Insect bite relief (and no more garlic for the cats!)

NOTE: Garlic is toxic to cats - please do not try that again! 

Try one or more of these:

• Tea tree oil.  Apply tea tree oil liberally in a circular motion surrounding the bite.  Let dry and the pain and swelling should ease in two to three minutes. Re-apply if needed.
• Baking soda.  Mix baking soda with water to form a paste.  Apply the paste and cover with a gauze bandage or paper towel and tape.  Leave on for one half hour or more until pain is gone.
• Relieve the itch from bug bites with an onion. The sulfur in onions neutralizes the chemicals that cause the itch. Simply slice a yellow onion in half and rub one of the cut sides on the bite. The itching should stop immediately. Refrigerate the onion in a sealed container to use again if the itching resumes. Make a fresh slice before reapplying it.
• Vinegar. Good for spider bites too.  Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and place it over the spider / bug bite. You might also hold the soaked cotton ball in place by a band aid. By morning, the swelling and / or soreness should be gone as if you hadn't been bitten.
• Other insect bite/sting remedies include mustard, ammonia, tomato slices, potato slices, and fresh garlic pieces or minced.

Here is an insect repellant you can make yourself and try:

Insect Repellent Recipe

Herbalist Debra Nuzzi-St. Claire suggests combining the following essential oils to make a natural insect repellent:

Base oil:

• 1/2 ounce citronella oil
• 1/4 ounce lavender oil
• 1/8 ounce pennyroyal oil
• 1/8 ounce tea tree oil
• 1/8 ounce jojoba oil

Blend thoroughly.

Now, do NOT use the above base oil undiluted as an oil or spray for the skin. To make an insect repellant oil for the skin, mix 16 ounces of jojoba or almond oil to the above base oil.  For an insect repellent spray, add 16 ounces of vodka to the base oil mixture, pour into a spray bottle, and shake before using.

DQ