Other Ways To Repel Mosquitoes
Aside from making your own natural mosquito repellent that can keep the insect away, there are other ways to prevent mosquitoes from feasting on you.
Here are some practical ways:
1. Wear long sleeves, pants, and closed-toe shoes. Tuck in your shirt to your pants and your pants into your socks to prevent mosquito bites from getting inside. This can be uncomfortable if it is 90 degrees outside but this is just a practical choice if you dont want to use chemical mosquito repellent or a natural one is not available at the moment.
2. Turn on the fan. It will be hard for mosquitoes to settle on your legs if there is air moving around and driving them away.
3. Get rid of stagnant water. Mosquitoes breed in standing water so make sure that there is no water standing on your buckets, drums, unused flowering pots, unchanged water in vases, and other things that may collect water in your yard or inside your home.
4. Make sure that you keep your pool clean, circulated, and treated regularly.
5. Stay indoors before sunset as this time mosquitoes are more active and aggressive.
Diy Homemade Mosquito Repellent Candle That I Love Burning In Our Home Or Outside On The Patio
This is a super simple DIY that you can make to naturally repel mosquitos when youre outside or in your home! Its also beautiful to look at and fun for the kids to make too so win win. I try my best to do things in as natural a way as possible so this makes a perfect solution to the mosquitos.
YOULL NEED
1 quart size jar
1 grapefruit
A few sprigs of rosemary
10 drops of citronella essential oil
DIRECTIONS
Slice citrus and layer in jar
Add rosemary in between layers of citrus
Fill with water
Burn where desired! Good for a couple of days then toss
What To Look For In Natural Mosquito Repellents
People are usually prone to mosquito bites due to a combination of scent, light, heat, and humidity. If youre a mosquito magnet, youre probably tired of having itchy, bumpy skin.
Different species of mosquitoes like the ones that carry malaria prefer bacteria and sweat. Others are attracted to carbon dioxide and certain hand odors.
Whichever species you encounter, you can protect yourself without having to use a DEET-based chemical repellent. DEET products have the potential to cause health and environmental problems.
You might choose to avoid using DEET products unless youre visiting places that have a high risk of mosquito-borne diseases like Zika. DEET is recommended for people at risk of mosquito bites carrying any disease.
If youre doing things like taking a hike, hanging out in your backyard, or taking a camping trip, natural repellents might be a better option. This can be especially true for children, who are more sensitive.
Read on to see which natural repellents work best to prevent mosquito bites.
Used since the 1940s, lemon eucalyptus oil is one of the more well-known natural repellents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have approved eucalyptus oil as an effective ingredient in mosquito repellent.
A showed that a mixture of 32 percent lemon eucalyptus oil provided more than 95 percent protection against mosquitoes for 3 hours.
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Things To Know About Essential Oil Mosquito Repellents
Before you use essential oils to keep mosquitoes away, there are some things you should know.
DIY sprays. You might read about making your own essential oil mosquito spray. This is not a good idea. It’s hard to properly make a spray. Essential oils evaporate quickly. This means you need other ingredients to make it last longer and actually protect your skin.
Skin irritation. Proper repellents require a high percentage of essential oil. Too many essential oils can irritate your skin. Too much can easily cause a rash or other problems on your skin.
Children. Some essential oils shouldnât be used on children. Generally, you should avoid using essential oil insect repellents on children under 2 years old. Donât use lemon eucalyptus products on children under 3 years old.â
EPA Registration. The EPA doesnât require brands to register essential oils as insect repellents. This means the Agency says essential oils are safe in general without testing them for effectiveness.
Regulations Aside They Dont Work That Well
Even if essential oils were subject to the EPAs efficacy-testing guidelines, all indications are that they would fall short of repellents containing picaridin and DEET. Essential oils are just not that great at repelling mosquitoes and ticks.
A major problem is the fact that essential oils are very volatile, meaning they evaporate quickly. In 2002, researchers tested seven essential-oil repellents against DEET, publishing the results in The New England Journal of Medicine. Aside from a soybean-based repellent that offered 95 minutes of protection, all other botanical repellents we tested provided protection for a mean duration of less than 20 minutes. A 2005 study published in the journal Phytotherapy Research compared the repellency of 38 essential oils and found that none of them, even when applied at the very high concentrations of 10 percent and 50 percent, prevented mosquito bites for up to two hours. Another study, this one published in BioMed Research International, states that insect repellents with citronella oil as the major component need to be reapplied every 2060 minutes.
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Another Way To Reduce The Number Of Mosquitoes Around You Is To Make Your Own Mosquito Repellent With Tea Tree Oil At Home
One way to reduce the number of mosquitoes around you is to make your own mosquito repellent with tea tree oil at home. This can be done by mixing 4 drops of tea tree essential oil in 10 ml of coconut oil, lotion or any other base in which you prefer to apply it.
Another way to reduce the number of mosquitoes around you is to make your own mosquito repellent with tea tree oil at home. This can be done by mixing 20-25 drops of tea tree essential oil in 100 ml water and spraying this mixture on exposed skin areas before heading outdoors or during an outdoor activity like camping trips or hiking excursions where there may be a higher risk for being bitten by mosquitoes due to lack of trees and bushes that provide shade from direct sunlight .
Diy Insecticide With Tea Tree Oil
Dengue season is still ongoing. That means there are lot of mosquitoes and flies going around biting people for fun. Everywhere you go, you will definitely come home with one or two more itchy mosquito bites. It is just inevitable since Singapore is a green country. Even if you dont own plants, your backyard will still be full of trees and bushes, and mosquitos and other bugs. Yikes.
The good new is, there are a lot of insecticides and pesticides in the market. The bad news is every single one of them has the distinct pesticide scent. You spray it once in the corner and everyone in the household knows someone sprayed the pesticide because of how thick the scent is.
Now, everyone knows how powerful essential oils are. But did you also know that some of them are natural insecticides? They are just as effective as the ones on the market but smell even better!
Essential oils like Tea Tree is an amazing insecticide. It contains antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties. These properties, along with its camphor scent makes the perfect insect repellent. It does not only get rid of mosquitoes and flies but also ants, bed bugs and other stinging insects.
Geranium is a great oil to pair with Tea Tree because it enhances the effects that Tea Tree has. With this duo, you will have an insecticide that is powerful and effective yet smells so good that no one will know that you are trying to kill those insects.
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Is Tea Tree Oil Good For Garden Pests
Tea tree oil has been shown to be particularly efficient at driving away insects of many different kinds, including ants. All you have to do is put a thin layer of tea tree oil over any ant trails you come across. Not only may tea tree oil assist you in getting rid of ants in your yard, but it can also assist you in getting rid of ants that are undesirable in your house.
Natural Ingredients That Repel Mosquitos
There is significant research suggesting that natural ingredients are an effective way to repel mosquitos. This is good news for people looking to avoid exposure to toxic chemicals, Experimenting with different ingredients to create a blended, all-natural mosquito repellant thats unique to you is a fun way to stay safe from mosquito bites and its great for the environment.
Lemon eucalyptus oil
A recent study showed that a mixture of 32 percent lemon eucalyptus oil provided more than 95 percent protection against mosquitoes for three hours.
DIY You can create your own mixture with 1 part lemon eucalyptus oil to 10 parts sunflower oil or witch hazel. Researchers from the University of Florida caution against using the mixture on children under 3 years of age.
Lavender
Crushed lavender flowers produce a fragrance and oil that can repel mosquitoes. Lavender has analgesic, antifungal, and antiseptic qualities. This means that in addition to preventing mosquito bites, it can calm and soothe the skin.
You can grow lavender in an outdoor garden or in indoor planters. Crush the flowers and apply the oil to bite-sensitive areas of the body, such as your ankles and arms. Also drop some lavender oil on a clean cloth and rub it onto the skin.
Cinnamon oil
Thyme oil
You may also want to throw thyme leaves into a campfire. Research shows that burning thyme leaves offers 85 percent protection for 60 to 90 minutes.
Soybean oil
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Some Notes On Using Homemade Mosquito Repellents
Essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin, or you should do a patch test first. It can be very irritating to the skin, dry it out, and in some cases, burn the skin. Thats why it is always advisable to dilute essential oils, and dont use them on broken skin.
Essential oils can be diluted with a carrier oil such as vegetable, coconut, or jojoba oil. Usually 3-5 drops per 1 ounce carrier oil. Essential oils can also be diluted with water, witch hazel toner, vodka, or apple cider vinegar.
Use dark blue or amber bottles when storing your DIY essential oil mixtures for a long time. This will protect against UV light radiation which can impact the efficacy. Remember also, as it is a natural homemade product, you might need to toss it after a few weeks.
Most of the essential oils mentioned above can be applied to the skin or mixed with a water-based carrier to make a DIY spray. You can also use it in diffusers.
Mix any of these to create a combo and smell which you love and works best for your family. Dont be afraid to play around and try a few combos.
As these are natural repellents, remember that you need to reapply homemade mosquito repellents more often than chemical repellents containing DEET.
The plants of mint, basil, rosemary, lavender, thyme, and lemongrass can also be planted around your home or outside seating area for an added aura of protection!
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Essential Oils & Mosquitoes
Humans have long used plants and plant derivatives to repel insects or treat the bites they leave behind. Ancient Greek and Roman scholars wrote about using plants on skin and clothing, so its no surprise that the new resurgence of essential oils in popular culture is entering the fight against the bite! Many natural scents that are appealing to humans actually repel mosquitoes, including lavender, peppermint, basil, and eucalyptus. Many of these scents can be worn as an essential oil on your skin to help keep these pesky pests from biting you.
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Rubbing Alcohol Spray Mosquito Repellent
You will need
- 10-11 drops of any essential oil
- 30ml of freshwater
- Pour the well-mixed solution to a spray bottle of 40ml
- Spay to any exposed areas twice or thrice per day.
Rubbing alcohol helps to absorb oils better than using water making the spray more effective. Additionally, rubbing alcohol has healing properties, handy for mosquito bites and in combination with vegetable oils, it helps to kill and repel mosquitoes.
The above natural mosquito repellent remedies should be part of for your next trip. Wait no more, make your own natural mosquitoes repellent and keep these tiny blood-sucking creatures from ruining your holiday.
Cover image: natural mosquito repellent, ph. via shutterstock
Eric Tress is a content creator from Six Brothers Pest Control, Company that got its name from the owners, literally 6 brothers who are all equal partners in the business. They care about keeping properties and lawns out of pests and give advice about the best organic alternatives to deal with it.
Which Plants Have Insect
Many plants that are labelled as insect-repelling are, in fact, not. Specifically, the so-called mosquito plant, Pelargonium citrosum, has shown little to no evidence of repelling mosquitoes, despite its name and pleasantly lemon-scented leaves.
So, here are a few scented plants that actually have insect-repelling qualities when used correctly:
- Lemon grass and citronella grass have proven mosquito-repelling abilities thanks to the citronella oil contained within their leaves. The leaves can be crushed and rubbed on bare skin to ward off biting bugs. Tall, tropical grasses, lemon grass and citronella grass will only survive as perennials in frost-free zones those who live in colder climates will need to keep them in pots and bring them inside when temperatures drop in the fall.
- Lemon thyme is another citrus-scented plant that can be used as a topical insect repellent. Burning sprigs of lemon thyme is also effective at keeping nuisance insects away from the immediate area.
- Lemon balm, like lemon thyme, gives off a scent thats offensive to insects. Apply it topically. If youre planning to grow it, keep in mind that lemon balm is in the mint family, so confine it to a pot to keep it from spreading like crazy!
- Lavenderhas a strong scent that canrepel moths, flies, fleas, and mosquitoes. Use it fresh or dry some of the flowers to hang around the house or put in with your clothing to keep bugs out. Heres how to make lavendar sachets.
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Tea Tree Bug Repellent
Though not all authorities agree on the degree of its effectiveness, tea tree essential oil, extracted from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, can be worn as a personal mosquito repellent to keep the biting critters at bay. It also soothes insect bites and stings with its antiseptic properties.
What Insects Are Repelled By Tea Tree Oil
A versatile oil that is known for its antiseptic, antimicrobial, and anti-Inflammatory properties, Tea Tree oil has also been studied and shown to be an effective insect repellent. It is the most effective for mosquitoes, bed bugs, insects, arthropods, and crustaceans.
Oil is also a natural insecticide, which means that it kills insects without harming the plant itself. Tea tree oil can also be used to treat insect infestations, such as aphids, scale insects, caterpillars, beetles, wasps and other insects. It can be applied topically or applied as a spray.
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Tea Tree Oil And Coconut Oil Mosquito Repellent Spray
A tea tree oil mosquito repellent can work well because of the medicinal properties of tea tree oil. It has great antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that can heal mosquito bites as well. Its strong aroma is another reason why it makes a great herbal mosquito repellent.
Add 10 drops of tea tree oil and 30 ml of coconut oil to your spray bottle with distilled water and vodka to make a great homemade mosquito repellent spray that works best.
Cinnamon Bark Oil Can Help Eliminate Mosquito Eggs
Cinnamon often makes people think of warm, cozy winter nights when you are huddled in a blanket at home, with a cup of hot chocolate drizzled in cinnamon spice in your hands.
However, cinnamon bark oil has an alternative use as an effective mosquito elimination tool.
Cinnamon bark oil has a warm and spicy scent. According to research published by research published out of National Taiwan University, researchers found that Cinnamaldehyde, the primary organic compound in cinnamon was effective at inhibiting the growth of larvae of yellow fever mosquitos.
So, if you find a grouping of mosquito eggs, spraying cinnamon bark oil on the larvae may be an effectie solution to stunting mosquito growth near you.
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Tea Tree Oil Treatments Can Be Made More Effective
When dealing with mosquito infestation, youll have to devise ways to get better results.
Even when the efficacy of this essential oil isnt fully confirmed, you can adopt the preventive approach by dumping out or removing all stagnant or pooling water around your home.
These areas are ready breeding grounds for them.
Apart from removing stagnant water, also consider installing screens around your windows and also use mosquito-treated nets when you sleep.
These measures coupled with the application of your tea tree mosquito insecticide will go a long way to limit their effect on you.
Essential Oils That Naturally Repel Insects
For those who dont like to use chemical-based insect repellents, you may be happy to know that essential oils can be used to help repel insects naturally.
There are many types of essential oils that have been proven effective at ending off and killing various types of biting bugs in many scientifically-based studies.
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From disease-carrying bugs like mosquitoes and ticks, to annoying pests like biting midges, biting flies and ants essential oils can help repel bugs of all kinds.
In this article, were covering what smells bugs hate, the most effective insect-repelling oils and how to make at home an essential oil insect repellent.
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