Works For Me: Mustard Plaster

Works for Me Wednesday is hosted by Rocks In My Dryer.

When cold and flu season hits your family, it's handy to be the Mom With The Mustard Plaster Smarts. Mustard Plasters have been used for hundreds of years as a home remedy for chest congestion, coughs, aches and colds. And why reach for a bottle of freaky chemicals when you can get better results with a safe, inexpensive natural remedy?

1. Put your child in a snugly fitting undershirt and tuck her into bed.
   
2. Mix together about 2 tsp dry mustard with about 4 Tbsp flour.
   
3. Add a little warm water and stir to form a thick paste.
4. Spread the paste over half a towel (I use an old cloth diaper -- not a formed one, just a square), and fold the other half over the paste, and fold in the ends to keep the paste inside.
5. Apply to the chest (and back, if you make two), and use the undershirt to keep the plaster in place. Tuck your child under the covers, and let the plaster sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove.
   
6. You want to be careful not to let the mustard actually touch the skin. It really heats up and can burn sensitive skin!
7. Watch and be amazed, O Ye Of Little Faith. It works much better than Dimetapp, Triaminic or whatever -- and, unlike those bottles of unproven and scary chemicals, it's completely safe.
   

Spread the mixture over the towel or cloth:

And fold into a neat little package.