7 Home Remedies to Reduce the Itch of Mosquito Bites

You are about to sleep, so you close your eyes, easing yourself comfortably and just when you thought of calling it a day, the annoying buzzing sound starts. This has probably happened to all of us one too many times.

In hot and humid Malaysia, mosquitoes are common and super annoying. They fly around our legs as we eat lunch at our favorite hawker centres, they buzz near our ears when we try to fall asleep and they always seem to penetrate our rooms even with the door and windows shut!

If you’re like me - lazy to put on mosquito repellent and have really delicious O positive blood, then getting bitten by mosquitoes is our tragic reality. But getting bitten is only the beginning. Once you get bitten (especially between your toes or at your ankles), believe me, the itch can drive you mad.

How can I stop mosquito bites from itching?

Fortunately for us there are some natural remedies for mosquito bites that can help reduce redness, swelling and stop the infamous itching. And the best part? These 7 remedies we’ll be sharing below can be made from items you normally already have at home!

Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites

1. Toothpaste

I used to put toothpaste on when I burned myself as a kid because my grandmother told me it would help the skin cool (another pro tip if you didn’t already know! But please consult a doctor if you have serious burns.) I never knew toothpaste could be used to reduce itchiness too! Apparently the menthol in toothpaste acts as a cooling agent which keeps you distracted from scratching. High time to invest in a travel size tube of toothpaste to carry around in your bag.

   2. Honey

Did you know that fresh honey is a natural antibiotic and has anti-inflammatory properties? Well, I didn’t.

Honey can help reduce inflammation around a mosquito bite. And here’s another pro tip: If you don’t want to end up in a sticky mess, don’t scratch the bite after applying the honey!

    3. Banana Peel

It’s probably time to stop tossing those banana peels out the window. It may sound strange but, banana peels are actually a great treatment for mosquito bites. This is due to the natural oils found within the banana’s skin. For this natural remedy, simply rub the banana peel, flesh side down, on your mosquito bite and relax as feel itch fade away into non-existence. Take my word on this one, when you have 4 or 5 bites all concentrated in an area (or in several areas), it’s much more satisfying to use your banana peel to soothe your itch than to watch people slip from them.

    4. Soothing Ointments

Don’t we all love multipurpose products? Not only can soothing ointments such as tiger balm and vapour rub help with a blocked nose or a bloated stomach, but it has also been proven to reduce the itch from mosquito bites for some people, such value for money! Much like toothpaste, this is mainly due to the menthol based ingredients found in this product which distracts your mind from the itch, as well as the presence of camphor oil. Way to go, Tiger Balm!

    5. Ice

Ice Ice baby… is the anthem for controlling swelling for bee stings, oh wait, or was it a song title. Anyway, ice can be used to treat mosquito bites too. Take either an ice pack or the handphone you accidently left in the freezer the night before when taking ice-cream and place it on the mosquito bite. The cold temperature will not only give you the tinglies, but also reduce the redness and keep the itching apocalypse at bay.

    6. Aloe Vera

I love aloe vera, it may be spikey and produce pups (babies) faster than I can repot them, but it is a magical plant. The vitamins and minerals found in aloe vera are not only beneficial for your skin but also help to reduce the pain, swelling and itching of a mosquito bite!

Either fresh aloe vera or aloe vera gel works fine for this fix. Beforehand make sure you put the aloe vera gel in the fridge to cool (If you’re extracting it fresh from the plant) before applying it to your skin. After that all you need to do is rub the gel onto the mosquito bite and voila! No more itchiness and considerably smoother skin. You’re welcome.

     7. Create an X mark

This next home remedy for mosquito bites is more of a temporary fix rather than a solution, but it was my favorite thing to do when I got mosquito bites as a kid! Simply make an X mark on top of the mosquito bite using your fingernail. Don’t press too hard as you don’t want to pierce the skin, just apply enough pressure to make a dent. This will help stop the itching however it will return when the X fades away.

Have you been using these fixes already or did you just find out today? Comment below if these home remedies are effective for you and tell us if you know any other home remedies!

Interested to find out how to be one step ahead of nasty mosquitoes and reduce the chances of getting bitten from the get-go, consider planting these 5 Plants that Repel Mosquitoes, or find out more about the 6 simple ways to banish these pesky insects from your home.

And hey! Instead of just learning how to relieve the itch of mosquito bites, why not eliminate mosquitoes completely and remove the health risk it poses to your family and business? Rentokil’s Integrated Mosquito Management provides effective solutions to exterminate mosquitoes at every stage of its life cycle. Get in contact with the experts at Rentokil and you may very well not need to use the 7 fixes listed above. Call us at 1300 881 911 or send us an enquiry today.