Bug Bites? These Home Remedies Can Help
Summer is here and so are those pesky bug bites. Whether you've been bitten by mosquitoes, ants, or any other creepy crawlies, we've got you covered with some home remedies to ease the itch and soothe the irritation.
Warmer weather has arrived, bringing along various inconveniences such as bug bites. Are your arms and legs covered in unsightly welts? Well, the good news is that relief may be closer than you think – right in your own front yard or spice rack. Many herbs, even those we consider to be “weeds,” possess medicinal properties that can alleviate the discomfort caused by bug bites. Here are a few examples:
10 Bug Bite Home Remedies
- Mix a dilution of 5 percent tea tree oil with aloe vera gel. This mixture will soothe bug bites and rashes, and will also help prevent infection.
- Dampen a Tums™ or Rolaids™ tablet and rub it on an insect bite or sting.
- Rub a paste made from commercial meat tenderizer and a little bit of water on a bite. This neutralizes the poison in just a few minutes.
- Apply fresh crushed parsley directly to an insect bit to neutralize the poison and stop the pain.
- Apply a paste of table salt mixed with water to the bite.
- A fresh cut onion quickly applied to a sting will prevent swelling and redness, and will stop the pain.
- Regular toothpaste, when applied to an insect bite (especially fire ant bites) will immediately relieve itching.
- Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply to the affected area to relieve itching.
- Apply a cold, used tea bag to the affected area to reduce swelling and redness.
- Soak a cotton ball in Witch Hazel and apply to the bug bite. Wait a few minutes and the itch is gone!
Prevention is Key!
Aside from using a natural mosquito repellent, foregoing perfumes, colognes, and other scented products will help keep you from being an attractive meal to bugs.
Knowing when your body is most vulnerable is also a plus. Carbon dioxide attracts mosquitoes and black flies, as does moisture, including perspiration. That means mosquitoes may find you extra-tasty when you are hot or have been exercising.
This article was published by the staff at Farmers' Almanac. Do you have a question or an idea for an article? Contact us!
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Farmers' Almanac Staffhttps://www.farmersalmanac.com/author/fa-admin
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Farmers' Almanac Staffhttps://www.farmersalmanac.com/author/fa-admin
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Farmers' Almanac Staffhttps://www.farmersalmanac.com/author/fa-admin
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Farmers' Almanac Staffhttps://www.farmersalmanac.com/author/fa-admin
My Great Aunt Alice used straight vinegar on a mosquito bite that I got when my parents and siblings were visiting her back when we were kids. The itching was relieved nearly right away and the swelling was gone by the next morning. But, I do understand why mosquitoes were called Michigan’s air force.
Even to this day, I still use vinegar to relieve the itch of bug bites.
Vinegar is my go-to for itchy bug bites too! Thank you for sharing!