DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Everything Else... Vicks Vaporub

Do parents still torture they children with that stuff?

If you were a child of the 40's, 50's, 60's, you know what I am talking about.

When you were sick, Mom would come in and rub your chest down with the stuff, then you waited for the Dirty Sanchez maneuver, she would rub a big glob under your nostrils.


I have never purchased a jar of Vicks Vaporub. When I was a kid, things came in jars.

Oooh yeah. My great grandma used to rub it on our chest then safety pin a cloth diaper under our pajama top, I'm guessing so it wouldn't get into the clothing. That smell will be forever embedded in my olfactory memory. Can you still buy that stuff?

Yep. We have some. I use it occasionally even now.

You use it or do you use it on others?


Ok...here Honey, let me rub this on your chest. I can dig that.

I've had chronic bronchitis since I was little. My mom used to put it on my chest, neck, and under my nose. She'd wrap a bath towel around my neck and spread the ends of the towel over my chest, then I'd wear my PJ's over that. She would also put a glob of Vicks over the steam outlet of a vaporizer that she'd keep running in my room when I was sick. I do think it loosened my cough and helped me breathe. A woman I used to work with once told me that when you feel "the crud" coming on, you should put Vicks Vaporub on the soles of your feet and put heavy socks on before bedtime. I never tried that one.

You obviously don't know my wife very well.

I have a cousin in Seattle - only 1 of the 4 in that family I can stand - that has some ?disease? skin issue?

His palms and soles of his feet callous, constantly. 2 things have worked for him. Walking on sandy beaches, and putting vick's on his palms and feet, then putting a plastic bag over them - at night.

Sounds like a weird guy to me.

Not certain what you mean here.

I used to use it when i was a little kid ... grandma’s house when i was sick haha

I won't use it anymore because I wore contacts for many years, and I constantly touch or rub my eyes. That stuff does work, though.

I miss the old fashioned hot toddy. Equal parts burbon, honey, and lemon juice.

Vicks vapo on feet and hands, wrapped up in plastic bags.....totally normal. How could I think that a bit odd?

That stuff was nasty, but I think it actually worked in regards to clearing up the sinuses.

try it.
it's pretty trippy.

I actually do 'all of the above' including the foot treatment.

You guys are, like, old.

But, I think my mom would rub it on my chest when I was a little fella and sick or whatever. It burned, sorta, IIRC.

Well, like I said, he has a skin problem.

Vicks Vaporub is just spicy Vaseline.

Anybody remember the vicks inhalers that looked like a tube of lipstick? Those were good to open your sinuses. Never cared for the chest rub because the vapors get in your eyes. And you can't wipe it off when you don't want to smell it anymore.

Did you know the inventor of Vaseline invented it as an internal lubricant and ate a table spoon every day

Thats nasty.

At least he ate it and wasn't shoving it in the other end.

I forget which one, but I remember a former Browns player saying that his grandmother used to give him a spoonful whenever he was sick.

My grandfather swore by it. If he felt a cold coming on he slathered his feet, and his chest with it. Took two shots of whisky (he was a non drinker except for that) and went to bed. He always said he woke up fine the next morning and never had a cold last more than a day.

My grandmother, my Dad's mom, swore on using WD-40 for knee and elbow joints. Says her doctor had recommended it years ago (in the 50s or 60s) and she would rub a little into her skin regularly.

She still moved pretty good at 98, so maybe she was on to something

Being in the construction business calluses were a constant. Luckily as a young kid I bailed hay for farmers. A farmer I worked for taught me a trick I would never have thought of. It comes in differing names such as Udder Ointment, Bag Balm and Udder Balm.

Some types are greasy much like Vicks. Some have a smell to them. There is NOTHING that addresses dry skin, calluses and even burn treatment better that a person can get without a prescription. To this day I keep a jar of it around. My wife swears by the stuff as well.

The type we use is the brand Ideal and is called Udder Balm. The reason we use this one is because it is not greasy. It rubs in and has no odor. You can purchase it or order it from Tractor Supply.

It says for animal use only. The reason being it contains ingredients that would require a prescription for human use. If he is willing to give this a try, he'll never use anything else again.

I just wanted to add that this brand is odorless as well. It comes in a white tub with a blue label.

It can't be any worse than Cod Liver Oil.

My Mom would always rub it on our chest then make us swallow a spoonful, it was awful but it always worked

I still use it from time to time when needed.

I can't believe I failed to mention this: He doesn't do it every night. Perhaps once every 10-14 days at this time.

Callouses are fine. People that work with their hands get them. Where my fingers join my palm, I have them. (in fact, a friend of mine was over Sat. night. He's an office type guy. He was impressed. )

But, for my cousin, the callouses were from the tips of each finger all the way down - up - to his wrist. Same for his feet. From the toes to the back of his foot.

I seriously believe he should try this. I have a friend whose feet were so dry they would just crack open and bleed. He had tried everything. He was amazed by the results. I mean it has no odor, isn't greasy, works wonders on skin an is inexpensive. With the greasiness and odor of Vicks I think I would be more than willing to try what might be a better alternative.

We used it as a rub, and also in a vaporizer for youngest kids at our house. I used to go to a health spa, way back when it was allowed. It had a pipe to carry the steam in on its cycle. It was popular to wet a paper towel. add liquid Vicks and put it on the pipe. Great for colds and flu, opened sinuses up, but your entire can was mentholated. It did help.

I'd never admit I was sick again.

Don't eat it. Camphor is highly toxic to humans.

I came across a box of Kleenex that were infused with something that smelled like Vicks. I was not a fan. Just being in the same room made my nose start running.