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Medical · Formula · Book recipe 7.2

Drawing poultice for bites, stings, and boils (charcoal and clay)

A charcoal and clay poultice can soothe minor bites, stings, and small surface irritations by absorbing fluid and debris from the surface.

Member articleHandle with careWorks without power

How it works

Mix paste
Add water
Apply & cover
Leave 1-4 hr

Inside this article

What you'll need
Steps
Warnings
Storage and shelf life

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What is in this article

  • The method at a glance: mix paste, then add water, then apply & cover, then leave 1-4 hr
  • The exact numbers: mix, bites/stings, boils, splinters, shelf life
  • The full materials list (7 items, with grades and substitutes)
  • The 4-step method, with every measurement in the step
  • The hazard box and the caution notes: what never to mix it with and when to stop
  • Storage and shelf life for the raw compound and the finished mix
  • A printable one-page PDF of this article

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Prefer paper? This is Recipe 7.2, page 32, in Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

How do I make a drawing poultice?

Activated charcoal and skin-grade bentonite clay are wetted into a thick paste and held in place with gauze. The charcoal adsorbs fluid while the clay swells and physically binds bacteria at the surface.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

What's the recipe for an activated charcoal poultice?

The paste is made from pure, additive-free activated charcoal, unfragranced calcium bentonite clay, and clean water. Sodium bentonite is an industrial clay and is the wrong choice for skin.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Can I use bentonite clay on a spider bite or sting?

A charcoal and clay poultice suits minor, non-venomous bites and stings, where it soothes by absorbing fluid at the surface. Venomous bites need emergency care, and the clay should be certified low in heavy metals.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How long do I leave a charcoal poultice on?

Wear time depends on the problem. Bites and stings need the shortest application, early boils need longer, and shallow splinters need the longest so moisture can soften the skin.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

How do I treat a boil without a doctor?

A thick charcoal and clay poultice under a loose wrap can help an early, minor boil. Once it forms a head it should be left free to drain, and one that spreads, brings fever, or worsens needs medical care.

Members get the exact amounts and every step.

Keep going

Read nextActivated CharcoalUltra-porous carbon that traps substances on its vast surface. Used to bind some swallowed toxins, as a traditional drawing poultice for bites and stings, and to improve the taste and odor of water, though it does not make unsafe water safe to drink.Compounds and Cleaning · Compound

Related to this

Compounds and Cleaning · Compound Bentonite Clay Shelf life: Indefinite. Storage: Sealed glass or plastic. INDEFINITEHandle with care Medical · Formula Baking soda paste, compress and soak for itching, rashes and bites Bites, stings, and contact rashes flare and itch for hours, and a baking soda paste is a reliable kitchen substitute when antihistamine cream runs out. Handle with care Medical · Formula Lugol's iodine antiseptic for cuts and skin infections Lugol's iodine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic that inactivates bacteria, viruses, and fungi with brief contact, useful when commercial wound-care products aren't available or have expired. Handle with care Medical · Formula Clay Binder for Digestive Upset Bentonite clay swells in water and carries a negative surface charge, so in the gut it can bind some positively charged substances and irritants and carry them through before they are absorbed. Handle with care
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Medical · FormulaSource: Prepper's Chemical Survival Guide, Recipe 7.2, p. 32 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

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