Maybe I’m extra sweet but for some reason these flying critters just won’t leave me alone. One of my buddies in college lived in a home that was infested with mosquitos in their backyard. I was outside for not even 15 minutes and suffered through at least 25 mosquito bites. No one is ever excited about a bee sting or mosquito bite. The trick with bee stings is getting the stinger out as soon as possible so the swelling calms down. Here are 5 ways to ease the pain and itchiness of bites and stings.

1. Lavender oil and tea tree oil

The second I get a mosquito bite, lavender oil is my go to. I can’t stand itching and the whole “make an x across the bite” trick does not work for me. Put about one drop on the bite and have a little patience as the itching subsides. Lavender can also help with bee stings. Apply a cold compress to the area for several hours or as long as possible. Tea tree oil works in the same way!

2. Banana peel

Banana peels dries out the bug bite or poison ivy rash very quickly. Apply the meat side (inside) of the banana peel on the rash.

3. Baking soda

Mix baking soda with water to form a paste. Remove the stinger and put the paste on the bite until the pain is gone.

4. Onions

The sulfur compounds in onions relieves bug bite itches. Cut the onion in half (beware of the crying while cutting onions) and rub the cut side on the bite.

5. Vinegar

Vinegar can help with with all kinds of bites. Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and tape it on the bite overnight. You can also use apple cider vinegar!

6. Lemon

Apply a slice of the lemon to the affected area to relieve pain or itching. The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties help reduce the itchiness and prevent infection.

Do you have any other tips to get rid of mosquito bites or bee stings? Please let us know!