-2013

Thank you! Very interesting about all the things vicks can do. I am going to try these things. Have a blessed Sunday.

KathyPet · ‎03-09-2010

REduces belly fat??? OH Please!!! ALso there are warnings about putting this anywhere near your eyes. SErious damage can result.

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

@CelticCrafter wrote:
My mom was the Vicks Queen!

If she thought it would heal a broken bone, she would have told you to rub Vicks on it.

According to her, it healed just about everything.

@CelticCrafter

Separated at birth! My mother had two cures for everything: Vicks VapoRub and garlic.

When I was little she'd put a glob of Vicks on my eyes and tell me I'd have long eyelashes.

I'm blind as a bat, but she was right. At 57 I still have long eyelashes.

It took years, but I finally realized that the Vicks on my eyes was supposed to keep me from getting out of bed at night. It worked for that, too.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~