15 Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites Itch Relief and Healing

mosquito biting someone with caption home remedies for mosquito bites

There isn’t anything more irritating and causes more discomfort than a mosquito bite. The swelling and itching of mosquito bites will drive you to want to scratch, but scratching only makes things worse. Instead of scratching get your hands on one of our 15 home remedies for mosquito bites itch relief and healing.

We know that the bite of a mosquito is what causes the issue, but knowing what’s really going on can help you understand how different remedies contribute to itch relief and healing.

What Makes Mosquito Bites So Itchy?

The primary mechanism at play in making a mosquito’s bite such an itchy experience is the natural response it elicits from your body.

When a mosquito bites you, it injects its own saliva into you to keep your blood from clotting. This triggers a response from your immune system to dispatch white blood cells and histamines to the area for damage control. Unfortunately, the side effect of this reaction is that it causes itching in the area of the bite.

As the area swells, you get an urge to scratch it, which tends to make it worse.

These 15 home remedies for mosquito bites itch relief and healing work well, but they are not an all-inclusive cure. Mosquitoes are known to carry deadly diseases, if infectious symptoms follow a mosquito bite, you need to contact a health care professional.

15 Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites Itch Relief and Healing

Dry Bar of Soap

One of the best home remedies for mosquito bites relief is a dry bar of soap.

What to do:

  • Take any dry bar of soap and rub it on the area of each bite.
  • Wash off the soap once the itching is relieved.

How it works:

The chemicals and fats in soap help are soothing and help to dry out the affected area.

piece of soap on plate

Onion

Another one of the readily available home remedies for mosquito bites is onion.

What to do:

  • Slice and onion and rub it on each bite, making sure that some of the juice is present on each bite.
  • Onion powder mixed with enough water to make a thick paste can also be used.
  • Rinse off juice or paste once itching is relieved.

How it works:

The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of onions are what help get rid of the itching and inflammation.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another great performer on our list of home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Using a cotton ball, dab apple cider vinegar onto each bite.
  • If you have numerous bites, you might try adding 2 ½ cups of vinegar to a bathtub full of water and soak in it.
  • Rinse after itching is relieved.

How it works:

Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that will speed healing and get rid of the itch. It will also help fight against infection.

Aloe Vera

The gel from the aloe vera plant is best known for its treatment of bites and is one of the top items on our list of home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Purchase aloe vera gel and dab it onto each of the bites.
  • If you have an aloe vera plant, you can break off a shoot of the plant.
  • Split the shoot lengthwise.
  • Rub the gel on the bites with a cotton swab.

How it works:

The anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties that come from aloe vera’s gel are soothing and help promote healing.

Baking Soda and Water

Another of the home remedies for mosquito bites on our list is baking soda and water.

What to do:

  • Add just enough water to 1 tsp of baking soda to create a thick paste.
  • Apply the paste to each bite and allow it to dry in place.
  • Rinse off when the bites stop itching.

How it works:

The alkalinity of baking soda helps balance the pH of the affected area and brings relief. Baking soda also acts as a drawing agent to draw out infection.

Raw Honey

A surprising addition to our list of home remedies for mosquito bites is raw honey.

What to do:

  • Dab raw honey onto each bite using a cotton swab.
  • Allow the honey to sit on the bites until the itch is relieved.

How it works:

Raw honey, especially varieties that are produced near you, is able to reduce itching and swelling as an anti-histamine and anti-microbial agent.

Aspirin

You might consider it strange, but aspirin is particularly useful among home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Crush an aspirin tablet into a powder or used aspirin powder.
  • Add a few drops of water to create a thick paste.
  • Apply the paste to each of the bites.

How it works:

The anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties of aspirin have the same effect on mosquito bites and they do on your headache.

aspirin pill on a table

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is effective among home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Mix 3 drops of tea tree oil in ½ tsp of olive or coconut oil.
  • Use a cotton ball or cotton swab to dab tea tree oil onto each bite.
  • Rinse off after itching is relieved.

How it works:

The active ingredient in tea tree oil, terpinin-4-ol, is antimicrobial and helps to heal the affected area while also providing inflammatory relief.

Lemon or Lime

Another of our 15 home remedies for mosquito bites is lemon or lime juice.

What to do:

  • Cut off a slice of a fresh lemon or lime and rub it over the affected areas.
  • You can also use lemon or lime juice in place of water with baking soda or powdered aspirin to create a paste, which you can apply to each of the bites.

How it works:

Lemons and limes have natural anti-inflammatory and natural anesthetic properties to help bring relieve to the itching and swelling.

White Toothpaste

Believe it or not, plain white toothpaste without the gels and whiteners is another of the most effective home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Dab of toothpaste on each bite with a cotton swab.
  • Allow the toothpaste to sit until itching is relieved.

How it works:

Hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, menthol and baking soda are typical ingredients in toothpaste, so they work as anti-microbial agents and bring anti-inflammatory relief from itching as well.

Lavender Essential Oil

Another essential oil to consider among home remedies for mosquito bites is lavender.

What to do:

  • Mix 3 drops of lavender oil in ½ tsp of olive or coconut oil.
  • Dab the oil mixture on each bite using a cotton swab.

How it works:

Lavender not only soothes the sting and itch of bites with its anti-inflammatory properties but can also keep the bites from becoming infected.

Basil

Basil is another basic household item on our list of home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • If you have basil oil, you can use it just like lavender or tea tree oils listed above.
  • If you don’t have basil oil, just rub whole basil leaves on each of the bites.

How it works:

For almost 5,000 years, basil has been used as an anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial treatment for numerous skin irritations.

Salt

Another simple household ingredient included in our list of home remedies for mosquito bites is salt.

What to do:

  • Add a few drops of water, lemon juice, coconut oil or vinegar to 1 tsp of salt.
  • Apply the mixture to each of the bites.
  • Rinse off when the itch is relieved.

How it works:

Not only is salt an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent, but it also helps to draw out any possible infection and dry up the affected area.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can also be used as one of the effective home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Dab a cotton swab in coconut oil and apply it to each bite.
  • Coconut oil can be used as a base for the other essential oils listed above to boost their effectiveness.

How it works:

Coconut oil has several active ingredients, vitamin E, lauric and capric acid all act as antiseptics as well as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents.

garlic with clove on wooden board

Garlic

Garlic is often talked about as being a mosquito repellent, but it is also among one of the best of our 15 home remedies for mosquito bites.

What to do:

  • Thinly slice a clove of garlic and rub the slices over each bite.
  • Allow the juice to dry and remain on the bite until itching is relieved.

How it works:

The anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties of garlic, make it one of the most effective home remedies available for mosquito bites.

Conclusion

Most of the best home remedies for mosquito bites are readily available in your kitchen or bathroom without the need to buy any special salves, creams or gels. To get rid of the itching and swelling of mosquito bites fast, make use of one of our 15 home remedies for mosquito bites itch relief and healing to avoid scratching, irritation and further infection. If you have other effective remedies or have comments concerning the ones listed above, please leave your comments.