Surprising Uses for Vicks Vapor Rub

Health 8 Minutes

I found a great article, written by Adrienne @ Whole New Mom detailing some surprising uses for Vicks Vapor Rub!  In these tough times, we need to get the most bang for our bucks, so look over her article for some tips!

Vicks Vapor Rub is known for helping soothe coughs, stuffy noses, and the like, but there are other practical uses for Vicks® VapoRub (or most more natural or homemade alternatives) that you probably didn’t know about. Get ready to be surprised about how versatile this common household remedy is.

Vicks® VapoRub is one of those things that almost all of us have memories of from childhood. We’d get sick and mom would bring out chicken soup, ginger ale, tissues, and the Vicks®.

Well, believe it or not, Vapor Rub is actually a pretty versatile thing. And never fear–for those of you who aren’t a fan of Vicks® (I’m not really, however there are much worse things out there that you could put on your skin), much of the versatility applies to other chest rubs on the market, as well as ones you can make yourself.

One way to avoid waste, as well as to save money, is to have multiple uses for things that you have on hand–that way even if you only need a little of something, you don’t end up tossing whatever is left over.

So instead of buying (or making) Vapor Rub and having it go rancid, try out some of these other uses to really get your money’s worth–some of them are sure to amaze you!

Unusual Uses for Vapor Rub

Soften Feet

Vapor rub is essentially made up of a base of petroleum jelly and essential oils. This combo can be great for softening your feet.

Apply a layer to your feet at night, or just after taking a bath or shower. Massage in and then cover with socks.

Your tootsies will thank you!

Remove Warts

Some people report that vapor rub is a great (mostly) natural wart remedy–crazy, huh?

To address warts, try applying a thin layer of vapor rub and then covering with a bandage.

Protect Irritated Skin

Do you sometimes get itchy, irritated skin?

Petrolatum is a great barrier, while cedar oil is known to soothe skin.

Soothe Blemishes

Some of the ingredients in vapor rub help soothe inflammation and address bacteria, and help dry out oily skin. The cedar oil in Vapor Rub has been shown to address blemishes, while eucalyptus is antimicrobial.

Combined, these features make for a great alternative blemish salve that is another option to try.

Soothe Itching Skin

The same antimicrobial and moisturizing properties can also be put to use when dealing with itching. Simply put a thin layer of vapor rub on the irritation and rub in gently.

Soothe Dry Cuticles

Vapor rub can also help revive your dry cuticles. You can rub it on your cuticles just like a cuticle cream.

The combination of camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus oil have been known to moisturize the cuticles nicely,

Stop Cats From Scratching

Do your cats use your furniture and curtains as a scratching post? If so, you can rub a bit of vapor rub on the things you want them to stay away from.

Cats don’t like the smell of vapor rub, so it’s a great way to repel them. Try mixing a small amount of vapor rub with water in a spray bottle and lightly mist your furniture and curtains whenever needed.

Remove Ticks

Some people swear by using vapor rub to remove ticks. They recommend smearing a bit of it near where the tick has lodged itself. The strong scent of the vapor rub causes the tick to let go, so you can easily remove it and kill it. Make sure to save any tick for testing for Lyme and other tick borne diseases.

Repel Insects

Vapor rub contains cedar leaf oil, which insects apparently hate. Rub some Vicks® on your skin to help repel all kinds of insects–including ticks. 

Soothe Tick and Insect / Mosquito Bites

Interestingly, it’s sometimes said that things that repel insects will help soothe their bites as well. Vapor rub can help to not only soothe the itching, but it can also help to reduce swelling and redness. 

Ditch Toenail Fungus

Have a stubborn bout of toenail fungus and can’t wait to get rid of it? Yet again, the antimicrobial ingredients in vapor rub allow it to do so much more than just getting rid of chest congestion.

Clean your feet thoroughly and then apply some vapor rub onto the affected area.

This isn’t going work overnight, of course, and should be monitored. If you feel that the toenail fungus is getting worse even while using the vapor rub, please contact your physician.

Moisturize Skin

Several of the ingredients in vapor rub are fantastic for hydrating your skin and locking in the moisture. 

Petrolatum is a great balm (while some prefer a more natural alternative, it does work really well) and cedar leaf oil is known for its moisturizing qualities.

Take caution if your skin is exceedingly dry, however, as Vapor Rub is best not to be used on severely dry and potentially highly damaged skin.

Prevent Wrinkles and Stretch Marks

Not only can vapor rub help to hydrate your skin – but it can also help to tighten it. This is good news for those of us wanting to fight wrinkles and stretch marks.

I can’t say that this product will make your stretch marks disappear (though some say that this is the case), but it can help soften them and reduce the dryness that often makes stretch marks stand out.

Train Dogs

Got a pooch who keeps marking his territory in your home? Try “spot treating” those areas with some Vapor Rub to steer him (or her) in another direction.

Soothe an Earache

If you or someone else is struggling with an earache, try placing a dab of Vicks on a cotton ball in your ear for several hours.

Of course, see a physician if need be to rule out an ear condition that needs further attention.

Get Rid of Bruises Faster

Vapor rub can also be used to help bruises fade faster–especially if you manage to use it shortly after the bruise appears.  Put a dab of vapor rub onto the bruise and massage it in. Most likely this is due to the action of the menthol and camphor on blood flow.

Some say that adding salt to the rub helps it work faster. Not sure why that would be, but….it’s an interesting thought for sure!

Soothe Head Pain / Tension

Feeling tension and discomfort in your head? The cooling menthol in vapor rub addresses the pain and pressure, giving quick relief.

Silence a Squeaky Door

Got a door that’s squeaking? Skip the WD-40 and try some Vicks® instead.

It works great and you won’t have to worry about inhaling toxic fumes.

Soothe Sore Muscles

The next two uses are not as “surprising” in the sense that they are actually listed on the Vicks® label. However, they were for me, and I suspect there are some of you out there who didn’t know about these uses either.

The ingredients in vapor rub actually have anti-inflammatory properties. That means it can be great for soothing sore muscles. Simply rub it into the affected area like lotion so it can work its magic. 

You can add a few dabs of vapor rub to a carrier oil (one of my favorites is coconut oil) and massage the blend into your skin for fast relief. The vapor rub will cool the muscles, help with inflammation, and offer some relief from the discomfort. 

Provide Joint Pain Relief

The anti-inflammatory properties of vapor rub also make it a great solution for people who have painful joints. Just rub a small amount into your joints and let it do its job.

Soothe Neuropathy

A reader shared with me that her doctor recommended vapor rub to help soothe her neuropathy–and it worked! Great to know that something so simple can give relief.

How to Safely Use Vapor Rub

Before you dive into any of these uses for vapor rub, make sure to read the following tips / safety concerns. Vicks may or not be safe for you to use, depending on your situation.

Menthol and Young Children

Menthol can be harmful to babies and toddlers (it can actually aggravate a cough for them, so if you’re using any of these tips on small children, be sure to invest in a menthol-free baby rub.

And for sure, skip the Vicks® for babies and very young children.

Avoid Contact with Eyes

When using vapor rub (whether store-bought or homemade), you definitely need to make sure you avoid contact with eyes. It’s also a good idea to wash your hands after using vapor rub so that you don’t mistakenly rub your eyes. 

Avoid Use Under the Nose for Kids

Vapor Rub should never be used under the nose for children. While the menthol has a cooling effect, and it seems that it helps with breathing, it can actually make it harder for the child to breathe.

Avoid Use on Broken Skin

Contrary to advice you might see on other sites, do NOT use Vicks® on broken skin. There are a lot of posts out there advocating the use of VapoRub on cuts and splinters, but the company does not recommend this use.

Do a Patch Test

When using something new on your skin, it’s generally a good idea to do a patch test – especially if you have sensitive skin. Choose a small section of your skin to use the vapor rub on and wait at least an hour to see if you have any type of negative reaction.

Reactions can include itching, burning, a rash, inflammation, or anything else out of the ordinary. 

Camphor Toxicity

Camphor is one of the ingredients in Vicks®. It supposedly helps to open up stuffy noses and ease chest issues, but it is, surprisingly, toxic. In fact, eating or drinking as little as 5 ml can kill a young child.

Now, you most likely don’t have to worry about this since in 1983, the U.S. FDA instilled regulations that products like Vicks® could not contain more than 11 percent of camphor. Vicks contains less than 4.8%.

Regardless, overuse of the product is not a great idea, especially for kids. And be really careful about using camphor essential oil in any DIY chest rub or any other product.

Avoid Use on Mouth

Contrary to tips on other sites recommending using Vapor Rub as a lip conditioner or to remove lipstick, do not do this. Vicks® contains camphor. As mentioned above, camphor is toxic in certain amounts. Now, most likely you wouldn’t ingest enough Vapor Rub to cause a problem, but just to be on the safe side, just don’t.

Of course, depending on the ingredients, if you’re making a DIY Chest Rub, you could try your hand at using your homemade version instead for applications like this.

Is Vicks® Safe During Pregnancy?

If you have concerns about the safety of Vapor Rub, please consult with your physician. Some medical groups state that it is safe, while other non-medical groups warn against its use.

Does Vicks® Expire?

Yes, according to Vicks® website, the product does expire.

Now, I know–if you’re super duper frugal minded like me, you might be tempted to use any old ancient containers of vapor rub up now that you know about all of the ways you can use this handy dandy product, but—just don’t. It’s not that expensive to head on out and get a new bottle to avoid any issues with expired product.

SOURCE: Adrienne @ Whole New Mom

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Published by pat frederick

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189 thoughts on “Surprising Uses for Vicks Vapor Rub”

  5. “Another mysterious Roman dodecahedron has been unearthed in England; Now a fact: More than 100 such ancient artifacts have been found throughout Europe, but nobody knows what they are or what they are for…”

    Liked by 1 person

    2. EXCERPT: “The most commonly accepted theory is that the dodecahedron was used as a measuring device. To be more precise, as a range measuring object on the battlefield. The theory suggests that the object was used to calculate the trajectory of projectiles on the battlefield. This is the reason the objects has different sized holes in the pentagrams. Similar theory suggests they were used as a surveying or leveling device. The problem is none of the theories has been supported by a proof.

      Another interesting theory is that the object was astronomic measuring instrument used for determining the optimal sowing date for winter grain. The angle of the sunlight can be measured with the device, and thereby one specific date in springtime, and one date in the autumn can be determined with accuracy. The dates could have been used for specific and important dates in agriculture, for example. The opposite of the theory is that the dodecahedron was different in size and arrangements.

      A widely accepted and common theory is that the object was a religious artifact. This is based on the fact that most of the examples were found in Gallo-Roman sites. For example, one such object was found in a woman’s burial ground. There are also theories they were used as candlestick holders, since wax was found in many of the objects.”

      https://www.documentarytube.com/articles/roman-dodecahedra-the-enigma-resolved/

      Liked by 1 person

  10. 01/23/24 • BIG PHARMA › NEWS
    “CHD, Parents Take on Philadelphia Health Officials in Bid to Overturn Law Allowing Kids to Get Vaccines Without Parents’ Consent: Children’s Health Defense and several Philadelphia parents last week opposed the City of Philadelphia’s motion to dismiss their lawsuit challenging a city law that allows minors as young as 11 years old to consent to vaccination without their parents’ knowledge.”
    By Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

    EXCERPT: “Children’s Health Defense (CHD) and seven Pennsylvania parents last week opposed the City of Philadelphia’s motion to dismiss their lawsuit seeking to overturn the city’s law that allows minors as young as 11 to consent to vaccination without their parents’ knowledge. Tricia Lindsay, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, told The Defender it is important the case be heard and that its significance goes beyond the City of Philadelphia.

    “This case is one which addresses pivotal issues, and is significant for all citizens,” Lindsay said, adding, “The right of a parent to the care, custody and control of their children is not a right which should be taken lightly, and is not one that can simply be extinguished with the stroke of a pen.”

    The lawsuit, filed Nov. 1, 2023, alleges the City of Philadelphia engaged in a “wink and a nod” practice of vaccinating children behind parents’ backs without informed consent for the past 15 years, under the cover of its 2007 General Minor Consent Regulation (MCR). That rule allows children 11 and older to consent to vaccination without parental knowledge as long as they receive a “vaccine information statement” for the administered shot.

    It also absolves the vaccine administrator of liability related to the vaccine if the minor gives consent….”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/chd-parents-overturn-law-minor-consent-vaccines-philadelphia/

    Liked by 1 person

  11. And yet NONE of the illegals flowing over our border have any such requirements!!!

    01/23/24 • COVID › VIEWS
    “U.S. Government Still Requires COVID Shots for Legal Immigrants — Even Kids: With the COVID-19 shots long proven unable to prevent infection or transmission, why does U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services still mandate them for anyone legally immigrating to the U.S.?”
    By Jeffrey A. Tucker

    EXCERPT: “It’s helpful to think of a COVID-19 experience as a never-ending house of horrors, with room after room of scandal and outrage, so much so that you never quite get through it. There simply are not enough researchers or column inches to cover it all. In the past, any one of these outrages would be enough to call forth enormous public debate. Introduce them all at once — starting March 2020 — and gradually unfold and codify them over a few years and many features slip through the cracks.

    Consider, for example, the continued requirement that any legally immigrating person coming to the U.S. from another country and seeking residency is absolutely required to get the COVID-19 vaccine, a shot widely admitted not to protect against infection or spread and is associated with injury on a scale without pharmaceutical precedent.

    And yet the U.S. government requires it. The evidence is here from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

    Note the language: “To prevent the following diseases.”

    That is completely untrue. You cannot make it true simply by claiming that it prevents something. It does nothing of the kind, despite its moniker of being a vaccine. All the others are indeed vaccines that generally prevent the disease because they are sterilizing shots. The COVID-19 shot is not. And yet there it is, riding the coattails of public health valor from past ages.

    It is generally not possible to avoid the requirement. You can appeal for a religious exemption, which involves several rounds of correspondence and documentation. They have variously been granted after much headache, bureaucracy and expense. Very few will go to the trouble.

    Meanwhile, the U.S. is currently experiencing a wave of immigration from asylum seekers which this country has never seen in raw numbers before…..”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/u-s-government-covid-shots-legal-immigrants/

    Liked by 1 person

  14. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

  24. I rescued Leo this afternoon. His owner was fostering a dog who was supposed to be good with cats who wasn’t. Leo spent a cold night in the tree. He was a “stranger-danger” kind of kitty and gave me a few warning growls. However, the prospect of spending another night in the tree brought him around. He is very happy and his nemesis has moved to another foster.

    Liked by 1 person

  29. THE OTHER BORDER CRISIS: Thousands of Dogs Are Being Abandoned at the Southern Border

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/01/other-border-crisis-thousands-dogs-are-being-abandoned/

    TMZ reported:

    DOGS ABANDONED BY MIGRANTS … Reporters & National Guard Caring for Pups

    There’s a crazy thing happening along the southern border — migrants attempting to enter the United States with their dogs are forced to leave them behind, and it’s creating a whole other crisis.

    FNC reporter Matt Finn is on the ground in Eagle Pass, Texas and joined us Thursday on “TMZ Live” to reveal what he’s seeing firsthand … and how he and other TV crews are getting involved, and taking some of the dogs in themselves. Matt says tons of migrants are trying to cross the border with their dogs, only to be told they can’t bring the pups with them to federal processing centers … resulting in strays roaming the border.

    The circumstances leave dogs in need of food, water and shelter … and Matt says troops with the National Guard are taking care of some of the doggos … and he and his producer have helped out too.

    Liked by 1 person

  35. Bombshell audio reveals top GOP official tried to BRIBE Trump ally Kari Lake to not run for the Senate in Arizona in bid to banish her from 2024 election

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12996297/EXCLUSIVE-Audio-recording-reveals-moment-senior-Republican-figure-tried-bribe-Kari-Lake-not-run-Senate.html

    An audio recording obtained by DailyMail.com reveals the extraordinary moment when what appears to be Arizona’s top Republican official tried to bribe populist firebrand Kari Lake not to run in the state’s Senate race.

    Jeff DeWit, 51, chair of the Arizona Republican Party, can be heard asking Lake, a close ally of Donald Trump, to name her price to stay out of politics for two years.

    ‘There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,’ he tells her in a conversation recorded at the start of March last year.

    Liked by 1 person

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