By: Lynette McDonald

Warm weather brings to mind thoughts of picnics, fun days at the pool, backyard barbecues and a plethora of other pleasant social activities.  While pesky problems such as mosquito bites do not inhabit our whimsical daydreams of spring and summer bliss, mosquitoes nevertheless find ways to swarm into our realities with the potential to ruin otherwise perfect days.

So how do we protect ourselves and our children from mosquitoes and their itchy bites?  Insect sprays are readily available at any grocery or convenience store but may contain harmful chemicals that many people wish to avoid.  With a few common ingredients, anyone can make home remedies for mosquito bites that work just as well as and in some cases better than, traditional sprays.

Banana Peel

The banana is an amazing fruit full of potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, manganese and other beneficial nutrients.  It is not widely known, however, that the unedible banana peel is good for the body as well.  Simply placing the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite for a few minutes, with intermittent gentle rubbing, will ease the redness, pain and swelling.  This home remedy also works for other skin irritations such as burns and scrapes.

Baking Soda and Water

According to Medical News Today, female mosquitoes are the only ones that bite, because the nutrients in our blood assist them in making eggs.  This might be more than we want to know about the reproductive cycle of a mosquito, but at least now we understand the driving force behind these flying pests.

A simple paste made with baking soda and cool water, applied directly onto the bite and allowed to remain for about 10 minutes, will take the sting and itch from the bump.  Never use hot water, as this can cause the irritation to grow.  As an added bonus, this paste works wonders for bee stings as well.

Aspirin

Aspirin is not a commonly known treatment for removing the itch of mosquito bites but may be the easiest home remedy to take on the go when hiking or spending the day at your favorite fishing spot.  While swallowing the chalky white pill might work well for headaches, simply wetting an aspirin or the skin with cool water and rubbing the pill over the mosquito bite will take away the irritation and discomfort.  Crushing the pill and mixing with cool water to form a paste also works wonders.

Cucumber

The saying “cool as a cucumber” is definitely the right phrase to use for this natural cure.  According to Natural Cure Tips, cucumbers make an excellent treatment for the discomfort of mosquito bites.  Simply slice the vegetable and place it directly on the skin.  The coolness is soothing to the itch and good for the skin, as well! 

If Mosquitoes are giving you the blues, try one of these home remedies to soothe those bumps away, and bring bug-free happiness to your outdoor activities.