Certain home remedies show up time and again in reports from our readers. One of those is the application of yellow mustard to a burn.
When we first heard this remedy, the caller specified that the mustard had to be the cheap yellow kind used on hot dogs, not the fancy French Dijon mustard. We were skeptical and suggested that he stick with cold water on a burn.
Over the years, however, we have heard from so many people who have found yellow mustard soothing on a burn that we have to accept that it can be useful. We don’t know quite why it works, but it does seem to. It may help even more if the mustard is kept in the refrigerator so that it is cold when it is applied.
Yellow Mustard for a Burn:
Q. I am so glad I found your website with the information about mustard for burns. I am sitting here typing with one hand as I have the other in a in a baggy full of mustard.
Hot Glue Sticks to the Skin:
I was using a glue gun, and the burn is severe. The burning hot glue blob stuck to the skin and continued to burn.
I was in tears. I started with cool water, then frozen gel packs, but I was in agony the second I removed the ice.
Thank goodness for the Internet! I have zero pain even though the mustard has now warmed to body temperature.
I’ll NEVER forget this remedy. I’d gladly trade the pain for a yellow-stained thumb any day!
A. We were skeptical when we first heard about putting yellow mustard on burns over 10 years ago. Since then, however, many people have reported success with this approach.
Serious Burns Should Get Medical Care:
We caution that a severe burn always requires medical attention. That said, many people have found that cold yellow mustard is helpful for taking away the pain and preventing a blister from a common household burn.
