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.
Tiger Balm
Posted by Deirdre (Atlanta, GA) on 06/29/2008
★★★★★
Well, I don't know why, but this summer the Vitamin B-6 and B-12 are not working to prevent mosquito bites! I have been taking the supplements for the past week and have gotten a bunch of mosquito bites when I walk outside. Last summer I didn't get any bites when I took the supplements. I had my husband test the supplements and he too got eaten alive one night. Tiger Balm is still the best remedy in my opinion to remove the itch from bites.
One great side effect from the supplements however, is that they appear to be a great natural deodorant! No baking soda necessary on the armpits when taking these 2 vits. Hopefully others will try them and let me know if they agree on the b/o.
Aspirin
Posted by Ann (Deer Park, WA) on 06/26/2008
★★★★★
I had multiple mosquito bites and checked earth clinic for relief. Found a remedy of wetting the bites and rubbing in an aspirin. (I also wet the aspirin.) Immediately the burning and itching was gone and the bites healed so much faster than previous episodes. Also,the bites didn't swell anywhere near as much as previous bites. My arm was so full of bites that it was red from the wrist to the elbow. The first time it took two aspirins, but as the bites healed one did the job. The aspirin left a white gritty residue, but that was a very small payment for great relief. Thank you!
Vitamin C
Posted by WT (Spartanburg, sc) on 05/29/2008
★★★★★
Vitamin C for Insect Bites and Allergies: I had a spider bite once that swelled on my forearm like a half-egg under the skin. I took 3-4G of ascorbic acid, the cheap Vitamin C from Sams club, about once every hour and a half or so. By dark the swelling was down to maybe 10%. I continued overnight and all day the next day. During that time, while in the yard working, I felt something on my arm. I looked down to see a "fireant" biting feverishly the back of my hand. I assumed there must be something wrong with him as I didn't feel any burning. Another one bit me later with the same results. I only noticed a feeling like something was crawling on me. The wounds never swelled, turned red or itched! It must have been the massive doses of C circulating in my blood.
I estimated I consumed about 40 grams of C over a 24hr period. Normally that much C will give you severe diarrhea and gas! I had neither.
I also take it for severe allergy flareups with great and quick relief, though only last for 2-4 hours, depending on the intensity of the allergen.
Aspirin
Posted by Sylvia (Wilmington, NC) on 05/20/2008
★★★★★
I tried the aspirin on a mosquito bite and it worked well, the itching left. Thanks.
Tiger Balm
Posted by Michelle (Pasadena, CA) on 04/28/2008
★★★★★
For some reason, in the past 2 or 3 years, i've had 3 bad cases of allergic reactions to insect or arachnid bites, though i've never been able to pinpoint exactly what's been biting me. The doc's said take allergy meds, but nothing seems to work (i've got about 3 tubes of cream in my cabinet) and the ITCHING!!!! The itching is the worst part of it all. I woke up 8 times last night scratching my leg, and i knew if i could just get the itching to stop, the bite would heal much faster and i wouldn't be causing all this swelling and put myself at an impetigo risk. I've used Tiger Balm for sore muscles before, but never for bites. I'm now sitting here cool as a cucumber, tingly, and ITCH FREE for the first time!!! I can throw out those tubes of cream and keep an all natural multitasker, my cabinet, and my legs thak you.
Vinegar for Biting Flies
Posted by Karen (Minneapolis, Minnesota) on 04/09/2008
★★★★★
1/4 Vinegar 3/4 Water Spray Bottle Stopped Biting Flies on me and my Dog. We live on a lake and have lots of flies and mosquitos. This worked great. Good for my skin and my dog didn't have any fleas. Seemed to work on all pesty bugs. Great for horses too although it works better on a rag. Horses don't like the spray bottle noise. I use also when outdoors i.e.golfing.
Baking Powder, Ammonia, Meat Tenderizer
Posted by Gary (Claxton, Georgia) on 06/30/2007
★★★★★
The recommended first aid is: wash the sting area with copious amounts of warm soapy water then wash the bite site with household ammonia, scrubbing vigorously with a sponge to get under the skin flap to the poison.
Make a solution of baking powder, meat tenderizer, and ammonia, i.e. 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon meat tenderizer, and 1 cup ammonia. Scrub this solution into the wound.
The ammonia and baking soda return the body's acid/base balance to normal neutralizing most of the effect of the poison injected into the skin by the insect. The meat tenderizer's enzymes help break down the protein aiding the solution in neutralizing the poison.
I keep a pint jar of the solution stored at room temperature. It's very effective.
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.
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.
White Vinegar
Posted by LORA (CONROE, TX) on 12/12/2007
★★★★★
WHITE VINEGAR FOR ANT BITES. I AM ALLERGIC TO ANT BITES AND SWELL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. I PUT WHITE VINEGAR ON THEM AND IT TAKES THE SWELLING AND ITCHING RIGHT OUT.
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
Aspirin
Posted by Roger (USA) on 03/28/2008
Just plain aspirin - I use a generic brand - it really works but be generous with the water - my daughter, who is health conscious, uses aspirin on her and her kids - it's saved a lot of hours of sleep.
Aspirin
Posted by Roger (Richmond Hill, Ontario) on 03/27/2008
★★★★★
Mosquito bites drive me nuts. I'm one of these people who can't stop from scratching. So, living in Canada, there would be some years where I would end up doing a lot of scratching and scarring. When I read this remedy in the Home Remedy Book and it worked, I told myself that the $30 I paid for the book was worth this one cure. It also works for spider bites. It works better if you deal with the bite(s) as quickly as possible.
Wet the area of the bite with water and rub plain ASA onto the area. Because I'm a scratcher, I do it rather roughly. For spider bites I use two applications about a half hour apart. The itchiness disappears in a few minutes and may reoccur the next day. I just do another application and usually the itch doesn't return.
EC: We wrote Roger back to clarify what ASA is....
Dishwashing Detergent, Garlic, Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 03/29/2008 490 posts
★★★★★
Hi Tracy,
I have a couple of suggestions for your mosquito problems. I have read (but haven't checked out) that using a shallow white dish, fill it with water, add a few drops of Joy liquid dishwashing detergent. The one giving that hint said it kills the mosquitos, usually within 10 - 12 feet of getting a drink from it. Makes you wonder how safe it is to eat from dishes washed in it, doesn't it?
Another great bug repellant that doesn't kill them, cook with lots of garlic, it makes you less tasty to mosquitoes, ticks and chiggers.This does work- I went from averaging 15 to 25 tick bites per day to none at all last year. I have started filling empty gel caps with garlic powder and taking 2 or 3 of them each day, however your kids probably won't like them that way but probably won't object to garlic cooked in the food.
Another one that works for my family - Put about 1-2 cups ACV to the kids bathwater each day, or even rub them down with straight ACV (careful around the eyes as even the fumes can make them burn) and let them dry off before dressing and going outside. This even works against those dratted brown flies in Florida (August) that look like our black house flies but are brown and love to bite you. This only works as long as the vinegar is on - if they play in water, or otherwise wash the vinegar off, you'll have to reapply the vinegar.
