Bed bug bites can be extremely annoying and even painful. These bloodsucking pests leave red rashes with itchy bite marks on your skin that can leave behind red marks that make life uncomfortable for hours afterwards.
Home remedies can provide an effective means to counter these annoying critters and ease any associated itching caused by their bites. Many of these solutions utilize products you likely already possess at home and are safer alternatives to chemical bug sprays.
1. Cold Compress
An ice pack applied directly to your skin can help alleviate inflammation and itching by providing relief from swelling, redness and pain. Repeating this simple remedy until all itching has subsided will do just that!
Cold compresses can also help alleviate other rash-related symptoms. Apply one directly onto the area in question for about 20 minutes at a time before cleansing your hands afterwards.
Natural anti-itch solutions can also be an excellent way to relieve bed bug bite itching. Try applying calamine lotion, which helps dry up rashes quickly, baking soda and witch hazel – which has mild anesthetic effects when applied directly onto skin for short periods.
Peppermint and lavender oils can both help disinfect the skin, while tea tree oil helps fight infections while relieving pain, itching, and swelling. Apply any of these oils directly onto affected areas either as tea, oil or paste application.
2. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil contains powerful antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties which can help combat bed bug bites by preventing infection and alleviating itching. Dilute it and apply directly onto bites – repeat as necessary.
Tea tree oil can provide effective relief for itchy bed bug bites while also serving as an excellent natural repellant. It works by giving off an unpleasant odor and disabling their exoskeletons. Similar to using rubbing alcohol, cotton balls soaked with lemon juice, St John’s Wort or witch hazel can be dabbed on itchy rashes in order to dry them out and relieve their itching.
Lavender and peppermint oils can also serve as effective bed bug repellants, with their pleasant scent being pleasant to humans but repugnant to bed bugs. Spray these oils throughout your home in places where bed bugs are active. Other effective strategies for keeping these pests at bay include vacuuming or steam-cleaning furniture, rugs and linens regularly; washing any items that can be washed in hot water with hot water settings when possible and filling cracks with caulking; should your home become infested, hire professional pest control companys from Mooresville as soon as possible!
3. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is an effective home remedy for soothing itchy skin, including bed bug bites. Apply directly or use in bath soaks; oatmeal also soothes insect bites, bee stings, poison ivy rashes and other forms of inflammation. To apply oatmeal directly onto skin use cotton balls or use oatmeal & water mix together as a paste then spread this paste on affected areas with cotton balls or similar tools.
An Epsom salt bath may also help relieve itching from bed bug bites. Packed with magnesium sulfate, these baths have long been known for soothing the skin and relieving symptoms related to insect bites or other skin irritations such as rashes.
Sugar is another household item that can help relieve itching caused by bed bug bites. Simply apply one teaspoon of sugar mixed in water on damp cloth to the affected areas to relieve itching and cool inflammation associated with bites. In addition, this treatment will also help reduce redness.
Basil essential oil can also be a useful household item to reduce itching caused by bed bug bites, and should be applied directly using cotton balls or mixed with carrier oil such as coconut oil for maximum absorption.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an easy, cost-effective and healthful beauty solution, known for soothing skin. Its acid neutralizes insect stings while relieving any associated itching. Simply apply several drops on cotton balls and apply directly onto bites multiple times daily for best results.
Cucumber peel contains vitamin C and Caffeic acid, both natural anti-inflammatories that can provide temporary relief from bed bug bites. Rubbing cucumber peel onto affected areas several times each day may significantly lessen itching and discomfort.
Lemon juice contains natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate the itching and swelling associated with bed bug bites. Soak a cotton ball in lemon juice and apply as needed on bites several times throughout the day to relieve their discomfort.
Echinacea tincture is an effective anti-inflammatory that can reduce itching and promote faster healing of skin conditions such as rashes. To use, apply several drops to cotton balls and rub on them on the rash several times each day for quick relief, or take several drops of Echinacea juice internally for even faster relief.
5. Apple Cider Vinegar Soap
If you were bitten by bed bugs because you didn’t have a bed bug detector at home, some homemade apple cider vinegar soap can help soothe the inflammation. You can also use this remedy to ease bee or wasp stings. When selecting apple cider vinegar, look for one with its “mother” floating at the bottom of its bottle; this indicates raw bacteria-rich cider. Use cotton balls to apply this remedy directly onto bites as needed – and repeat as necessary!
Mint in tea, paste or oil form can help soothe bed bug bite itching by cooling itch and antibacterial properties preventing infection. Alternatively, soak a towel in cool water and apply directly onto affected areas for instantaneous relief.
Neem leaves have many healing properties and can be found at local health food stores. You can use their leaves to create a paste to soothe bed bug bites, reduce scarring or marks caused by bed bug bites, or create a spray made with food grade diatomaceous earth, which works to dehydrate bugs while creating an invisible barrier between you and the bugs.
6. Ice Pack
One of the best home remedies for bed bug bites is using an ice pack. This will numb nerve endings, helping reduce itching. Some individuals also find relief through applying toothpaste (like Colgate Total ) with anti-inflammatory ingredients that help relieve inflammation and itching.
Another effective remedy for bites is applying aloe vera gel directly on them; this will soothe your skin while possibly speeding up healing times. Aloe vera can be purchased at most health food stores.
Apply a paste made of honey and cinnamon directly to your bites for relief, helping your rash to heal faster and easing any itching that arises. This should provide both temporary relief from discomfort as well as aiding its treatment.
Antihistamine products such as calamine lotion can also be used on your bites to help alleviate their itching, redness and swelling. This will bring immediate relief.
7. Aloe Vera Gel
Bed bug bites can be itchy and keep you up at night, causing irritation as well as infection and scarring of the skin. Home remedies exist to relieve itching and keep skin healthy – including using items already around your home like ice and tea tree oil as relief measures.
As an alternative, try using essential oils such as oregano (containing carvacrol and thymol), peppermint oil, lavender oil, and cedarwood oil to alleviate itching, kill germs, and facilitate healing. Mix just a few drops with some coconut or olive oil before applying directly with cotton ball to affected area.
Home remedies such as toothpaste containing menthol can provide relief for bed bug bites by soothing their itching. Apply the paste directly onto the affected area, wait a few minutes, then wash away with water; this will help stop skin swelling.
