Remedy a bee sting is baking soda whereas wasp sting is cured with vinegar. Why?Baking soda has side effectsBee sting is acidic while wasp sting is slightly basicVinegar is better than baking sodaVinegar has remedial properties (2024)

FAQs

Why is it wrong to treat a bee sting with vinegar and II Why is it wrong to treat a wasp sting with baking soda solution? ›

Bee stings are acidic in nature, which is why a household remedy for a bee sting is baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, which is a basic substance. A wasp sting, on the other hand, is mildly basic, so a household remedy for this will be vinegar, also known as acetic acid.

Knowing whether something is acidic or basic can be very useful. For example, wasp stings are alkaline but bee stings are acidic. So if you get stung you need to put bicarbonate of soda on a bee sting and vinegar on a wasp sting.

The theory is that the acidity of vinegar can help neutralize the alkalinity of wasp stings. The opposite is true of bee stings, which are more acidic. To use vinegar on wasp stings, soak a cotton ball with apple cider or white vinegar and place it on top of the affected area of skin.

When a wasp stings, it releases methanoic acid which leads to irritation. Applying baking soda to it neutralizes the excess acid released during the sting as baking soda is alkaline in nature. While adding lemon juice will increase the pain and redness.

We can get relief from this acid by rubbing baking soda on the affected area. This is because, being a base, baking soda neutralises the effect of methanoic acid injected by bee sting which is an acid and cancels its effect and gives relief.

Often, it's best to rinse a sting with vinegar. Vinegar is a weak acid that might keep the stingers from firing for some kinds of stings (especially from dangerous types like box jellyfish). Do not rinse with fresh water (like tap or bottled water) because that can make more stingers fire.

Bee venom has a pH value of between 4.5 and 5.5 which makes it acidic, although not highly acidic; it's only slightly more acidic than milk and human saliva.

Venoms. Bee and wasp venoms are different, each containing distinct major allergens, which are well defined. Phospholipase A2 and mellitin occur only in bee venom, and antigen 5 only in wasp venom, but both venoms contain hyaluronidases. Patients allergic to wasp venom are rarely allergic to bee venom.

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a base. This means that when people dissolve baking soda in water, it forms an alkaline solution. For example, a 0.1 molar solution of baking soda has a pH of around 8.3.

If all else fails, some people swear that Mom's cure-all remedy, Vicks VapoRub smeared directly on the red spot, will provide nearly instant, and certainly fragrant relief. Whatever works is somebody's favorite treatment. Some of the more unusual ones include covering insect bites with Elmer's Glue, or nail polish.

What is the fastest way to heal a wasp sting? ›

Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water. Place ice (wrapped in a clean cloth) on the site of the sting for 10 minutes and then off for 10 minutes. Repeat this process. If the person has problems with blood circulation, decrease the time that the ice is on the area to prevent possible skin damage.

Cleaning the site can remove any bacteria or venom the wasp might have carried. This will also help wash out some of the venom left behind by the wasp. Wrap a thin cloth around an ice or cold pack. Apply this pack to the sting site for 30 to 60 minutes, in intervals of 10 minutes on and off.

Wash the site with soap and water. Remove the stinger using gauze wiped over the area or by scraping a fingernail over the area. Never squeeze the stinger or use tweezers.

There's no real scientific evidence that toothpaste can help bee stings. However, people claim that the alkaline toothpaste (high pH) neutralizes the acidic honey bee venom (low pH). If this is true, however, toothpaste won't work on wasp venom, which is alkaline.

While some common bee sting remedies may not be effective, they typically aren't harmful, says Dr. Nguyen. However, she cautions against using any treatment that makes the pain and redness worse, such as hydrogen peroxide or antibiotic soaps that can be irritating to the skin.

Some people claim that apple cider vinegar can help reduce the swelling of a bee sting. However, clinical research has yet to show that apple cider vinegar has many of its purported health benefits. Also, as an acidic substance, it can harm the skin if used incorrectly.

Wasp sting venom is alkaline and so its effects can be neutralised with vinegar or acid and this neutralisation then reduces the pain.

He writes that bees are accustomed to acidic environments and that household vinegar, with a solution of 5% acetic acid with an average PH of 2.5, isn't enough to kill bees. In fact, beekeepers will even use distilled apple cider vinegar in their bee feeders to prevent mold and bees aren't the least bothered by it.

Bee sting venom is acidic(formic acid) and so its effects can be neutralised with soap which is an alkali and this reaction reduces the pain.