How to Remove a Splinter?

Splinters are often very small and sometimes very painful. They can also be difficult to remove. Children often consider the removal of a splinter with complete terror. It’s not only the pain of the splinter but the idea of digging under your skin with tweezers and a needle. If you have a small splinter that is causing you pain, there are some different tricks you can use to remove a splinter and to treat the wound as well.

What is Splinter?

Splinters are shards of wood, glass or metal that gets evicted in your skin when you comes in the contact with certain objects. As time passes, a splinter can be removed itself. But most of the time, it is painful and irritating. There are occasions when splinters left untreated, it can result to infections characterized by redness and swelling in the affected area.

Home Remedies to Remove a Splinter

1. Baking Soda to Remove a Splinter

Using baking soda is an effective way to remove a splinter. With the goodness of  anti-bacterial properties, baking soda can prevent your feet from infections. Remove a splinter without a needle and tweezers. Baking soda contains sodium and water. The baking soda paste helps the skin to swell and in the result, removes the splinter.

Uses:

• Make a thick paste of baking soda.
• Smudge the paste directly on the splinter to make it stick to the surface. You can also cover it with a band-aid as well.
• Let it stay for 2 – 3 hours, remove the band-aid and rinse the paste off the affected skin area.

2. Epsom Salt to Remove a Splinter

Epsom salt can also cure the splinter on the skin surface. Like baking soda, it will also lead to swelling of the skin surface, thus the splinter will come out of the skin.

Uses:

• Take a pinch of Epsom salt.
• Put salt on the band aid and tie at the exact location properly.

        

3. White Vinegar Remove a Splinter

White vinegar also works like hydrogen peroxide which is known to swell up the skin, making it easy to get rid of an obstinate splinter. Follow the steps below to remove a splinter.

Uses:

• Dip the affected area in white vinegar.
• Keep it there for a minimum period of 30 minutes.
• As the vinegar swells up the skin, the splinter will come out.
• When it will come out, remove it with the help of a sterilized tweezers.

4. Honey to Remove a Splinter

With superior therapeutic and antiseptic properties, honey helps in removing a splinter and takes a good care of the skin as well.

Uses:

• Apply a generous amount of honey on the affected area.
• Honey will draw the splinter out softly and slowly.
• You can also apply this after splinter is removed.

5. Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove a Splinter

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the effective home treatment to remove the splinter. Use hydrogen peroxide to cover the area around the splinter. The area will become inflamed and swollen, making the splinters visible. After that, you can pull it out by using tweezers.

6. Bread and Milk to Remove a Splinter

Bread and milk can be used to remove a splinter from the body. Pour 2 – 3 drops of milk into a small piece of bread. Now place the bread piece on the affected skin area and cover it gently with a bandage. Keep it for overnight and then open it during the next morning. The splinter will stick to the bread piece and will easily come out from the skin.

7. Potato to Remove a Splinter

Another one of the most efficient home remedies to remove a splinter is the potato.

Uses:

• Place one slice of raw potato onto the splinter like in a manner so that fleshy part will touch the splinter.
• Gently press the potato slice downwards and then carefully take it off.
• If the splinter pierces the potato, then it could be pulled off with ease.

8. Egg to Remove a Splinter

Eggs can also be used to lift out the splinter from the skin layers. The eggshell can cause the splinter to pull out of your skin. Break an egg into a container. Now put the inner surface of the egg shell on the splinter affected zone and let it for some time. The moist part will help bring out the splinter and cure the problem.

9. Onion or Tomato to Remove a Splinter

Onion or tomato can also be used to pull a splinter out.

Uses:

• Cut a fresh onion or tomato and apply it on the splinter.
• The onion or tomato will draw the splinter to the surface.
• Make it easier to remove with bare hands or with tweezers.

10. Adhesive Tape to Remove a Splinter

Duct tapes can also be used to remove a splinter from the skin. Cover the splinter affected area with a clean adhesive tape with the sticky side on the splinter. Try to press it gently on the splinter so that splinter gets stuck to the tape. Now slowly peel off the tape and splinter will be removed together with it.

11. Charcoal Poultice to Remove a Splinter

Charcoal absorbs the toxic particles as well as gasses that’s why it is known as a good absorbent. Poultice means to make a paste of charcoal and apply the paste with a thin cotton cloth or a band-aid/ bandage.

Uses:

• Place the charcoal on the bandage area of the band-aid.
• Apply the band-aid on the splinter affected area. Make sure that the charcoal comes in contact with the area where the splinter is lodged.
• Keep it overnight and remove in the morning. The splinter will have risen to the surface you can now easily remove it with a clean tweezer.

12. Banana Peel to Remove a Splinter

Banana peels are said to be very effective to remove splinters. Just tape a peel to the splinter, and leave on for 10 minutes. The enzymes present in banana peel will help dislodge the splinter and helps to heal the wound.