For many, summertime means mosquitoes. This is also true in Greece, where the season brings the pesky pests with it. Luckily, there are many Greek remedies to keep mosquitoes away this summer.
If you are a prime target for the pesky buzzing bugs, here are some natural Greek remedies to help make mosquitoes go away and to treat bites.
First off, let’s start with some simple ways to help prevent mosquitoes from biting you.
How to prevent bites
Generally, covering your skin is considered one of the easiest ways to prevent mosquitoes from biting you.
In Greece, however, the last thing you want to have to do is wear long sleeves and pants all summer, as the temperature climbs near 100 degrees Fahrenheit almost daily.
One way to naturally repel mosquitoes is by preparing a concoction of essential oils that are very popular in Greece to apply to your skin.
In villages across the country, yiayias (grandmothers) will tell you to put a few drops of essential oil of lavender or citronella, or both, in a spray bottle with some olive oil and water, shake it up, and spray.
This natural remedy will help deter mosquitoes from biting you. You can even spray your bed linens and clothes for extra protection.
An added bonus to this safe and natural remedy is that you will smell delightfully botanical.
Basil is a natural mosquito repellent
Another thing that Greeks do to prevent mosquitoes from attacking is placing basil plants in their gardens and on their balconies.
As the plant naturally emits its aroma, which mosquitos hate, there is no need to crush it up to make any kind of spray. Just having the plant will keep the bugs away.
Additionally, the basil plant kills mosquito larvae, so if you have still water on your property, where mosquitos usually lay their eggs, place a basil plant nearby to keep them away.
Lavender plants, another popular part of a Greek balcony garden, are also effective in keeping mosquitoes away.
Greek remedies for itchy mosquito bites
Another favorite Greek remedy for mosquito bites is plain old vinegar. In fact, vinegar is a natural remedy that is used to cure an array of aliments in Greece.
In order to stop the itch of a mosquito bite, Greeks simply dab a cotton ball with some vinegar and apply it to the bite.
Not only does the swelling and itching go away, it is also thought to make the bite disappear faster.
Another Greek remedy that helps stop the itch or mosquito bites is using aloe vera.
Greeks have revered aloe vera as a universal panacea for more than 2,000 years. It works well for a variety of dermatological ailments, especially sun burns, of course.
All you need to do is cut off a fresh piece of aloe vera and rub the gel on your mosquito bites to make the itch go away.
Greek yogurt is of course another natural remedy Greeks use to make the itch of nasty mosquito bites stop.
Not only is yogurt is made with proteins that coat and soothe the skin from irritation, it also reduces inflammation. An added bonus is that the probiotics in Greek yogurt will help repair the skin and make it look less blotchy.
