The arrival of warm weather is an exciting time for most people, but warm weather also brings mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can be quite annoying, but not only can their bites causes minor discomfort and itching, but they can carry dangerous diseases like malaria, West Nile Virus and some others. According to the Center for Disease Control, the potentially deadly mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, dengue fever and more can be prevented provided you take the necessary precautions. One of these precautions is wearing a high quality mosquito repellent. If you’re concerned about the harmful chemicals that many mosquito repellents contain, there is no need to risk your life by remaining exposed to the potential dangers that mosquitoes bring. There are many all-natural sprays available that work just as well as the commercial brands to prevent yourself from being bitten by these disease-carrying insects.
The first type of mosquito repellent is one that you can make yourself. All you need to do is go to any local health food store and purchase one or more of the following essential oils: rosemary, citronella, basil, cedar wood, juniper, lemon, pine or myrrh. You will need 2 ½ teaspoons total of the oil or mixture of oils of your choice, which you would then mix with 1 cup of 190 proof grain alcohol from a liquor store and place into a bottle and mix. It can be applied to either your clothes or your skin, provided the repellent doesn’t cause skin irritation.
If you’d rather not deal with the hassle of making your own repellent, Quantum BuzzAway offers a 6 oz spray bottle of natural mosquito repellent that is made from a combination of essential oils and denatured ethyl alcohol and is deet-free. According to manufacturers, this product smells great and is one of the most effective natural mosquito repellents on the market. For a modest price of just over $5, you can purchase this repellent from healthsuperstore.com.
Another choice for a natural mosquito repellent is called Mosquito Barrier, which according to mosquitobarrier.com is the only flea, tick and mosquito repellent for grassy areas. Just one application keeps fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, black flies, and fire ants away from your yard for nearly a month. With only 2 ingredients, nearly 94% of pure garlic juice and a food grade preservative, Mosquito Barrier is 100% chemical-free. This product is different from others as you don’t spray it on your body, but you instead you spray it around the area of your house to keep them away. It can even be used in gardens to keep insects away from flowers and crop. You can purchase it from their website for $22.95 per quart.
Yet another choice for a natural mosquito repellent is to simply grow certain plants in your yard. The herb catnip, which is also an enjoyable cat treat, contains an oil that is said to be several times more powerful at keeping mosquitoes at bay than the dreaded deet, the active ingredient in many commercial mosquito repellents. Marigolds are a beautiful and colorful flowers that many gardeners love to plant in their gardens. This beautiful flower is also a natural mosquito repellent because the plant emits an odor that mosquitoes find offensive.
Another method of repelling mosquitoes for you to choose from is called Terrashield. This product contains eucalyptus oil, which is the only oil approved by the CDC for use in mosquito-repelling products. It also contains a blend of many other oils in addition to other natural ingredients, and is deet-free. With a pleasant scent, this insect repellent is effective for up to 6 hours after application. You can purchase a 15 ml bottle for $12.67 at doterralife.com
Reference:
- www.doterralife.com/
- www.mosquitobarrier.com/index.html
- www.healthsuperstore.com/p-quantum-buzzaway-6oz.htm
