We’re just back from a week in the Welsh mountains. They are seriously beautiful. Full of waterfalls and mountain rivers running down to enormous sandy beaches.
And fairly full – sadly – of mosquitoes!
And boy, those little pests can give you a bite can’t they?
Which itches and itches and itches. So you scratch and scratch and scratch it, until you’ve got tennis ball sized lumps all over your arms and legs.
And – most painfully? – your bottom!
It’s downright miserable – isn’t it? – when you’re meant to be enjoying yourself on holiday or on a day out. Boo hoo.
So what’s the best way to treat mosquito bites?
Well obviously you could grab an off the shelf anti-septic cream.
But those babies are full, amongst other stuff, of parabens – chemical preservatives – that some research suggests may be associated with various cancers and allergies.
And the thing is, we can easily treat mosquito bites and stop them itching fast naturally because there’s all sorts of stuff hanging round in our kitchens with natural anti-septic and anti-inflammatory powers which is just as effective as the creams full of dodgy parabens.
So the next time, you and the kids, have got mosquito bites, use the list below of natural mosquito bite remedies to treat them naturally.
And even better check out this big guide to natural mosquito repellents in your garden & camping. It covers everything you need to know to keep mosquitoes away.
Natural Mosquito Bite Remedies
First off, if you do want an ointment you can easily dab on whenever you feel a bite – particularly when you’re out and about – buy yourself some Aloe Vera Gel or Witch Hazel and carry them with you when you’re off having adventures outdoors.
Both aloe vera and witch hazel are great natural remedies for mosquito bites and in fact for anything you normally put antiseptic cream on.
But if you don’t have them or you’re at home and been bitten by mosquitos in the garden try the following natural mosquito bite remedies instead.
They all have some combination of the following powers:
- Natural antiseptic to “kill” the anti-clotting saliva the mosquito pumps into us so it can suck out blood more easily!!
- Anti-inflammatory to calm our body’s allergic response to the saliva.
The first mosquito bite remedies I would try if you have access to them are:
- Ice cubes the cold of an ice cube lowers the temperature of the mosquito’s saliva and stops it doing its worst.
- Raw honey as it is a powerful natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory but gentle and unlike some antiseptics won’t make the bite sting as it does its work. Just rub a small amount onto bite.
The next set of natural mosquito bite remedies are all antiseptics. Applied quickly they can kill off the saliva before your body reacts:
- Lemon juice – lemon juice is our go to quick natural remedy for family coughs but turns out it also neutralises mosquito bites fast. Dab on with cotton wool.
- Apple cider vinegar – again another must know natural remedy (for colds and sore tummies) that is a brilliant mosquito bite remedy. Dab on with cotton wool.
- Raw onion – hold a slice onto bites.
- Tea tree oil – this is another remedy I totally recommend having round the house as it’s brilliant on veruccas, nits, fungal infections AND mould in your bathroom!! As always with essential oils, remember to dilute before applying to skin.
- Neem oil – I have to say I am not a massive fan of essential oils – some companies business models shout scam to me!! – but I do think neem oil is another useful natural remedy in the house and garden.
Like all antiseptics these can sting, so apply gently.
The next four are all naturally antibiotic herbs that will neutralise the saliva and reduce inflammation. Just steep the leaves in boiled water for 5 or so minutes and when cool enough to apply to skin soak a cotton pad in the liquid and hold on bites for a few minutes:
- Basil – contains a whole range of natural oils including cineole that are both antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.
- Thyme – again has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and has traditionally been used to treat insect bites.
- Rosemary – is another natural antiseptic but is a particularly anti-inflammatory so can be very helpful for those who particularly react to mosquito bites.
- Mint leaves – fresh mint leaves are brilliant for so many things from digestion and congestion to keeping mice out!
- Camomile – you can just a chamomile tea bag.
(These herbs are all super simple herbs to grow at home and incredibly useful in all sorts of natural remedies so do check out my tips on growing herbs for beginners.)
The final set of natural remedies are all neutralising. They can be surprisingly effective but generally are less likely to sting than the antiseptics.
- Raw potato – hold a slice onto bites or for a bad bite you can grate it and put under a dressing. I also discovered – after pouring hot oil on my hand, ouch!!! – this works brilliantly for burns.
- Banana skin – rub the inside of the skin onto bite
- Bicarb of soda – this is what us Brits call baking soda, mix a teaspoon into a paste with water and leave on bite
- Salt paste – as above
- Lavender – make your own lavender tea or apply an essential oil but remember to dilute before applying to skin, a few drops on pillow can also be good for kids struggling to sleep.
My final tip – but one – is for when you’ve really been covered in bites and you’re itching and inflamed all over, and that’s to jump into an …
- Oatmeal bath – if you can grind oats up in a blender with water to make an oat milk and add to a tepid bath you can soak yourself or the kids in. If you can’t do have access to a blender just chuck the oats in the tepid bath water. It really does calm the skin and stop the itching and inflammation. It’s also brilliant for sun burn.
Very finally, a very strange tip that can help. If you spot the mosquito bites early, run a spoon under hot water and then press the back of the spoon onto the bite. The heat can kill off the saliva before your body reacts.
So there you go, loads of easy ways you can treat mosquito bites naturally and stop them itching fast. I hope they help. Do let me know what works best for you.
For more super simple natural remedies and clever hacks to see off summer pests check out these :
- How To Get Rid Of Pinworms Naturally
- Natural Lice Remedies
- Get Rid of Verrucas Naturally
- Get Rid of Flies Naturally
- Get Rid of Ants Naturally
- Natural Antibiotics
- Natural Headache Remedies
- Natural Stomach Ache Remedies
- Natural Cough Remedy
- Natural Cold Remedy
