Cheap and Natural Home Remedies for Mosquito Bites

by Reader Contributors

Don’t let the itch bug your kids or your budget. Try these effective and affordable home remedies from our frugal readers for mosquito bites.

Dear Dollar Stretcher,
My son seems to be very sensitive to mosquito bites. He is always asking my husband or me to apply itch cream. I typically keep a store bought cream in the house for him, but it is not exactly cheap. Also, we need to have him sit still until it is dry because more than once he has gotten it on his hands and then rubbed his eyes.

Does anyone have any cheap and natural home remedies for mosquito bite itch suitable for young kids? Thanks in advance for any ideas!
Tara

Good to Have on Hand for Bites

I’ve always used aloe vera gel for bug bites. It soothes most skin irritations and is useful for so many other things as well. It’s always good to have a bottle around the house.
Anna M.

Coconut Oil Relieves Itch

Apply some coconut oil to the bites. It will be absorbed into the skin and relieve the itch. A jar will last for years if used just for this purpose.

There are many uses for coconut oil. It’s available at Walmart, Amazon and other places, but the lowest price I’ve found is at Aldi.
B

Apply a Paste of Baking Soda and Water

Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the bites. Baking soda can also be used in the bath water. This also works very well for chickenpox.
Carolyn

Related: Two Dozen Baking Soda Savings

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Keep Mosquitoes Away

Melt two tablespoons of raw shea butter on low heat with two tablespoons of organic coconut oil. Add two to four drops of lavender or tea tree essential oil. Cool and apply to skin. Each of these products has skin soothing qualities and will help fight the inflammation and the itch. If shea butter is too expensive, use just the coconut oil.

If you know you will be exposed to mosquitoes, mix a tablespoon of brewer’s yeast and a tablespoon of molasses in a small glass of milk and drink it the night before. The mosquitoes are repelled by the vitamins and minerals in those ingredients and can smell them on your skin! It’s really works, and I am someone that mosquitoes love.
Clara

Combatting Mosquito Bites

My husband grew up in Brooklyn and he makes a little paste of meat tenderizer and water. It’s what they all did in his neighborhood growing up. My oldest daughter spent a summer as a camp counselor in Northern California and they used original yellow Listerine on all the mosquito bites.

I am the “sweet” person in the family that all the bugs love to bite, and I’ve used both of these as well as white or cider vinegar. We don’t tend to keep original Listerine around and mixing up the meat tenderizer is an extra step, so the vinegar is usually my quick and easy go-to. When the bugs are bad, I keep a little travel size spray bottle with vinegar in it handy. All of these work. I just want the itch to stop while my husband really wants the bump to go down.

I’d rather not be bitten in the first place. I like using lavender as a repellent. I just clip off a branch and rub it around on the bare skin areas and adjacent clothing in places that tend to get bitten, like my ankles.
Dana in Tucson, AZ

A Cheap Bite Solution That Works

The best and cheapest solution is a slightly dampened salt compress. The salt draws excess fluid, and the anti-coagulant the mosquito injects when it first sticks you. The swelling and itch subsides in less than 30 seconds.

Use a small bandage to hold it in place. If he’s sensitive to iodine, use the non-iodized salt.
Deb

A Dab Relieves Mosquito Bite Itch

A dab of ammonia will stop the itching, dry immediately, and serve as a very inexpensive home remedy.
Diane

Witch Hazel Helps

I use witch hazel on my grandchildren and myself for those nasty bites.
Elaine

Keep It Simple

The best and easiest remedy for kids and adults is simple rubbing alcohol. Just apply or buy the kind in a spray bottle. It’s good for any bug bite and relieves the itch by the time it evaporates!
Emily

Lavender Essential Oil Will Bring Relief

Lavender essential oil is a good substitute as it is a natural antihistamine. It doesn’t take much and will stop the itching.

Just make sure you buy quality lavender oil. Look at the label and make sure there are no fillers and that it is pure lavender oil. There are some reputable companies on the internet, but don’t go by price alone. Make sure that company isn’t mixing the essential oil with anything else.
Leslie in Arlington, TX

Mystery Mosquito Magic

My mother-in-law keeps cheap roll-on deodorant on hand for insect bites, etc. It takes the itch and irritation away. I don’t have an explanation as to why it works, but she rolls it on as soon as possible after the bite occurs and at any point it begins itching or stinging.

I tried it and it worked!
Linda

Try Toothpaste

Not entirely a natural remedy, but regular toothpaste (not the gel variety) works great to take the itch away. Just rub it on and allow it to dry.

Another thought is apple cider vinegar. It works to take the sting out of sun burns and I think I’ve heard it works on mosquito bites, too.
Lynne

Reviewed April 2023

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