When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad. Remembering your favorite things might not help, but the following bee stings home remedies could be the answer you’re looking for. If you’re a beekeeper, or find yourself among honeybees, it’s not unlikely that you’ll feel the sharp pain, redness and itching from a bee sting now and then. 
When a bee stings you, its stinger is released into your skin. This ultimately kills the bee. Honeybees are the only type of bee that die after they sting. Wasps and other species don’t lose their stingers, so they may sting you more than once.
If a bee stings you, it leaves a behind a venomous toxin called apitoxin, that can cause pain and other symptoms. It’s a colorless liquid composed primarily of proteins. Some people are allergic to this toxin. Mild allergic reactions may cause extreme redness and increased swelling at the sting site.
A honey bee can inject roughly 0.1 mg venom, and most adults-barring those with allergic reactions-can safely withstand 10 stings per pound of body weight.
But don’t worry. Here are some easy and convenient bee stings home remedies to help ease the discomfort.
If the bee that stung you was a honeybee, then remove the stinger as soon as possible. If it was a wasp then you can’t. The best method of removal is to scrape it out. DO NOT pinch the stinger as you could be squeezing more venom out of the venom sac located at the end of the stinger. But, even slight delays in removal caused by concerns over performing it correctly (or getting out a knife blade or credit card) are likely to increase the dose of venom received.
My Top 9 Bee Stings Home Remedies
1. Apply Ice 
Apply an ice compress on the affected area to get immediate relief from various symptoms.
Cold temperature slows the distribution of inflammatory substances to the bite site. It also helps numb the pain as well as reduces swelling.
Here’s What to Do:
- Put some ice cubes in a thin washcloth and tie it.
- Hold this pack on the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Reapply every few hours until the pain and swelling are gone.
You can also hold a cold bottle of water or a bag of frozen vegetables on the affected area.
Important Note: Never put ice directly on the skin, which can cause frostbite.
2. Apply Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is incredibly soothing, and it can ease discomfort, greatly reduce that infuriating itching, and help with swelling. For best results, apply it undiluted, but if you aren’t comfortable with this, feel free to dilute it – it will still help. You should make sure beforehand that you don’t get irritated by the essential oil, as the last thing you want is to make the sting even more uncomfortable.
You will need:
- 1 drop of lavender essential oil
- a small amount of liquid neutral oil (if diluting.)
Here’s What to Do:
Apply one drop of lavender essential oil directly on the sting. Make sure the stinger is completely out before doing so. You can also dilute it 50/50 with a liquid neutral oil. Do this twice the first day, and one time the next day.
3. Mud, Glorious Mud
If you’re out in the bush or enjoying the outdoors and caught completely unprepared, mud will work just fine to help with the initial pain that comes with a sting. Since mud can be usually be easily found, or made, it makes it one of those handy bee stings home remedies.
You will need:
- Some dirt (or mud if it’s nearby)
- Water
Here’s What to Do:
Add enough water to dry dirt to make a thick but easily applicable mud. Cover the sting completely. When you get home, rinse clean and pay dry.
4. Baking Soda Paste
Sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda) is a great bee sting home remedy that just about anyone can pull off. All you need is baking soda, of course, and a bit of water. The baking soda will help relieve swelling, as well as soothe itching. 
Here’s What to Do:
- Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a little water to make a paste.
- Apply the paste on the sting site for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Wash the area with lukewarm water.
- If the discomfort persists, repeat the remedy after a few hours.
5. Apple cider vinegar
Vinegar may also help neutralize bee venom. 
Here’s What to Do:
- Soak a cotton ball in raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
- Hold the cotton ball over the welt for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Repeat as needed.
If you do not have apple cider vinegar, you can use white vinegar.
6. Toothpaste
It’s unclear why toothpaste can help bee stings. Some people claim that alkaline toothpaste neutralizes acidic honeybee venom. If true, however, toothpaste won’t work on alkaline wasp venom. Either way, toothpaste is an inexpensive and easy home remedy to try. Simply dab a bit on the affected area.
7. Mustard
Mustard has been used since ancient times to treat bee sting and other insect bites. Apart from being rich in antioxidants, mustard has a nice amount of selenium which makes it a great anti-inflammatory agent. You can use mustard to get relief from swelling and pain from the bee sting.
Here’s What to Do:
- Take some mustard powder and sprinkle over the area of bee sting.
You may also use mustard seeds. - To make a poultice of mustard, take some mustard powder and add water to make paste. Place this mustard paste in a thin cloth and wrap it. Hold this mustard poultice against your skin where you have been stung by bee.
8. Epsom Salt Bee Sting Home Remedies
The white Epsom salt crystals contain magnesium and sulfate, the two substances that are known to reduce inflammation. They also relieve pain. However, the most important aspect of using Epsom salt for stings is that it helps draw the stinger to the surface of your skin. So, if you are not sure whether the whole stinger has been pulled out of your skin or not, you may use Epsom salt.
Here’s What to Do:
- Take some Epsom salt and water.
- Mix to make a paste.
- Apply this paste to the affected area.
9. Honey Honey
Now here’s a bit of irony! Honey is another good remedy for bee stings. It helps dilute the venom and its antibacterial nature reduces the risk of infection. Honey may also help with wound healing, pain, and itching.
The soothing nature of honey helps alleviate symptoms quickly.
Here’s What to Do:
- Smear a little pure, raw honey on the affected area, allow it to dry and then rinse it off with warm water. Repeat a few times a day.
- You can also mix equal amounts of raw honey and turmeric to make a paste. Apply it on the affected area, a few times daily for a few days.
