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.
Lavender Oil
Posted by Renee (Bergen Co., Nj) on 08/02/2013
★★★★★
Lavendar oil (applied straight to the spot) took away the severe itch of mosquito bites almost immediately.
Mosquito Bite Allergy Remedies
Posted by Robin (St. Cloud, Fl) on 02/14/2013
Are you sure it wasn't a tick bite? There are some diseases like lyme disease and others that cause redness around the area and can cause some other serious side effects. You can ask your doctor for a blood test.
Coconut Oil and Lavender Oil
Posted by Phil (Sydney, Australia) on 10/12/2012
★★★★★
I have found that a dab of Lavender Oil on a mossie bite removes the itch within about 2 - 5 minutes. I used it on my children to prevent them from scratching until they break the skin then leaving marks.
The downside is the smell. I noticed that mossies tend to stay away after application as well.
I have told many people of this who were using creams. Many disbelieved until they tried it. Now they don't use anything else.
Coconut Oil and Lavender Oil
Posted by Zark (Emerald City, The Land of Oz) on 01/25/2023
★★★★★
Lavender oil worked great for treating itchy mosquito bites. Thanks! Worked very fast and more effective than Calamine lotion :) Wife, son and myself were all bitten by the blighters.
Coconut Oil and Lavender Oil
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 05/17/2025
LAVENDER OIL – RELIEF FROM FLIES AND MOSQUITOES.
Source: Practical nursing, p. 154, By Louise Henderson · 1919
Pour into an atomizer half a teaspoonful of lavender oil. Add to this as much alcohol as will make a saturated solution. Use as a spray. Sweet clover hung about the room will banish flies and mosquitoes. The drier the clover becomes, the more effectual it is.
Note: Lavender oil contains linalool, a compound that has insect-repelling properties. Studies have shown that lavender oil is effective against various types of flies, including house flies, fruit flies, and mosquitoes. The scent of lavender oil is unpleasant to mosquitoes, deterring them from biting. Studies have shown that lavender oil can be effective in repelling mosquitoes for up to 8 hours.
Sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) is a plant that can act as a mosquito repellent due to its strong, citrus-like scent, which mosquitoes find unpleasant. The scent, especially when the leaves are crushed, releases citronella oil, a natural insect deterrent. Sweet clover can be used as a natural repellent in various ways, including growing it in gardens, using crushed leaves, or placing dried flowers indoors
Garlic
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 05/25/2024
★★★★★
Mosquitoes don't like garlic. One study in India found that people who rubbed a garlicky concoction on their arms and legs weren't bothered by the pesky buggers. When you eat garlic, an invisible layer of garlic oil seeps from your pores and creates a mosquito barrier. If you don't like the thought of eating more garlic, you can also use garlic juice to make a natural repellent.‘Mix one part garlic minced with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 to 6 hours.
Stinging Nettles
Posted by Rodica (Torrance, California) on 08/24/2012
★★★★★
my grandmother use, many years ago, in the garden stinging nettles... put in one bucket this plant, cover with water... and let in garden for 3-4 days... after this you can water flowers, vegies... is a very good help for the plant and kill all bugs... not flowers. I think help... because I used and was a good help for me... rodica
Vitamin B
Posted by PayItForward (PNW) on 09/12/2024 73 posts
Snowfox, I think this might be it "Goodbye Sandfly Insect Repellent Spray". It has all the ingredients Michael mentioned, and in the exact order. You could also get all the oils and make your own. It'd be easy to make. You can assemble and make something like this in just 5 minutes. And the supply would last forever. The ingredients listed are always from the highest to the least so you can begin with lots of lavender and go down from there. Aside from a spray application for home, roller ball bottles are also available online and are great to carry with you on the go.
Antipruritic Device
Posted by Alex (Thessaloniki) on 09/01/2018
★★★★★
High temperature (about 50C) with an Antipruritic Device for a minute. They really decreasing swelling and itching if applied soon enough. I am very sensitive to mosquito's bite and swell a lot. With this devise I saw a huge difference. Search amazon and ebay for cheap devices.
Dryer Sheet Tied to Waist
Posted by Karen (Florida, US) on 09/04/2015
★★★★★
My friend, who's 5 year old was getting eaten alive at his soccer games, just told me a remedy she heard about from another soccer mom. You tie a dryer sheet (she used bounty but any brand will probably work) on one of the belt loops like flag football. The mosquitoes don't like the smell of the dryer sheets. She said it's amazing how well it works. Thought I'd pass it on...
Dill Pickle
Posted by 2Q&Learn (Southern California) on 10/29/2020 178 posts
We've found that a mix of 1/2 ACV (5%) & 1/2 water, sprayed on our dogs coats, kept fleas from bothering them for about 12 hours at a time.
Hot Spoon Remedy
Posted by Nick (Greece) on 08/15/2022
★★★★★
This device does the same. It's not like other cheap ones because it gets too hot (51C). It has very good reviews on amazon. I had another cheap device but it wasn't too hot and effective as Beurer Insect bite healer BR 60.
Homeopathic Remedy Staphysagria
Posted by Linen53 (Colorado) on 09/07/2013
★★★★★
The only thing that works for me to repel mosquitoes is staphysagria (larkspur). I take 2 homeopathic pellets (30C strength) 3 times a day. It creates an odor that the mosquitoes do not like. The only drawback is it can create digestion problems. But it's worth it to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Eucalyptus
Posted by Staff (Earth Clinic) on 08/24/2012
A scientific study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a 30% concentration of oil of eucalyptus was the most effective natural mosquito repellent. Lemon eucalyptus seems the most effective, more effective even than low-concentration DEET sprays and lotions and far less toxic.
White Vinegar
Posted by Sabita (Florida ) on 03/17/2022
★★★★★
Hi Trista, that's wonderful that cucumber worked on your daughter's mosquito bites. I keep a small spray bottle of white vinegar in my purse to use on mosquito bites. Very effective also.
Vitamin B
Posted by Snowfox (London) on 09/12/2020
Hi Michael from NZ,
What's the brand name of this NZ oil? Thanks.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Epsom Salt for Mosquito Bites
Posted by Christina (Ma, Usa) on 09/14/2013
Applying ACV and rubbbing in Epsom Salts intermittently has been super helpful in the healing process for my mosquito bites. I tend to have an allergic reaction and mosquitos will often bite me, but no one else, when I am outside somewhere in the summer.
I will soak the ACV in a cotton ball or on a cotton circle pad and hold on my bites for a few minutes. After, I rub in a small portion of Epsom salts (about a dime size) and let them dissolve in the skin, in and around the bites. I do this a few times across the day. I've found this to both speed the healing as well as reduce the redness and itch.
Mosquito Bite Allergy Remedies
Posted by Mmsg (Somewhere, Europe) on 02/13/2013
Leanne, we use green clay made into a paste with a lil' water on those kind of things. It draws out whatever's there. But don't leave the clay on: wash it off, say, in 1/2 hour, and later in the day do it again.
Dryer Sheets
Posted by Mattc (Boston, Ma USA) on 09/08/2012
★★★★★
not a spray, but I tried this and it seemed to work. just take bounce drier sheets (1- 3) and put in your back pockets. I also took one and gently rubbed on my head and neck before going out, but I will not recommend this, it is just a consideration.
Dryer Sheets
Posted by Lynne (NC) on 06/02/2024
It doesn't matter, the sheet scent hides our breath which is what attracts them.
Lemon Joy Detergent
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 08/24/2012 489 posts
★★★★★
For those of you who have a big mosquito problem, which will be rampant very soon now, I have also read that if you take a shallow white dish, fill it almost full of water, add a few drops of Lemon Joy detergent, the mosquitos will flock to it for drink which kills them, often within l0 - 12 feet of getting that drink.
Plantings
Posted by Staff (Earth Clinic) on 08/24/2012
Thai lemon grass is another decorative plant you can add to your garden and repel insects like mosquitoes at the same time. Thai lemon grass is a tall (about 2 foot tall) decorative grass that naturally produces citronella in a genetic mixture that is more effective than citronella oil itself. You can apply the pulp from Thai lemon grass directly to your skin as a natural mosquito repellent lotion. Just break off a stalk, peel back the leaves to get to the bare stem at the bottom of the stalk, and work this stem between your hands. You can rub the resulting liquid safely all over your skin.
Prevention
Posted by Staff (Earth Clinic) on 08/24/2012
As always, prevention of mosquitoes is sometimes the best medicine against them and against mosquito bites (not to mention the diseases they carry like West Nile virus and EEE). The place to start is always to make sure you don't have any standing water left for too long outside your home. Making sure any water in pet bowls, bird baths, or buckets and the like are emptied at least twice a week will significantly reduce the mosquito populations around your home.
Reader Feedback
Posted by sarah (los angeles, ca) on 02/08/2009
Has anyone else noticed the huge increase in mosquitoes lately in California? I've lived here 10 years and would usually see about 1 single mosquito per summer, now I have one in my apartment at least once a week! Also- they are HUGE...a lot bigger than I remember, even growing up on the east coast. And they seem to be way more aggressive. I've been wondering lately if there's a trend and if could have anything to do with bio-engineered food we are eating or all of the medications in the bloodstream of the gen pop that they are feeding on? Anyways... it's creepy. It's like they keep feeding on you until you wake up ( I will wake up having 5-6 bites from the same mosquitoe who will literally be attacking me in my sleep and they usually can't be shoo'd away that easy. Does vitamin b help? Used to be one of my favorite things about living in LA was the lack of insects as I am really susceptible to them.
Ammonia or Meat Tenderizer
Posted by Michael Wilson (NC) on 07/24/2019
★★★★★
Household ammonia is a popular and effective anti-itch remedy. It is the active ingredient in many over-the-counter mosquito bite remedies. The ammonia changes the skin's acidity (pH), countering some of the chemical reactions that make you itch.
What To Do
Dampen a cotton ball with ammonia and wet the area affected by the bite.
This treatment works best on fresh bites. Only use household ammonia, which is diluted, not ammonia from a science lab, which is too concentrated. If you have sensitive skin, you'll probably want to skip this treatment and opt for one that is gentle for your skin.
Also, Meat tenderizer contains enzymes, such as papain, that tenderize meat by breaking the chemical bonds that hold the muscle fibers together. Meat tenderizer is effective against insect stings and other types of venom because it breaks the proteins that cause a reaction. Although it's unlikely meat tenderizer can do much good once a bite has had a chance to swell up, if you apply it immediately after you are bitten or shortly afterward, it may deactivate the chemicals in the mosquito saliva that will make you itchy and red.
What To Do
Either apply meat tenderizing powder directly to the bite area or mix it with a small amount of water. Leave it on for a couple of minutes, but not too long or you're likely to tenderize yourself! This is a safe remedy, but since many products contain herbs and spices, it might cause itchiness of its own if you have sensitive skin.
Rabbit Tobacco
Posted by Rebel (Somewhere Usa) on 05/08/2014
So Rabbit tobacco is suppose to have health benefits, along with being a natural bug repellent. Interesting stuff. You can pick the Rabbit Tobacco right off the side of the road. Pictures of the plants and recipes.
http://rabbittobacco.com
