Mosquito bites are not only annoying with their itchiness, they can also leave some pretty big welts on your skin. Mosquitoes are present year round, but they are more abundant in warmer weather. Spring and summer seem to bring mosquitoes out in force, looking for blood to feed on. You can use plants to keep them away, or arm yourself with bug sprays and bug repellent
Clean It Right Away!
As soon as you notice a mosquito bite, wash it with soap and water. The itch from the bite is from the mosquito saliva that is injected when it bites. Washing the bite with soap will clear out any bacteria from the saliva and may lessen the chance of it swelling and itching. Rub the bar of soap directly on to the bite and you should begin to feel relief almost instantly.
Keep It Cold
Bug bites tend to be worse in hot weather. Wrap an ice pack or a few ice cubes in a cloth towel, and apply it to the bite. After about ten to fifteen minutes, you should notice the swelling has been reduced. It should also itch less at this point. If you’re more prone to mosquito bites than other people, and you end up with so many bug bites that you can’t keep track, try filling up a bathtub with cold water. The cold water should be OK on its own, there should be no need to add any ice to it. You might even want to add a few drops of lavender oil to the bath water.
Essential Oils
Speaking of lavender oil, this essential oil can be applied directly to the skin to treat a mosquito bite. Lavender oil has antibacterial and antiseptic properties that help reduce skin discomfort. Another oil similar to lavender oil with the same properties is tea tree oil. Applying these essential oils to your mosquito bites will help them to heal quicker. A compound called linalool is also a component of lavender oil. Linalool soothes the sting of a bite or other wounds. Other essential oils that can useful include witch hazel oil and cedar oil.
Use Items In Your Pantry
Baking soda, the miracle household item, is also good for treating mosquito bites. Make a paste of water and baking soda, rub in onto the bite areas, and it will relieve the itch. Baking soda and water works the same way that calamine lotion works. Another paste you can make is Epsom salt and water. Epsom salt could also be a good addition to the cold bathtub mentioned above.
Common household products can be dabbed onto the skin directly, to relieve mosquito bites. You can apply the following items to your bites. The faster you apply these items, the sooner you’ll get relief.
- Honey
- Rubbing alcohol
- Solid or roll-on deodorant
- Vinegar
- Mouthwash
- Toothpaste
- Nail polish
- Hot tea bags
- Cotton balls that have been soaked with hot tea
- Freshly cut onions
- Alka-Seltzer
- Salt
- Wet aspirin
- Lemon peel
- Lime peel
- Banana peel
- Plantains
- Basil
Mosquitoes are annoying creatures that are not going to go away anytime soon. You can repel them by using bug spray, or any bug repelling item on the market. Candle makers even make candles that help repel bugs. It is more than likely, that you’ll get a mosquito bite eventually. There are quite a few natural remedies for mosquito bites that can help you deal with the discomfort. Don’t let these little guys ruin a good outdoor party.
Do you have any tips for getting rid of mosquito bites naturally?
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