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A photo of homemade drawing salve tins laid out next to calendula, plantain and mullein leaves in the woods

Homemade Drawing Salve (Bites, Stings & Slivers)

My homemade salve recipe contains potent ingredients that will help draw out toxins or foreign objects to get you back to your chores in no time. Keep one at home, one out in the barn, and don’t forget to bring it along on hiking trips!
4 from 2 votes
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Total Time 2 hours

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Heat a pot of water with a double boiler insert to gently heat the oil to extract the full medicinal properties of the herbs, without scorching them.
  • Chop up the herbs, if using fresh. Divide out equal parts herbs (1/4 plantain, 1/4 mullein, 1/4 comfry and 1/4 calendula) and then combine into one big pile.
  • Add some extra virgin olive oil to the double boiler, then top with the chopped herbs. Give it a stir. Continue to drizzle in olive oil until the herbs are covered by 1-2”. 
  • Heat gently for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally. You know that it’s done when the olive oil is a deep color and has a nice herby (not burnt!) smell to it.
  • Strain out the herbs using a fine mesh strainer on top of a glass measuring cup. If your strainer has large holes, line it with cheesecloth. Discard the herbs and make note of how much oil you have left. Wipe out your double boiler.
  • Return your infused oil to the double boiler and add the appropriate amount of beeswax to your batch (2 Tbsp per ½  cup of infused oil). Heat gently until the beeswax is fully melted.
  • Remove from the heat and add 10 drops of lavender essential oil per ½ cup of infused oil, if desired. Then, stir in the activated charcoal powder and bentonite clay at a ratio of 3 Tbsp of each powder per ½ cup of infused oil. The mixture will look like black tar at this point! 
  • Stir, then quickly transfer to salve tins. If the salve has cooled too much, it will begin to harden. Pro tip: Wipe out your double boiler right away. Once the beeswax cools and hardens, it can be tough to clean up.
  • Let your salve tins cool completely before securing with a lid. This allows any leftover moisture to escape, reducing the risk of mold.
  • Store your drawing salve containers in a cool, dark location (not your hot car!).

Notes

Anytime you have a bite, sting, or sliver, start by cleaning the area with warm soap and water. Then, apply your homemade drawing salve liberally to the affected area and cover with a bandaid. Add a new application and bandage every 12 hours until healed. 
*Do not use this salve internally!
*If you are experiencing significant symptoms as a result of a bite or sting (shortness of breath, rash/streaking, rapid heart rate, etc.), please seek professional help. 
Keyword drawing salve, herbal medicine, salve
Did you try my recipe?Let me know how it was!