Every country and many localities seem to have their favourite home remedy for mosquito bites. This is probably not so unusual as it at first seems, because not all remedies, commercial or natural, work equally effectively on all people. It has to do with our body odours. Everybody has his or her own blend and these smells are what attract mosquitoes. Mosquito repellents work by masking these smells so that you seem uninteresting to mosquitoes.

However, there is one smell that mosquitoes seem to positively dislike and that is the smell of anything remotely lemony. Prevention is better than cure, so the first thing you should do if you are in mosquito country is apply mosquito repellent. There are plenty of commercial and home remedies to repel mosquitoes.

Starting with lemon smells; there are lemons, lemon grass, lemon balm, lemon eucalyptus, lemon thyme and citronella. You can use either the oils, the juice or the crushed leaves of all of these plants. It is claimed that some of these plants also provide relief from mosquito bite itch and swelling too.

Another firm favourite home remedy for itching mosquito bites is banana skin. Eat the banana and then rub the inside of the banana skin on to the bite area. Banana skin is supposed to be good for all sorts of skin complaints like dry itchy skin, pimples, acne, flaky skin and sunburn. I tried it on dermatitis with some success.

Some people swear by garlic. Peel the garlic and rub onto the bite as soon as possible. They also say that the smell of garlic will deter other mosquitoes from biting you. Some people just go for a simple ice cube. Rubbing the affected area with an ice cube and then putting some sticky tape over it provides relief according to many.

Quite a few herbs and spices can be used as a home remedy for mosquito bites. people cite: oil of cloves, lavender oil, geranium oil, tea tree oil, catnip oil, cedar oil and castor oil as remedies and repellents. Marjoram, marigold, rosemary and thyme are supposed to be effective at banishing mosquitoes for a short time, but also effective at soothing mosquito bites.

I have heard people say that some strong cold tea or just human saliva are good for treating mosquito bites. others say baking soda paste and even toothpaste eases the desire for scratching. Apple cider vinegar and witch hazel can help too.

Aloe vera certainly works at soothing all sorts of itches, bites and stings. It relieved me of heat rash one year too. I had very a nasty heat rash on my arms, but it disappeared in 24 hours of using aloe vera. I have it growing in the garden now.

Salt is supposed to be effective at soothing insect bites and bathers in the south of France will tell you to swim in the sea every hour at least as protection against the sun and mosquitoes, but it also soothes if you have been bitten.

There are many fascinating local variations on these natural remedies for getting rid of mosquito bites. It seems that everyone has a favourite home remedy for mosquito bites.