We know there are some home remedies that offer some solid results but then there are others that simply make promises they can’t keep. Many of us like using home remedies because they are cheaper and easier than traditional methods. Who doesn’t want to use items they already have stocked in their medicine cabinet? And home remedies are usually more natural than say, taking a prescription medicine, so we tend to feel better about that too. However, there are so many bogus remedies out there that claim to be cheap, healthy and provide impressive results, but don’t really do much of anything. If you’re one of those people eager to slather butter on your burn or dive into the Airborne when feeling a cold come on, hold up. You may want to figure out if these remedies are actually worth trying. Here are 15 home remedies that just don’t work.

15 Putting Butter On A Burn

This is an old remedy that has been around for many years but hasn't really provided any real results when used. Sure, putting cool butter on a hot burn might feel good, there really isn’t much else it will do. Oh yeah, except for maybe causing an infection. Since the butter isn’t sterile, it could provide some serious issues once it melts into the wound. For example, giving you a nasty infection that makes the burn so much worse than it was before you buttered it like a piece of hot toast. You’re better off using some cool water to soothe that burn and maybe head to a doctor if it’s that severe.

14 Using Ear Candles For Wax 

Not only is this remedy downright disgusting, it’s totally bogus and not even good for you. We’ve heard many times that even using Q-Tips isn’t smart because your ears need that wax that they accumulate to keep things healthy, so why would you want to smoke it out of your eardrums? And yes, it really is supposed to smoke out the wax. It's said to help remove unwanted wax build up by creating a suction-like sensation. Gross. But here's the thing: using an ear candle can cause some serious damage. There’s a chance that wax might drip in your ear or on your face and an even greater chance of your hair lighting on fire from the candle.

13 Rubbing Hydrogen Peroxide On A Cut

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Many of us have grown doing this because our parents installed it into our brains that Hydrogen Peroxide will help heal a cut. Guess what? It won’t. Putting this on an open sore can actually make it harder for the scrape to heal, so you’re walking around with that red, oozing thing for much longer than you hoped. Hydrogen Peroxide and rubbing alcohol are both pretty toxic to your skin, so putting them on an open sore can cause other issues to arise rather than clearing the initial one up.

12 Taking Airborne When You’re Sick

So you feel a cold coming on and instinctually you reach for the Airborne to help nip it in the bud quick. Well, you might want to save your money, because this product has been reported to not help rid a cold faster. It’s simply a vitamin supplement. We know, we know. It’s totally confusing since they always used to advertise as helping a cold, but after a recent lawsuit for false advertisement, Airborne changed its marketing strategy. Today, it now states to help “support your immune system.” Sure, vitamins help keep you healthy, but there hasn’t been much proof that this particular product does just that.

11 Onions To Fend Off The Flu

A long time ago, many people thought onions could actually help fend off the flu not by ingesting them, but by putting them around in the house. Some people today still believe in the power of placing a few onions in the bedroom while they sleep in order to keep the flu virus away from them. While we have a big appreciation for onions, we gotta say, we prefer to eat them in a salad or sauté them for a sauce. Putting them in a bowl to rid the toxic flu air just seems like a complete waste.

10 Putting A Penny Over A Sting

Another oldie and not so much a goodie, is placing a copper penny atop a bee sting. Why? Well, it’s suppose to help with the pain and even the swelling from the sting, but in reality it doesn’t do much of either. Being made of copper, the penny might be cool to the touch which can provide some comfort on an aching bee sting, but not more than a cold pack from the freezer. And the cold pack also helps with the swelling. Look, if you get stung by a bee forget about slapping some loose change on the sight and stick to some ice that will actually help provide some comfort.

9 Cool Off Your Skin With Rum

Ever get a sudden hot flash and need to instantly cool down? Maybe you’ve been out in the sweltering heat and now need a quick and easy way to cool your skin. Well, apparently all you need is some rum, water, and lemon juice to do the trick. Mix this concoction together and instead of putting it in your fanciest cocktail glass, you’re supposed to rub it over your body. What? That better be cheap rum, right? While this can possibly help cool you down, some have said it cools you down too much because of the alcohol. Let's be honest here, rum is supposed to go in our bodies, not go on top of them.

8 Urine Helping To Treat Acne

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Okay, we get that people want to try all natural ways to help cure everyday ailments like pimples, but seriously some of these remedies are too much. Who really wants to dabble some dribble on an annoying whitehead when there’s plenty of perfectly good over-the-counter medicines to try? There has been no proven fact that pee can help rid your pimple and seriously, would you really want to try it to find out? If you want to go all homeopathic on your zit, try toothpaste instead. It’s an easy home remedy that will have your face smelling minty fresh rather than potent like number one.

7 Putting An Egg On A Bruise

Sure, we hate having a giant bruise the shape of a walnut on our leg, but sometimes there are things we have to let take their course. Or, you can always try the ancient Chinese remedy of placing an egg on a bruise to help it vanish much faster. Does it work? Nope. But people still are eager to try because they hate the look of a bruise so much. We get that they are ugly, but are they really worth some of your scrambled eggs? Probably not, especially since there hasn’t been much research showing putting an egg on a bruise does much of anything - except waste a perfectly good egg.

6 Using Dirty Socks To Rid A Sore Throat

The next time your throat is killing you from a cold coming on, go for a nice, long run and make sure your socks are drenched when you come home. Why you ask? Because you’ll need those nasty things to wrap around your neck to help rid your sore throat. Sound like legit plan? Yeah, we didn’t think so. But back in the 20th century people actually believed that tying a pair of dirty socks can help make a sore throat go away. Thankfully today, we have throat lozenges.

5 Garlic With Chocolate Helps Memory

Look, we’re all about using chocolate dipped anything for a cure of well, anything! But garlic dipped in chocolate? Eh, that’s something we’re on the fence about. However, it’s been said that this odd combo actually helps support a healthy memory, making people try this instead of Ginkoba. Too bad garlic and chocolate hasn’t been proven to actually help memory loss. It’s just been proven to be sort of a weird and nasty mix, but at least you’ll remember you won’t ever want to try that together again. Hey look at that! Maybe garlic dipped chocolate does help memory after all.

4 Wearing Wet Socks To Bed To Help A Cold

Didn’t mom used to tell you not to wear wet socks ever? And to bed? That would be preposterous in mama’s eyes. But regardless, there is an old remedy that claims wearing damp socks can help ward off a cold. But there’s a process. First, there’s soaking of the feet in hot water. Then, you’ll need to put a pair of socks on that have been drenched in ice cold water. After that, pull on a pair of dry socks and head to bed. Apparently the combo will help your cold, but we think it won't do much of anything for the flu you'll be getting.

3 Not Eating Greasy Foods To Avoid Acne

We have been told so many times, especially in our younger teenage years, that oily foods can cause breakouts. However, that might not actually be the case. It’s been said that by keeping away from these types of foods (like yummy, greasy cheese pizza) won’t actually give you that healthy, pimple-free skin. All those years of staying away from fried foods to keep the acne away might have been lies, because there’s no secure evidence that it even helps in the first place. So go ahead, treat yourself. Your heart might mind, but your skin won’t.

2 Using A Lot Of Mouthwash To Help Bad Breath

Of course you use mouthwash on a day-to-day basis to help kill off germs and nasty breath, but when you’re using it too often there can be a problem. It’s been said a lot of mouthwash used throughout the day can actually help rid your mouth of bad breath, but it really can’t. If you use too much mouthwash, it can actually provide the opposite. You can get worse breath because the alcohol in the wash can dry out and irritate your mouth. So, if you’re addicted to using that Listerine more than twice a day, you better quit that habit quick.

1 Drinking Booze To Cure A Hangover

How many times do your friends tell you to drink a beer when you’re feeling queasy from last night’s debauchery? Well, they aren’t completely wrong here. When you drink a Bloody Mary during brunch while you're hungover, you will find that your body actually feels better, but the bad thing is, it won’t usually last. You may need to keep drinking in order to continue feeling decent throughout the day, which can cause you to get drunk again, bringing you right back to where you started. So instead, opt for water or juice but steer clear from the beer and booze.

sources: webmd.com

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