How to Stop Mosquito Bites from Itching

Using Things You Can Find in Your Kitchen

Apply some honey to the bite area. Honey will soothe the affected area and give you some much needed relief from the itching.

Put apple cider vinegar on the bite. Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar and place it over the mosquito bites. Leave it there for several minutes. This should help alleviate the pain. Alternatively, you can make a paste out of apple cider vinegar and flour. This will help dry out the bite in addition to soothing the itch with the vinegar. Apply the paste to the affected area and allow it to dry. Wash it off with warm water.

Use a lemon or lime. Cut it into pieces and rub gently on the affected area, or just squirt a bit of juice on it. Citric acid has some itch-relieving properties.

Use your breakfast oatmeal. Oatmeal is renowned for its anti-itching properties, so make a small paste using ground oatmeal and a little water. Apply it to the bite area, allow the paste to dry, then wash it off.

Add a little meat tenderizer to the bite area. Mix it in water first before applying. Then let it dry and rinse it off afterwards.

Use baking soda. Mix 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) (13.8 g) of baking soda with 1 tablespoon of warm water. Gently apply the paste to the affected area. Leave it on for a few minutes and then wash it off with warm water. A strong alkaline solution like this will often ease itching from insect bites.

Using Commercial Products

Look for over-the-counter medications to alleviate itching. Products such as Stingose and After Bite may help to alleviate pain. Hydrocortisone cream and calamine lotion may also help reduce itching and swelling. Follow the instructions accompanying the product. If you can't find one, talk to your pharmacist.

Make a paste out of aspirin. The aspirin will help relieve the pain and reduce the symptoms of swelling and itching. Naturally, do not use this method if the person is allergic to aspirin. Alternatively, make a paste out of Tums tablets. This will also help with the itching.

Rub alcohol on the affected area. The alcohol can have a cooling effect, which can temporarily relieve itchiness. It is also drying, which can cause the bites to shrink and reduce swelling.

Dab some toothpaste over the bite area. This can work like a charm to relieve itching. Regular flavored toothpaste is the best option for this method. Rub it on and let it dry overnight. Then, wash it off in the morning with cold water and mild soap. The toothpaste will dry the bite out, and may remove irritation. Use any non-gel toothpaste. Gel toothpaste is not suitable for this method.

Use soap. Wash the area using soap and water. Soap may be enough to relieve the itching. Use a mild soap, so as to not dry out the skin and increase irritation.

Using Herbs and Essential Oils

Use aloe. Rub aloe vera gel or a broken leaf from an aloe vera plant on the bite area to relieve itching. Aloe is well known for its ability to soothe and heal problematic skin areas.

Try basil. Fresh basil leaves that are crushed and directly applied to the area also naturally relieve itching symptoms because basil contains thymol and camphor, both of which are natural itch relievers. Basil can also be useful in repelling insects so you don't get any more bites.

Use plantain herbs. Either roll the plantain leaves between your fingers to extract the juice or rub the juicy leaf over the mosquito bite. The itch should go away in less than a minute.

Apply lavender oil. Dabbing small amounts of lavender oil directly on the affected area can relieve the itching quickly. Alternatively, try dabbing some witch hazel on the bite.

Use melaleuca or tea tree (ti-tree) oil. This oil is known as a cure-all for many problems and it can also alleviate the itching from mosquito bites. Add a drop of tea tree oil to an ice cold compress of witch hazel. It helps stop the burning feeling and the itch.

Using Water, Heat, and Pressure

Press or slap the area of the bite with your hand. Not too hard, but firm enough that it distracts the itching for a while.

Take a nice, relaxing warm bath. The addition of strong chickweed tea, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of apple cider vinegar, or 2 cups (280 g) ground oatmeal to the bath can help to alleviate itching. You can even add a few essential oils to that to make the bath not only smell better but to clean the spot and also to soothe the skin. Make sure the water isn't too hot, and don't stay in the water longer than 20 minutes, as this can have a drying effect.

Apply an ice pack or ice cubes to the bites. You should leave this on the affected area for about 20 minutes to alleviate the itch.

Press a warm spoon to the bite. Let a metal spoon sit in steaming hot water for a minute. Remove the spoon from the water, let it cool for 5 to 10 seconds, and press it onto your mosquito bite. Hold it there for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat a couple of times while the water is still hot, and do this several times daily until your bite is healed.