In summer, flowers bloom, birds sing and bugs bite more than in any other season. Not just that, but the sun is not especially merciful to the skin either.
So, if you’re looking for easy home remedies for soothing the skin after insect bites, or sunburn, you came to the right place.
Table of Contents
How to Treat a Wasp/Bee/Hornet Stings
Bees, wasps, and hornets can get very aggressive in summer and their stings are not a small matter. Here is how to treat a wasp sting.
- Remove the sting. If the sting is still in your skin, hurry up to remove it. You can use tweezers or your fingernail. Just make sure not to pinch it, as it might shoot more venom into you.
- Vinegar: Yes, vinegar can do more than just rid your carpet of a red wine stain. It’s a common natural ingredient that makes the swollen area relieved. You can soak cotton in the vinegar and place it on the sting area. Or, if you don’t have cotton pads nearby, just apply several drops directly on your skin.
- Garlic: another great natural treatment for wasp or bee sting. Chop one clove of the garlic and rub it on the affected area. Also, you can put a plaster on top of the garlic and leave it till the swollen spot is relieved.
- Ice: it helps decrease the swollen area from a wasp, bee or hornet sting. The cold temperature of the ice will slow down the blood flow which relieves the infected area. Just put a bag of ice (or use a bag of frozen veggies or fruit instead) for at least 20 minutes. It should work immediately and reduce the swollen area. Make sure not to apply the ice directly on your skin, but instead, use a cloth or a towel.
How to Keep Bees/Hornets/Wasps Away
It’s a lot better to simply keep away from stinging insects, and that might be quite the challenge in summer. Here are a few tricks you can do.
- Don’t wear yellow clothes: It might sound strange, but wasps and hornets seem to be very attracted by the colour yellow.
- Install a fake wasp nest: Wasps and hornets are very territorial, they would never create their own nest in the area of another colony. And, the farther the nest, the farther the wasps.
- Seal waste bins: Wasps are omnivores which means they will search for any type of food. So, rubbish in your backyard can be a great place where a wasp hive can hang around. For that reason, ensure all bins are tightly closed or don’t leave them outside.
- Smells stinging bugs don’t like: Just like mosquitoes, you can lure stinging bugs away by presenting smells like eucalyptus, mint, and wormwood.
Check also:
Biting or Stinging Insects in the UK and How to Prevent a Bite or a Sting
How to Treat a Mosquito Bite
If you went summer camping, then mosquitoes are your number one problem. If you become their victim, here is how to treat mosquito bites.
- Make an oatmeal paste. All you have to do is mix oatmeal with water, and you will get your paste for mosquito treatment. Oatmeal has a very soothing effect on the skin, it cools inflammation and soothes itching. Keep it on the problematic spot for about ten minutes, and then rinse.
- Rub basil. Boil a cup of water and add dried basil leaves. After it cools down, dab the mixture with a soft piece of cloth and gently rub the problematic spot.
- Apply crushed ice. Cold temperatures reduce inflammation and numb the itchy skin. Just make sure not to keep it for too long, as it can cause some damage, too. Don’t place the ice directly on your skin, as it can irritate it even more. Put a barrier between them, like a washcloth or a plastic bag.
- Apply honey. If you didn’t know, honey is nature’s most valuable gift. Not only is it sweet and full of nutrients, but also has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. A drop in an itchy bite will bring all the relief you need.
- Use baking soda. The sodium bicarbonate in baking soda is often used as a mosquito bite remedy. Just make a paste by mixing some with water and apply on the bite for about 10 minutes, just like with the oatmeal paste.
Check also:
How to Keep Mosquitoes Away
The best way to deal with mosquito bites is by keeping them away. Of course, that would be hard, considering you’re a mosquito’s favourite dish. You can always use store-bought sprays and insect repellents, but if you’re not a fan of those, you can always make mosquito repellent incense.
- Choose some of the following herbs: basil, bay leaves, cedar, citronella, eucalyptus, garlic, lavender, lemongrass, mint, rosemary, and thyme. Mosquitoes hate all of them. You can either get them in the form of dried leaves or essential oils.
- Grind the herbs together. If you got all in the form of herbs, grind them all together. Do not use your hands, as some of those may cause irritation to your skin.
- Let it all dry.
- Light a fire. If you’re outside (and you’re probably outside, why else do you want to make mosquito incense), find a safe spot to light a small fire.
- Throw the mixture over the coal. Once you can catch the smell with your nose, you can be sure it’s working. The mosquitoes won’t dare to come near you.
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Call usHow to Treat a Flea Bite
Some well-known home remedies for flea bites are:
- Ice: as it helps for a wasp sting, ice can relieve flea bites as well. Simply apply the ice wrapped in a towel and leave the magic to happen.
- White vinegar: yes, it can temporarily relieve the affected area. Dilute equal parts of the vinegar and water. Then you can put it in a spraying bottle and spray the bitten parts of your body, or place cotton pads soaked in the solution.
- Aloe Vera: this plant is well-known for its soothing effect. You can apply aloe vera to reduce the swelling and ease the redness.
- Rubbing alcohol: much more strong natural flea bite treatment, but the strong ingredients of the rubbing alcohol will dry the bite, which will lead to a much faster healing process.
How to Get Rid of Fleas
- Clean regularly: it’s very important to maintain a high hygiene in your house. Use a vacuum cleaner on the floors, upholstery and other furniture. Fleas can lay eggs in any small crack so it’s important to clean every corner.
- Wash: wash all bedding of yours and your pets’. Air dry it or use a high setting in the dryer. If you have a mattress cover, wash it too. If the infestation is excessive, get rid of them.
- Mow the lawn: fleas love hiding in the grass or compost pile. So, mow the grass on a regular basis and clear the garden from compost as much as it’s possible.
- Take care of your pet: on a regular basis and check for fleas or any other signs such as pale gums, excessive scratching or fur loss. Wash and deworm them every once in a while.
Check also:
How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your House
How to Treat a Sunburn
Since you have already dealt with all the bugs, it’s time to cure your skin of your other enemy – the sun. After a sunburn, here are the following remedies you can apply to your skin:
- Cool water;
- Oatmeal;
- Lettuce;
- Yogurt;
- Honey;
- Tea bags.
And, of course, the best way to protect your skin is not to get a sunburn in the first place. There are many recipes you can find online about homemade sunscreen, however, in this case, we would advise our readers to rely more on store-bought products.
The sun is not an easy enemy, and to keep your skin protected, you need at least SPF 30 sun lotion, and this is something only a commercial supplier can guarantee. Keep your skin protected, and don’t forget to drink lots of water.
Conclusion
The above-mentioned homemade remedies might help but might not be useful to some extent. So if none of the insect bites treatment solutions works for you, turn to a medical person for advice on how to relieve the affected areas.
Image source: zetat/shutterstock.com
Thanks for sharing this useful information! Hope that you will continue with the kind of stuff you are doing