Homemade antiseptic powder

Antiseptic materials are materials that prevent and eliminate fungal and bacterial infections. Many infections, like athlete's foot, infected wounds and nail fungus, are treated topically with over-the-counter (OTC) antiseptic creams and powders. Making your own antiseptic powder is simple. Many ingredients are household items. The ones you need to purchase are inexpensive and common. This gives you the option of making only as much powder as you need when you need it so the powder is fresh and at its most effective.

Use zinc oxide, baking powder and cornstarch as bases. Zinc oxide is a natural antiseptic powder available at herb shops and the some pharmaceutical sections of convenience stores. Baking powder has some antiseptic properties, but it mostly absorbs odour, making it a good choice for foot powder and homemade deodorant. Cornstarch absorbs odours and moisture. Mix about an 1/8 cup of each powder together for a simple antiseptic powder.

Add powdered sage, dried peppermint or peppermint oil and tea tree oil to the powder for an extra antibacterial kick. All these herbs are strong disinfectants that can be applied directly to fungal or bacterial infections to eliminate them quickly. For preventive medicine, add about 2 tbsp sage, 1 tbsp dried peppermint or about 24 drops of the oil, and about 24 drops of tea tree oil to the simple powder. Drip the oils into the centre of the powder and mix through with a fork or your fingers as you would dough. The oils will moisten the mixture but will not create a paste, although you may end up with small clumps. Break up as many of the clumps as you can and spread the mixture out on wax or parchment paper to dry overnight. Scoop it into a dry, airtight plastic container. If your container is not airtight you may end up with a dense powder cake when the oils dry.

Replace peppermint or tea tree oil with witch hazel for a gentler powder. Witch hazel is mildly antiseptic and reduces moisture and inflammation. Use either powdered witch hazel or witch hazel oil, both of which are available at most herb shops, though the oil is harder to find. You could also use various citrus oils as the citric acid will kill bacteria and fungus and is gentler than peppermint or tea tree oil. For sensitive skin, use a combination of witch hazel and citrus. Skip the peppermint and tea tree oil all together.