This little at home treatment for burns is one you don't see everywhere. Probably because it seems terrifying and unlikely to work, but putting straight bleach on a mild burn gets rid of the pain INSTANTLY.
Why yes, the boney hand with DANGER beside it indicating this substance will eat right through your skin to the bone IS what made me wait 5 years before trying this technique.
This technique isn't for a pepper burn, if you burn yourself chopping hot peppers you can treat it with milk, like I show you in this post.
Instructions
1. Burn yourself
2. Open a bottle of bleach
3. Pour a little bit of it on your mild burn
the end.
Being that I do a lot of cooking, I guess it makes sense that I burn myself a lot. Plus I'm a dork. My particular specialty is burning the inside of my wrist on the edge of a hot frying pan while fiddling with whatever is inside of it.
I don't wanna sound like a suck, but they hurt those little burns. No more! And yours don't have to hurt anymore because of a piece of bizarro advice given to me by a friend who owned a breakfast diner.
A solution so strange, it took me 5 years to even try it. No - I'm not going to have you or anyone else pee on your burnt finger ... don't worry.
My friend who owned the greasy spoon was given 2 pieces of advice from the previous owner. She said ...
"Don't serve liquor ... people look disgusting eating eggs when they're drunk" and ...
"If you ever burn yourself pour bleach on it."
You can see why it took me 5 years to give this a try, but one day I got a mild burn from splattered oil on my fingers. Annoyed at the pain, I bit the bottle and pulled the bleach out.
Bleach took the pain away INSTANTLY. I mean ... in an instant. The pain came back a half an hour later or so, but I just went back and poured a little more bleach on it. The pain was gone AGAIN. And there weren't any ill effects from pouring straight, undiluted bleach onto myself. I was understandably worried silly by that possibility.
So the first shot wasn't a fluke. Wetting a mild (no open wounds please) burn with bleach works to get rid of the pain.
What's a mild burn?
A mild burn, aka a first degree burn, is one that hasn't blistered or opened up. A mild burn will hurt and look red the same way a sunburn does. It only hurts the superficial, outer layer of the skin, not deeper tissue.
I didn't dump the bottle on my fingers, I just put a bit of the bleach into the bleach bottle cap and drizzled it like you'd drizzle olive oil on a pizza. Or drool on a plate of eggs if you're drunk.
You could also wet a cotton ball or cloth with bleach and press it to the burn. When I first published this post a decade ago someone also mentioned that it will work for bee, wasp or hornet sting.
I understand the confusion and alarm you're experiencing right now. But I predict one day - around 5 years from now - you'll work up the courage and curiosity to give it a shot.
Again - one final reminder - THIS IS ONLY FOR A SMALL SUPERFICIAL BURN. For anything else go to a doctor or the hospital.
If you have some bleach but have NO intentions of ever pouring it on your body you can also bleach your floors with it. You know in case you're looking to do such a thing.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
Leslie
Meanwhile, where are new photos of Philip?
Karen
I haven't had time and I keep asking myself the same thing, lol. He has a new haircut and everything! ~ karen
Brenda Brown
It works for me every time. But for me the pain doesn't return. ( I do pour alot on! ) When I don't put bleach on my burn infects every time and is sore for a week. Even my family swears Im insane but I don't care because I'm always burning myself.
Lis
Doesn't work. I just touched a hot burner and applied beach. Zero reduction to the pain...but now my finger smells like bleach!
Karen
That's weird. I've never met anyone who it didn't work for! Not that I've been able to convince that many people to try it, lol. So it does work, it just didn't work for you. Which again - is weird. I'd say try it again or try the egg white method people in the comments swear by. ~ karen!
Dave from Ohio
I have a good solution for sunburns, but it's not for the faint of heart. If you ever get any sunburn that bothers you, mild or serious, take a really hot shower. It hurts like blazes when you do it, but the pain from the sunburn goes away right away, and it doesn't come back. All I can figure is that the poor little nerve endings are like, "Ok, this is just getting stupid now. We give up. You win." For poison ivy, my method is to scratch the heck out of it, until it's raw and seeping, then I pour rubbing alcohol directly on it. (It's quite the adrenaline rush) This dissolves all the oils and fluids in and around the infection. Then I immediately take, you guessed it, a blazing hot shower and scrub with good old fashioned Fels-Naptha laundry soap. This will dry it out really good. Another tip for poison ivy is, if you know you have been exposed to it and you want to avoid getting the infection, generously rinse the exposed skin with rubbing alcohol to dissolve the urushiol oil (the oil that causes the infection), and then wash well with dawn dish soap. Ok bye.
Brian
That sounds ridiculous. That will for sure make the skin peel off eventually. With bleach it is healed by the next day and usually does not heal. I have been sunburned and as a test put bleach on the left half of my shoulders, arms, and chest. The next day the right side was still burned and the left side had a nice tan. No lie.
Brian
Correction. Usually does not peel. Always heals.
Ann V
I use work witch hazel for everything from poison ivy, bug bites and all first or second degree burns. Even works on acid burns as long as there’s no open wound. You can just pour it on or soak a compress with it and leave it on. This especially effective for bug bite or poison at night so you’re not clawing your skin off in your sleep. It also works for razor burn, especially in ihe bikini area.
Dave from Ohio
I guess I don't mind if the skin peels. I just know it takes the pain away for me. Thanks for your reply.
Marcie Jones
I didn't know of that one Karen! Thank you! I carry a small plastic bottle of vinegar when going to the beach and there is one on the deck or outside somewhere and in my truck at all times. It's a higher acidity than usual (costco brand) but i don't think it matters. Vinegar works like bleach. Wasp stings, fire ant missile attacks, Jelly fish horrific stings and burns are really relieved with vinegar. Your going to smell like a pickle for awhile but it is a pain saver. A lady at the beach stopped my tears when a jelly fish tendril ( it wasn't even attached to a jelly fish) got me. Lord that hurts. It's awesome to be able to help a kiddo who has gotten stung also. That will truly ruin your beach day! Instant relief, albeit short lived but reapply continue pickling!
Nancy
Wonder if I could use this idea on a mild poison Ivy rash, which I currently have all over both arms.
Karen
It is supposed to be good for that yes! Another reader says that egg white works for burns. You could try one method on each arm. ~ karen!
Tracy Born
I would try it:) Also-Jewel weed, which often grows
near poison ivy, is a big help:) Boil the leaves in a saucepan of water, strain leaves out, and cool the “jewelweed tea” (fridge). Then apply topically to rash. I have made this for several people who tell me it helped a lot. I have actually never had poison ivy…Hope this helps!
Jane
I remember reading somewhere a long time ago that poisonous plants usually have antidotal plants growing nearby. Maybe Jewel weed is the antidotal plant for poison ivy.
Teddee Grace
I just touched my finger to the edge of a hot skillet the other day and wish I had know about this. It had been years since I'd burned myself, but I'm going to keep this in mind for the next, hopefully distant, time it occurs. Thanks!
Mia Pratt
Living in Mexico, when I would go to the US I would buy a product called After Bite to keep with me for little burns and stings etc. It would stop itching or pain instantly. I looked it up on the Internet once when I ran out, hoping I could re-create a facsimile here in Mexico. I was surprised to find it was simple ammonia. Then I remembered that movie, my Big Fat Greek Wedding, where the grandfather kept telling them to put Windex on everything. Well, Windex has ammonia in it…and so it works. So now we know if two household products that can be very helpful for use in a medicinal way… Clorox and Windex. And that both you and Grandad were right!
Karen
And my dad SWORE by using vinegar on a sunburn. I think it's where I developed my deep appreciation of french fries. ~ karen!
Mary
Banana peel works well too. I was at the gym and a woman picked up her hot hair iron by the wrong end. I went to my locker and got my after swim banana - she put the peel on her hand and instant relief.
Karen
I've heard that! ~ karen
Carla Terry
I just burned myself the other night by grabbing a hot pan and burned both my thumbs and forefingers. I usually have aloe plant in the house, but it died because grandkids needed to pull it out. Anyway, I decided to try lavender essential oil and used several times on them and there was no blisters and you couldn't tell I had burned them, other than a spot I missed on the top pf my hand.
Karen
Hi Carla! The only thing that worries me is (and this'll sound funny after recommending bleach) essential oils can be very strong and also ... they're oil. And you aren't supposed to put anything like oil on a burn. But you're not the first to say it works! ~ karen
Billy Sharpstick
I have aloe vera plants. Slice off a bit of a leaf and rub over burns. I'll have to add the bleach thing to my burn plan.
cathy newport logan
by way the most sane reply yet! Aloe is natural, soothing, feels good, and HEALS. Not sure bleach or ammonia or vinegar can claim that.
Caroline
I you don’t have bleach, and/or want a more natural remedy - I use neat lavender essential oil on burns, stings and small wounds. It is amazing and stops the pain immediately. I always keep a small bottle of lavender in my bag, just in case of emergencies. Oh yeah, it’s great for itchy bug bites, too.
Randy P
Okey Dokes - I've now added a small bottle of bleach to my shopping list and WILL give it try the next time portions of the stove or cooking vessels thereupon attack me, which will likely happen before the month is out. I do know that some of those commercial 'sting remedies' in a plastc tube are mostly liquid ammonia. Oh, and I'm Randy and I'm from Chicago, Illinois, U.S. of A.
CathyR
I worked with a nurse who said bleach is her go to for poison ivy. I diluted mine a bit and it seemed to help. This was when I lived in Ohio; now that I’m in Arizona where everything pokes, bites, stings or tries to kill you I’m going to have to carry bleach in a pocket spray bottle a la pepper spray!
Karen
Yes, it's apparently good for that too! ~ karen!
Linda
another method that worked great was to lightly beat up an egg white and apply that. Instant relief from pain of burn.
Dolores
I was going to recommend this too! It REALLY works. I don't even beat the egg whites. I usually burn myself making breakfast. Don't know why, but I do. So I just dip a finger into the empty egg shell and I rub that little bit of egg white on my burn. I get instant relief and no blister and no scar. The other day I grabbed my hot frying pan without the oven mitt and burned myself badly. I was crying as I broke an egg into a bowl and rubbed that white on the whole inside of my palm. Yes, instant Relief. I recommend this to my friends and family all the time.
Karen
I'll give it a shot! ~ karen
Linda Russell
I keep a few frozen sponges in zip-lock bags in my freezer door. Anytime I have a mild burn I grab a frozen sponge and hold it on the burn. If you are fast enough, the cold removes the heat before the flesh is damaged. You can also use a bag of frozen peas.
Karen
That's a good idea! ~ karen
Lynn
I don’t think I would be able to do that.
Karen
Yeah. That's what I thought for 5 years.😆 ~ karen!
Roy Plumley
I and my family have used neat bleach on oven and scalding burns for several years after me reading about the technique being used on pretty severe burns during the Falklands war. IT DOES remove the sting immediately and reduces the incidence of blistering.
Best rub bleach into the affected area for 4-5 minutes ( the area will start to ‘Foam’ creamily and feel warm) then rinse off with cold water. Never had to apply again as it works first time. Within a few hours you can forget about it. Remember this is for MILD burns. Also heard the Burger Van stories about how effective it is.
Must have used this technique successfully and without any untoward effects 20-30 times in our family over the past few years. Good luck!
Bill Eastland
Very interesting. I plan to try it next time. My SOP has been to put it under cold running water for several minutes, then slather it with aloe vera. That seems to sooth it enough that the pain is tolerable. I keep on with the aloe until the pain is mostly gone. Then I apply triple antibiotic and bandage it. Apparently, according to Ian, this isn't such a good idea. But, I continue alternating the aloe and triple ointment and it usually heals in three to five days, depending on how severe it is--the longer time if blisters develop. The bleach method sounds better. Thanks.
Karen
Bleach works great! But remember only to use it on a closed burn, not an open wound. ~ karen!
Barbara Edwards
Bleach not only heals burns and stops the pain…it ALSO takes the sting away from wasps, bees, hornets, etc. FAST.
Karen
Good to know! ~ karen
Barbara Edwards
I learned this by accident. Got stung on the tip of my finger, by a hornet & it was the first thing I thought of, since it was burning so bad. It was unbelievable, how fast it stopped hurting.