Do you use a commercially bought insect spray? Most of us know that the most commonly used ingredient in these sprays is DEET (N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide). Although DEET is approved by government protection agencies as safe for use it is a known eye irritant and can cause rashes, soreness, or blistering when applied to the skin. DEET has also been linked to neurological problems and has been shown to have a negative impact on wildlife and water sources. It is toxic to birds and aquatic life. So with this in mind a few kinder ways to keep the bugs at bay...
This works really well but, beware it is stinky when you first put it on. The story behind the famous recipe goes that a group of thieves were robbing the dead in France who were infected with the Black Plague. When the thieves were caught they were offered a deal (hang instead of burn to death) in exchange for the secret to what kept them healthy after being exposed to the disease. There are many recipes for "Four Thieves Vinegar" I've given a couple of variations to the most common one below.
- 1 Large Bottle of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Drops each of Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme and Mint essential oil along with 1 clove of crushed garlic (or try 2 tablespoons of each herb - add in wormwood or rue if you have it stewed in the vinegar for at least 30 days)
- Put all into a large jar with lid
Things to take to make your skin not smell so tempting to bugs
- B1, 2T apple cider vinegar daily, eat lots of fresh garlic and oranges.
- Lay off the bananas (skeeters love the smell of bananas)
- Wash with a naturally scented lavender or peppermint soap in the summer.
- Rub lavender flowers or lavender oil on your skin, especially on hot parts of body (neck, underarms, behind ears, etc) to repel insects.
- Rub fresh or dried leaves of anything in the mint family all over skin to repel insects (peppermint, spearmint, catnip, pennyroyal, etc or citronella, lemongrass, etc) Basil is also said to repel mosquitoes.
Other Ideas...
Different bugs are repelled by different smells. If you are making large amounts of insect repellent, a good rule of thumb is to mix the repellent so it's 5-10% essential oil, so mix 1 part essential oil with 10-20 parts carrier oil or alcohol. For a smaller batch use:- 10-25 drops (total) of essential oils
- 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil or alcohol
- Mosquitoes: (Lemon, Peppermint, Eucalyptus radiata, Lemongrass).
- Moths: (Patchouli, Cedarwood, Hyssop, Lavender, Peppermint, Spearmint)
- Horse-flies: (Tansy)
- Aphids: (Mix 10 drops Spearmint and 15 drops Orange essential oil in 2 quarts salt water, shake well and spray on plants).
- Cockroaches: (Peppermint)
- Silverfish: (Eucalyptus)
- Ants: (Put down a line of Peppermint or Spearmint essential oil across your kitchen counter or floor and the ants won't cross it. If you already have a line of ants invading your house, just draw a line of oil across them and they will turn back!)
- Beetles: (Peppermint, Thyme)
- Caterpillars: (Spearmint, Peppermint)
- Chiggars: (Lavender, Lemongrass, Peppermint)
- Cutworms: (Sage, Thyme)
- Fleas: (Peppermint, Lemongrass, Spearmint)
- Gnats: (Patchouli, Spearmint)
- Spiders: (Peppermint, Spearmint)
- Ticks: (Lavender, Lemongrass, Sage, Thyme)
- Weevils: (Cedarwood, Patchouli, Sandalwood)
- Lice (rose geranium)
Good carrier oils and alcohols include:
- olive oil
- sunflower oil
- any other cooking oil
- witch hazel
- vodka
How to Make Homemade Bug Spray:
- Fill spray bottle 1/2 full with distilled or boiled water
- Add witch hazel to fill almost to the top
- Add 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin (or aloe vera jel)
- Add 30-50 drops of essential oils to desired scent. The more oils you use, the stronger the spray will be.
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