If you’re plagued with chronic lip or facial sores, you’ve probably done tons of research on how to cure a cold sore. There are so many people telling you so many different things to try. Here are a few home remedies for cold sores you may want to test out that reportedly work for a lot of people. Some, you may not even heard of.

Preparation H

Dab it on at the first sign of tingling. If you catch it in time, the blister may never form. Preparation H is intended for hemorrhoids to easy the burning, itching and swelling, so you do the math.

Ear Wax

This is definitely an interesting way of how to cure a cold sore. At the first tingle, put a little ear wax on it. I don’t know why this works, but it does for some people.

Nail Polish Remover

It stings, but an interesting remedy is to put nail polish on the sore. Hold it there for about five minutes, then put Neosporin on it afterwards. Do it a few times a day.

Tea Bag

If you already have a blister on your lip, apply a warm tea bag to it for a few minutes. Follow this with applying eucalyptus oil. Do this several times per day.

Alcohol-Based Household Products

You’ve probably heard of people who have had success by applying rubbing alcohol. You can also use other household products that contain alcohol like mouthwash, aftershave or hand sanitizer.

Garlic

If you already have a developed blister, rub a fresh garlic clove on it for about ten minutes every hour. While it takes time to do this, it helps shorten the duration. Garlic is a powerful antiviral. You can also mash the garlic into a paste and apply it that way.

Instant Coffee

This was actually published back in the 1970’s in New Scientist magazine. Mix instant coffee – the dried granules- with a little water and apply to the sore. This only works with instant coffee, not regular ground.

Bleach

This one’s a bit controversial, as some people are very sensitive to the chemicals in bleach. If you are one of these people, pick something different to try. Soak a cotton swab in bleach and apply it so it burns. You can do this several times a day.

Deodorant

Either when you feel the first tingle or even after the dreaded blister appears, put on some regular white deodorant. Deodorant acts as a desiccant, drying up the sore.

These are just a few home remedies for cold sores that I’ve heard are particularly affective. If you’re brave and looking for how to cure a cold sore faster, give them a try.