Listen Live

Summer is all fun and games until mosquitos ruin it for everyone. There are tons of ways to relieve itching from bug bites, but the majority of them use strong chemicals that can irritate your skin even more. If you want to move away from harsh remedies this summer, here are 20 ALL NATURAL ways to stop itching your bug bites! 

 

Honestly, you’ll be able to find majority of these in your very own kitchen already!

 

BASIL

Crush up a few basil leaves and place directly on bug your bites. Basil has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to soothe skin and act as a natural repellent.

 

HONEY

Dab a bit of honey directly on your bite for relief. Honey has anti-inflammatory properties and contributes to wound-healing. 

 

MILK & WATER

Mix equal parts water and skim milk, dip cloth in the mixture, and dab on your skin.

 

LEMON / LIME JUICE

Rub half of lemon or lime on your bite and leave the juice sit on the bite for 5 to 10 minutes. The acid in the fruit helps to reduce inflammtion and swelling. 

 

ICE

Hold ice cubes on your bite for 10 to 15 minutes to soothe your skin and reduce inflammation and swelling.

 

ALOE VERA

Apply a thin layer of fresh aloe vera direclty on your bites. It has countless more healing properties & it’s simple to grow your own Aloe Vera houseplant [HERE’S HOW].

 

TEA BAGS

Soak a green tea, white tea, or chamomile tea bag in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes and place on your bite for 10 minutes. The tannic acid in tea reduces inflammation and swelling of the skin. 

 

ONION

Mince an onion into a paste and apply to your skin for 10 to 15 minutes. Onion has natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties & the strong odor acts as natural repellent. 

 

THYME

Mince thyme leaves and apply the mixture direclty on your bite for 10 minutes. Thyme has antibacterial and antifungal properties to reduce irritation and the chance of infection. 

 

LEMON BALM

Chop lemon balm leaves and place the leaves on your bug bite. The natural compounds in lemon balm ease inflammation, speed up healing & reduce the risk of an infection.

 

ESSENTIAL OILS 

A few drops of tea tree, rosemary, lavender, neem, peppermint, or eucalyptus essential oil will relieve itching and swelling & can act as a natural repellent. 

 

WITCH HAZEL

Witch hazel reduces inflammation, soothes the burning and irritation, and speeds up the healing process. Place a small amount of witch hazel onto a cotton ball and carefully dab it on the bug bite and let dry.

 

GARLIC

Slice a garlic clove and rub the bug bite with the freshly cut side down to reduce itching and swelling. Warning, garlic can sting.

 

SALT PASTE

Salt helps cure bug bites with its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Make a salt paste by mixing equal amounts of salt and water until it is paste like and apply to the irritated skin.

 

OATMEAL

Using an oatmeal paste can calm irritated skin. Create an oatmeal paste by mixing equal amounts of oatmeal and water until it is paste like. Place the mixture on a wash cloth paste-side down on the bug bite for 10 minutes and wipe clean. Also try an oatmeal bath for an area that has many bug bites.

 

VINEGAR

The acetic acid in vinegar has healing properties, including cooling the skin to reduce burning and stinging and acting as an anti-inflammatory and a natural disinfectant. Try putting a drop of vinegar on the bite or applying a cold wash cloth soaked in cold water and vinegar to the bite.

 

PEPPERMINT

Peppermint creates a cooling sensation on the skin. Try a drop of peppermint essential oil on your next bug bite.

 

COCONUT OIL

Applying a thin layer of coconut oil to a bug bite acts as a natural protective barrier, repellent, and anti-inflammatory.

 

WARM WATER

Dip washcloth in hot water and leave it on the bite for 5 to 10 minutes to soothe the skin.

 

SLAPPING / PINCHING

If all else fails, resort to the classic slapping or pinching method. With your fingernail, carefully pinch an ‘x’ mark over the bug bite to help stop the itching temporarily.
Photo Credit: Madeleine Steinbach / Getty Images