skip to Main Content

How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites

Having a cluster of deeply embedded boils, wounds, or tick bites are pretty bad. If you are new to herbal remedies and treatments, then you might not have heard about black salve. 

What is Black Drawing Salves?

If prepared well, black drawing salve is one of the most incredible herbal remedies to eliminate toxins, slivers, impurities, and other materials that find their way under the surface of your skin. Black salve is a herbal treatment option for boils, wounds, tick bites, cactus spines, embedded glass shards, and many more. Apart from that, the salve is highly effective for accelerating the healing process from bugs, ticks, spider bites, thorns, and ingrown hairs. Furthermore, some people make use of black salve in the treatment of cancer. However, it requires certain ingredients. For everyone interested in making a black drawing salve, doing it yourself isn’t complicated. 

Making a Black Drawing Salve: The Ingredients

Here are a few of the ingredients used in making a black drawing salve and how they work.

  • Charcoal

Charcoal is one of the essential ingredients required in the preparation of black salve since ancient times. Activated charcoal usually serves as a purifier or detoxifier. In some cases, it is normally used for patients who had just ingested poisons. The primary role of activated charcoal in the preparation of black drawing salve is to clean off the wound. It also helps to pull out the toxic material present in the wound.

  • Herbal Infused Oil

Some of the most common herbal infused oils utilized in the preparation of black drawing salve include Comfrey, St. John’s Wort, and Plantain. Comfrey is commonly regarded as an herbal infused oil that effectively accelerates the rate of wound healing. St. John’s Wort and Plantain herbal oils are also excellent for soothing the pains as a result of these wounds.

  • Castor Oil

Another prominent ingredient used in the preparation of black drawing salve is castor oil. It is a viscous oil that has great anti-microbial properties.

Therefore, it helps to paralyze bacteria that may be responsible for infection on those wounds.

  • Bentonite Clay

While it is generally assumed that any clay can be used to make a drawing salve, it is also pertinent to note that different clays perform different functions. However, it all depends on their composition.

Bentonite clay is preferable when making a black salve because it functions to enhance detoxification. It also enhances the drawing action of the activated charcoal. Bentonite clay also helps to thicken the salve.

  • Beeswax

Beeswax doesn’t only heal the skin, it also helps to create the salve.

It is usually considered as the ointment feel of this topical herbal remedy.

  • Essential Oils

This involves a mixture of equal portions of essential oils such as rosemary, clove, and lavender.

Blending these oils gives your black salve a great smell. More importantly, these essential oils also contribute to speeding up the healing process.

 

Measurement of the Ingredients for Black Salve

  • 1/3 cup of herb-infused oil
  • 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of castor oil
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons of beeswax
  • 1 tablespoon of activated charcoal
  • 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay
  • 20 drops of each of the essential oils such as Rosemary, Lavender, and Clove.

Instructions for Making Your Black Drawing Salve

Step 1

Combine your herbal-infused oil, castor oil and the beeswax and place it in a double boiler. A pint-sized Mason jar set dipped into a pan of shallow water (about 11/2 to 2 inches). The burner has to be on a low. Melt the beeswax into the oil. Once it turns liquid, you can separate it from the heat.

Step 2

This is where you add the charcoal and the bentonite clay. After this, you can stir well.

Step 3

Add the essential oils

Step 4

Pour the salve into a glass jar.

You can find this recipe on Youtube as well:

Step 5

Allow it to set up until it becomes nice and firm. You can put it inside the freezer and leave it for about 10 minutes.  You can also decide not to place it inside the freezer at all. Leaving it for several hours will set it up just fine and nice.

Store the finished salve in a cool, dark place. To use, just place a big glob onto the affected area and then cover with a large bandage. Activated charcoal tends to stain fabric, so you don’t want it touching your clothing or furniture. Leave the salve on the spot for at least 24 hours, then, in the case of splinters and other foreign bodies, check if it’s moved enough to grab it with tweezers. For tick and insect bites, after 24 hours, you can remove the salve, clean the spot, and then either let it be open to the air or cover it with another bandage.

You may also like:

How to Make Mosquito Repellent at Home

Erratic Blood Sugar? Never Eat This Veggie (Video)

9 Natural Remedies that People with Diabetes Will Find Useful

How to Make Cabbage Bandages to Treat Inflammation and Joint Pain

How To Make Moringa Powder and Improve Your Liver (DIY – With Pictures)

Subscribe
Notify of

64 The Lost Herbs Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Can I use chickweed oil that I have be infusing?

Can I use black drawing salve on a vaccine site in case I am forced to take a vaccine?

Your NEVER forced to take your life !
Unless your a brain dead communist demarcate

Can I use this to treat a vaccine site if I am forced to get a vaccine?

Is there a print button? I could not Find one. It takes 12 pages it would be nice if you could make it more convenient. And use less paper

cut and paste the recipe and put in a word doc.

I just highlighted what I wanted to print, then clicked in the blue shading and hit print. Brought it down to 4 pages.

You can select which page(s) you’d like to print if you check option preferences.

Joe, just highlight what you want to print, copy and paste it in Word and then just hit print.

just right click and click print
go to destination tab and select save as PDF
You can also go to pages and click customs and enter the number of pages you want to save so you dont have to save all unnecessary pages.

Hi Nicole, What is the best way to store this and what is the best way to store the salve and what is the shelf life of the salve if stored under those ideal conditions?

I am curious to know as well. I know if something is made with water and kept out the shelf life is around two weeks because bacteria starts to set in. This does not have any water so perhaps it is shelf stable. I imagine if kept in the refridgerator it would last longer.

Any salve made without water. especially the beeswax based ones, will last for a long time at room temperature. I keep those in a cool room for a year. The worst thing that can happen is that the herbal oil in it will go rancid. If that happens, you can actually smell it, if you take a whiff after opening the jar. The lack of water and the beeswax will not allow bacteria to grow, so it is always safe to use. I try to use mine up within a year, just because of the rancidity issue and the quality of the herbal ingredients slowly deteriorating after a few months.

Traditional Salves will usually last several years. The effectiveness may diminish after a couple of years, and this will depend on using a clean tool to remove what you want to use, not fingers.

Do you sell this ready made? I don’t have any of these ingredients? Thanks, I love your emails!

Can I buy this slave ready made?

They sell it at country life in Columbus GA the number is 706.323.9194

Hi Pat,

Thank you so much for your comment.
I am so sorry about it, however we do not sell the salve already prepared.

God bless!

There are many places that sell Black Drawing salve. Just do a search. Check the ingredients to make sure they are using good quality ones and no toxic additives.

When do you add the herbal infused oil (comfrey, St. John’s & plantain). Along with essential oils?

Found it, along with castor oil in step 1

How much comfrey etc do you need to make infused oil? Thank you for your time.

Good Morning, is there any other wax or something that can be used instead of bees wax? I am deadly allergic to bees, including wax, honey, all by-products. What infused oil should be used? Olive oil ? or is there a type you can purchase for this salve. I know black salve is great, and you can’t find it in the stores any more, not like before. The ones I have found just aren’t the same as when I was a kid and used it. Please help!! Thank you.

I found this on google when I searched for substitutes. Candelilla Wax– from the leaves of the candelilla shrub native to the southwest, candelilla wax has the same lubricating properties as beeswax but is harder and much less pliable

The woman below you commented
found this on google when I searched for substitutes. Candelilla Wax– from the leaves of the candelilla shrub native to the southwest, candelilla wax has the same lubricating properties as beeswax but is harder and much less pliable

How large of a jar will I need for a simple recipe?

Hi Debra,

Thank you so much for your comment.
The jar should have an average size.

God bless!

“leave a space of about 10 minutes.” Did you mean 1 inch? or something smaller?

Hi Pat,

Thank you so much for your comment.
“You can put it inside the freezer and leave it for about 10 minutes.” . We meant that you should let it cool for 10 minutes in the freezer.

God bless!

“A pint-sized Mason jar set dipped into a pan of shallow water (about 11/2 to 2 inches).” Are you implying that the jar set in the water is the same as a double-boiler? I’d be a bit worried that the jar, sitting directly above the heat, would cause the wax, etc., to burn. Plus, it’s harder to mix inside a jar, when you’re adding the other ingredients!

I am also looking for the answer. And what is the purpose of the Mason jar?

Pat N. I contacted a friend and she informed me that when making tinctures, salves, etc you should not use metal pans unless they are stainless steel: glass is recommended. Using the pint jar, as you would use the top of double boiler, make the salve then add the remaining ingredients. Hope this helps.

You could also use a glass bowl on top of a sauce pan (make-shift double boiler, if you don’t have one that is glass) to do the heating. Then you will have to put finished product in a mason jar or some other jar of choice anyhow, preferably a dark color to protect the essential oils in this. If You do use a jar, put a canning jar ring under the glass jar, if you’re concerned about burning from direct contact with the metal pan bottom on the heat source.. Also, “low & slow” heating rule may help prevent this happening anyhow.

This information is absolutely invaluable! Thank you so much!

Hi Marilyn,

Thank you so much for your comment.
We really appreciate your feedback!

God bless!

Thank you for this information. Where can I get infused oil if I don’t already have one.

infused oil is made by macerating (soaking and steeping) an herb of your choice in oil for a minimum of two weeks, agitating the jar daily if possible and then straining the herbal material out. In order to prevent bacterial and mold growth, the herb needs to be dried first. Then it is best broken up as small as possible, so the oil has as much surface to act on as possible. You can powder it, but I don’t like powder that much, because it is hard to strain out. Oily powder gets your strainer clogged easily. I prefer to crumble up the dried herb in a paper bag before mixing it with the oil.

Gardengab thanks for the info. Do you have a preference for carrier oil? Almond, grapeseed? Thanks

Are the essential oils for cancer the same as the oils you mentioned here?

Hi Kathy,

Thank you so much for your comment.
You can adapt the recipe- you can use the oils you prefer.

God bless!

Where do you find these ingredients? I have absolutely no idea!

Hi Tam,

Thank you so much for your comment.
You can find the ingredients on Amazon or in an herbal remedies shop.

God bless!

Can I use soy wax instead of bees wax on the drawing salve?

Hi Denise,

Thank you so much for your comment.
Yes, you can use soy wax as well, however beeswax is much more recommended.

God bless!

I made this and mine separated. I am not sure what went wrong. My bee max also hardened. What do I do now?

Hi Sheryl,

Thank you so much for your comment.

I think your black salve recipe did not succeed because you did not add enough herbal oil.
In this case, you should do the recipe again or try to add a little more herbal oil.

God bless!

[…] How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

Hi ! I’m having trouble with ordering the lost herbs. And the medicinal seed pack.
Help!!!!!!! I got the remedies book and love it. And want more,!

Hi Dev,

Thank you for your interest our work.
Please check you email. I have sent you an email with the purchase link.

God bless!

Should the essential oil be diluted with carrier oil prior to use in this salve?

Hi, I am also interested as Dev is. Thank you🙏

The Seneca Iroquois Indians used this black drawing salve and they use to make it on the reservation it was very effective as a drawing salve.

I have used a black drawing salve called “PRID” that comes in a small orange can with black print. It is less than $10, and can be purchased at WalMart. I have used it instead of taking an antibiotic after getting cellullitis from a mosquito bite. And a friend used it on an embedded tick head on her daughter’s backbone that had been there for months. After a week, the tick head came out! Although not herbal, PRID is labeled as a homeopathic drawing salve. I wouldn’t be without it!

PRID has petrolatum, which is from crude oil. I would not use it for anything in or on my body. The other ingredients are pretty good, but the petrolatum is the kicker for me. This is why you make your own so you can eliminate the nasty, toxic stuff.

Since there is already a carrier oil (the infused oil) there is no need to add further carrier oil for the essential oils)

For the infused oil, try Plantain, Comfrey, St. Johns or any other plant that is known for helping the skin: Calendula or chamomile also would be good. To make an infused oil, just look up infused oils and it will give you directions: basically, you take a glass jar, add the dried plant material about 1/2 way, cover with the carrier oil of choice. Good oils are EVOO, sweet almond, jojoba (actually a wax), or any other good quality, organically processed oil. Cover and put in a cool dark place and try to remember to shake every day. make sure the plant material stays UNDER the oil (that is why you turn or shake it daily) to avoid mold. The minimum time to let it sit is 2 weeks. 4-6 is better. You can shorten this time if you slowly heat it on a low heat to help the oils absorb the plant material.

You use glass to make this, (as a double boiler) as metal will react with the bentonite clay and make it ‘inactive’. Never use any metal with clays. Always use glass (preferable), ceramic (if no metal in it) or plastic.

You can get the ingredients for this at most herbal stores, Mountain Rose Herbs, Organic grocery stores, and similar. Amazon will also carry most of these ingredients, just be sure to get organic.

Castor oil should be hexane free.

I read all of the information and comments about the herbal infused oil, so I understand about drying it and crumbling it, but it never stated what type of oil to use. I’m very new to this and mosquito bites are at an all time high and they hurt so I found this and would like to try. I have tried Prid but it doesn’t work. Just need to know what type of oil to put the herbs in. Thank you

This is not about the black salve I would like to know if you sell the seeds of the Lamb’s quarters. Since it is getting close to Spring I would like to get a bunch in the ground before it starts to warm up. I certainly hope you answer this. Thank you so much I really do enjoy this lost herbs I have your book

What are the “certain ingredients” used to make the black salve for cancer?

[…] How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

[…] How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

[…] How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

[…] How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

[…] Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

[…] How to Make Black Drawing Salve for Boils, Wounds and Tick Bites […]

My mother has a black salve for cancer and it had a secondary salve to apply after using the black salve for no more than 24 hours at a time.
I have used it and it is very effective and worked on my brothers melanoma actually pulling it out of his left chest.
I believe she got this from a husband/wife herbalist team in Oklahoma but I have not found where.
Do you have a recipe for the stronger black salve for pulling cancer?
Thank you,

Back To Top
Search