Using a mustard plaster to relieve chest congestion

Whenever we would get sick in the winter Mom would make a mustard plaster to help break up the chest congestion. Making a mustard plaster is an old remedy, but one that works.

To make a mustard plaster you will need:

flour
ground mustard
water
a small bowl to mix in
a spoon
a cloth  (we use an old cloth diaper)


For a basic mustard plaster

3 tablespoons flour
1 Tablespoon mustard powder
mix together in a small bowl
add water to make a paste (about 1 1/2 -2 Tablespoons)
Spread the paste down the middle of the cloth leaving ample room along the edges 1-2 inches
fold the cloth in half (you can use two smaller cloths and sandwich them together)
place it over your chest and or back and allow to sit.
do not apply directly to the skin.
Check every 5-10 minutes to make sure that it is not irritating or burning the skin.
a tight fitting undershirt is helpful it can help keep the mustard plaster in place


Some people do use equal parts mustard and flour, but it can cause the skin to turn red and irritable. For a small child or someone with sensitive skin I would go with half of the mustard.

I made a plaster today  for my little girl and used ground oats in place of the flour it seemed to work well. After my last post about Oats I thought I would give it a try.

Some say that if you use an egg white instead of the water, the protein will help keep it from bothering your skin. I tried it last year and did not notice a difference.