The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Garlic
Posted by Robbie (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) on 08/04/2008
★★★★★
This is going to sound hideous... and it is, but it does the trick.
When ever I have a cold I have a number of remedies I use.
In Scotland we have a thing called a hot toddy which is basically whiskey, cloves, honey and lemon made into a tea.
However, my other remedy (and this is the disgusting one) I have used and it works... is blend some garlic cloves and water into a blender. Then gulp down some of the brew at night. I normally just try to drink the whole thing. I don't really bother with measurements, Just play about till you find something that works for you. It's the garlic your eating, the water just helps it go own. Plus it's broken up and therefore absorbed into the body quicker and easier.
I also do the same as a mosquito repellent. Blend the garlic and water together and pour through a siv. The pulp I place in plant pots on my pation and the water garlic solution I place in a squeezy bottle and go around spraying my windows and door frames. All blood eating creatures hate garlic.
You can also use Listerine which surprisingly mosqutios hate for some reason. I use a combination of the two.
Ice Pack
Posted by Sharon B (Chicago Il ) on 07/21/2015
★★★★★
Wet a paper towel or wash cloth and stick it in the freezer for 15mins! Apply to affected itchy area! Relieves inflamation and itch! Paper Towel dampen and freezer for 10-15mins. Washcloth at least 30mins to freeze.
Ice Pack for Mosquito Bites
Posted by Henry814 (Valdosta, Georgia, Usa) on 11/06/2010
After getting mosquito bites, put an ice-pack on the affected area for 20 minutes. You will not be itching afterward.
Iodine
Posted by Susan (Northern, IL) on 11/02/2008
★★★★★
When I get bites, they swell and itch horribly. After trying lots of tricks over my lifetime, I just discovered that iodine works great. I have the kind w/o additives, but storebought would be OK for this purpose. Recently tried this on bites I'd scratched open, and it took the itch away quickly. Didn't scar as bad as usual, also.
Joe-Pye Weed
Posted by Sal (East Haven, CT) on 09/05/2007
★★★★★
After 2 days of itching above my ankle, from a multiple mosquito bite cluster, in which I found relief for only brief periods using aloe vera and jewelweed, I got another eruption while mountain biking. Spotting some Joe Pye weed by the side of the trail, I decided to experiment. I plucked the flowering pink head and crushed it to confirm the vanilla-like fragrance and rubbed it on the bite cluster and rode off. Within minutes the itching stopped, never to return.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Sp (Nashville, Tn) on 06/04/2010
★★★★★
Lavender essential oil works great to relieve the itchiness of mosquito bites. Dab a drop directly on the area and a few minutes later the itchiness is gone. It gets rid of the swelling also.
Limes
Posted by Soaring Eagle (Encinitas, Ca.) on 04/18/2011
★★★★★
I was in the Yucatan, Mexico and in the jungle I was attacked by hundreds or thousands of Mosquitos. All night I scratched but my feet were the worst. I spent the entire next day thinking like an American and tried to find a Pharmacy, but when I went back to where I was staying, after the locals got over cracking up at my bloody and swollen size 13 feet, they took me to the local market and we stocked up on LIMES!!! . CUT THEM IN HALF, SQUEEZE THE JUICE ON THE BITES, TAKE THE LIME ITSELF AND RUB IT ON THE BITES, and it will take away the itching and swelling. Also works on spider bites!!! . Take care.
Replied by Tm
(Brisbane, Qld)
04/19/2011
Mosquito Bites
Posted by Lizzie (London, Uk) on 08/14/2011
★★★★★
I always get bitten and itch so badly afterwards. Yesterday a friend told me she had tried every method under the sun to try and relieve the itching until she came across someone who told her to use a flannel placed in very hot water. Last night I was itching like crazy! Decided to give it a go. Water was so hot, almost unbearable, placed it on the bites for a couple of mins. It stings really bad and then... Nothing! What a relief. She told me that it lasts for about a day. I only tried it last night so don't know. But at last, a cure for that terrible itching!!
Mud, Garlic or Charcoal
Posted by Michelle (Lamora, Mexico) on 03/06/2008
★★★★★
Mud has always worked for ant, bee, etc. bites. We have lots of pesky insects where I live and applying a bit of mud on the bite takes the poison out and helps the sting to go away and helps the bite to heal faster. also cut garlic clove in half and applying it directly to the bite helps as good as mud. also we use charcoal. take some internally and rub it on the bite.
Ya we've had a lot of experience
New Zealand Remedies
Posted by Michael (New Zealand) on 05/16/2022
★★★★★
Good day there, how are you?
I am only letting you know about this NZ Secret because it works for me and our family - I have no financial interest in the Company.
Maybe EC will not print it but there you go! Deirdre was experiencing insect-biting problems recently, so it behoves us to do something to assist her!
This is the crowd I mentioned in a previous post but I know that you probably only read the recent ones??!!
Here is an abbreviated version of an email got from them:-
"We sell Goodbye Sandfly to people in the USA for use with the little black no-seeums as well as mosquitos. If you order more than $75USD shipping is free. If it's under $75USD it's about $20usd for shipping. Check out our website".
Cheers from Down Under
Onion
Posted by Donna (Virginia Beach, Virginia, Usa) on 05/04/2012
★★★★★
A friend once told me to put raw onion on insect bites, and it really did help me! Just take a piece of raw onion, use your fingernail to press into it to release some of the juice and rub it on the bite. I found that it works best if you try to apply it as soon as you get bit. It helps with the itch and the duration of the itch is greatly reduced.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Redclary (Okc, Ok) on 06/07/2012
★★★★★
My granddaughter had a large, red, swollen spider bite when she came over to stay. It was on the back of her leg. Her father has been spraying for spiders after finding quite a few. I put oregano oil on the gauze pad of a large bandage and put it on the bite. That evening when she took her bath, she took it it off and I was amazed at only a very small red spot left. We rebandaged to sore and the next day it was all gone except for a little darker skin in the area where it was. After 4 kids and many spider bites down through the years I found this miraculous. I highly recommend this remedy. Plus there was no scare.
Oregano Oil
Posted by Jake (Chicago, Il.) on 09/06/2007
★★★★★
In the Illinois countryside we've never had mosquitos like we've had this summer after 8 or 9 straight days and nights of downpours with little let-up. I invariably have more than a few bites now each time I visit my orchard and garden. The only thing that saves me, although tea tree oil is pretty good too, is wild oregano oil diluted in olive oil - one or two drops per tsp., both seem to work well. Rub it on the mosquito bites or the painful wasp or bee bite and the itch or pain is immediately gone.
I refer to one painful wasp or bee bite that cut short my visit to my orchard and sent me back to the house - the oregano took care of the spreading red of the toxin immediately . The next day there was nothing but a small mark and I had no further pain or itch. I started with the oregano oil for a dark skin patch on my shin and two boil-like cysts that were on my skin for some time. Rubbing hard sometimes to the point of making it bleed, twice a day, and in about 10 days to two weeks the raised dark patch on my shin gave way to pink new skin, the eruption on my upper leg completely disapeared and now finally the eruption on the back of my neck about three inches from my ear is just about gone.
Over the Counter
Posted by Francesca (Kihei, Hawaii, Maui) on 10/31/2008
★★★★★
I get welts from mosquito bites, and have found the BEST remedy for me has been Johnson and Johnson First Aid Cream! It comes in a white plastic tube. The itch goes away in seconds, and the swelling in a few minutes. Just rub a small amount right onto the bite, and massage it a little. This cream has been hard to find, so I buy several tubes of it when I do find it.
Peppermint Oil
Posted by Chela (Dallas, Texas) on 09/21/2011
★★★★★
I had 6 terrible bug bites on my legs that were inflamed and raised for 5 days with no itch relief. Almost immediately after applying a drop of peppermint oil to each one the itch disappeared. Yay for relief!
