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.
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.
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!
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!!
Clear Nail Polish for Chigger Bites
Posted by Geneva (Paragould, Ar.) on 06/27/2011
★★★★★
I paint the chigger bites with clear nail polish. It kills the chigger and the pain goes away. Hope this help you.
Chigger Bite Remedies
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 07/17/2011
★★★★★
Try adding baking soda to your bath! Probably about a cup.
Chigger Bite Remedies
Posted by Lou (Tyler, Tx) on 05/24/2015
To stop itchy bites, I use a lotion called Sarna. I think I bought it at Walgreen's or CVS. Also, Amazon sells a cream containing sulphur. That may work as I saw it on another post about sulpher.
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.
Limes
Posted by Tm (Brisbane, Qld) on 04/19/2011
Thanks for the tip about Limes for Mosquito bites. I will definitely try that. Also, my friend was surfing in Papa New Guinea and hit a coral reef which completely cut up his back. One of the local surfers rubbed lime on it, which my friend said hurt like hell, but he didn't get an infection.
Ragweed
Posted by Lou Thomas (Milwaukee, Wis.) on 10/06/2010
Just heard on public radio of using rag weed on mosquito bites ---reportedly causes welts to disappear.
Coconut Oil
Posted by Gramma (Raymond, Alberta, Canada) on 09/13/2009
★★★★★
My husband and I use coconut oil as a rub for aches and pains. Hubby had his right shoulder replaced 10 years ago and coconut oil keeps him pain free. I need back surgery but am too old so I use coconut oil to relieve pain. We also use it to rub arthritic knees, hips, elbows and hands. We were in Majuro for 18 months five years ago and were introduced to coconut oil by the natives when I stepped onto a red ant pile and was severely bitten all over my legs. Instant relief from coconut oil. We don't measure, we just scoop out a little and rub it on. It has to be 100% pure coconut oil to work.
Clear Tape
Posted by Doug (Show Low, Az) on 09/01/2009
Even better for mosquito bites is vitamin B1. Insects hate the smell it makes your skin have. although it is not noticeable to humans.
Clear Tape
Posted by Connie (Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA) on 09/02/2009
Do you apply it or ingest it?
EC: Typically you would ingest it.
Clear Tape
Posted by Paula (London, England and Poitiers, France) on 09/04/2009
I tried B1 for insect bites but it did not agree with me. The most incredible treatment for them that I've EVER used is fresh lemon juice it immediately removes the pain and itching. If the bite is big you may have to reapply but it works amazingly on other spots and cuts etc.as well. i found that oil pulling with olive oil seems to stop one being bitten.
Clear Tape
Posted by Dara (Cork, Ireland) on 07/01/2012
What is clear tape? Is that like Sellotape or Scotch tape, I don't know what you call it in the States? The clear sticky strips for sticking things to the wall for example?
EC: Yes, what people seem to be talking about in this home remedy is any sort of see-through, plastic-like tape. It would go by many names and come in different qualities, but any kind of tape made out of polypropylene or cellophane should do the trick.
Cucumber
Posted by Lindar (Treorchy, Rhondda Wales Uk) on 08/02/2009
★★★★★
CUECUMER FOR INSECT BITES! My 10 year lod woke up to find 2 gnat/mozzie bites on her ankle this morning. She put Ttiger Balm on it and it worked well, but hours later while we were out they started to really itech and irritate. Needless to say I didn't have anything on me. BUT we did have the remains of our picnic salad. In desperation I told her to rub it with a piece of Cuecumber, to keep her occupied more than anything. Well it worked a treat, and now several hours later it stil doesn't itch and the swelling has gone down!
Cucumber
Posted by Ranjana (Arlington, Tx) on 07/11/2010
★★★★★
I got bitten by something all over my arms. Sprayed Benadryl, did not control the itching and swelling. Looked up this post and dabbed all the bites with a cucumber slice, immediate relief. Thanks.
Cucumber
Posted by Raffia (Texas) on 06/09/2014
Cucumber worked for me last week, but this time is isn't helping at all. From one (chigger?) bite on my ankle, most of my foot is swollen and red, with a kind of thick part around the bite. Skin is also kind of bumpy, almost a rash. Maddening. Have tried hot water just now. Tried ice earlier. Also echinacea. Also aspirin. Now to read through the rest of the pages!!
Salt
Posted by Connie (Manitowoc, Wisconsin) on 08/02/2009
★★★★★
Try rubbing salt into a mosquito bite, just ordinary table salt. I tried it on a new itchy bite I thought was from a mosquito; the bite was gone the next day. Mosquito bites usually last days on me.
Salt
Posted by Martha (Waxhaw, Nc) on 05/14/2012
I recently had a bite on my neck that started itching so bad I could hardly stand it. I thought it was a spider bite but was not sure. I went online and read about spider bites and it said to use Baking Soda, made into a paste. I tried it and it helped so much. The next day it had started trying to dry up. I still do not know what bite I had, but whatever it was the BS seemed to work.
Salt
Posted by Imran (London, Uk) on 10/04/2012
★★★★★
I had maybe 6-8 mosquito bites on my feet and ankles it was so itchy it was becoming unbareable so I got normal cooking salt rubbed it in for about 1 mins on my slightly wet feet in the tub and immediately started feeling relief... Also as a side benefit it made my feet smooth not that I cared but something I noticed main thing was my itchyness was GONE!
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.
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!
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.
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.
Aspirin
Posted by Daisy (Jax, Fl) on 06/05/2015
ASA is the abbreviation for acetylsalicilic (sp?) acid - in other words, aspirin.
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
ACV + Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Michael (Westchester NY) on 08/15/2019
★★★★★
Recently had this bug bite on the top of my foot ankle. Not sure what kind of bug, but it itched for 4 to 5 days. My mistake was to scratch it which made it worse and turned it into a bright red dime size mark.
After reading some remarks on this site I did the following. Washed the area with warm soap and water, applied apple cider vinegar with paper towel let dry for 30 min. more ACV then applied Tea Tree Oil with Qtip and sprinkled some foot powder on top of the TT Oil. I started this 1 hour before bedtime. In the morning the itch was gone and the red mark turned dark reddish brown. I think this helped the healing process.
