I got stung by a bee last week when I was trimming my roses. The little guy was hidden in the petals and didn't mean to hurt me, but I interrupted his breakfast. Pain, itching and swelling immediately followed--you know what it's like. I decided to check for home bee sting remedies and was surprised by what I found.
Bee stings are acidic, I learned, so should be treated with something alkaline. I had heard of making a baking soda paste with water, but had not been excessively impressed in the past. Another remedy was honey, which I didn't try. The efficacious remedy was TOOTHPASTE! In a matter of minutes, the pain and itching stopped, and in a few hours the swelling disappeared. Who would've thought?
I also learned that wasp stings, on the other hand are alkaline and need an acidic treatment. Vinegar and witch hazel were recommended, along with honey. Honey is pretty amazing, the article said. It even helps treat burns.
So keep your toothpaste handy as you work in the yard this fall, and keep stocked up on honey for all that fall baking.