Mosquito Protection Is More Important than Ever
Protecting yourself and your loved ones from mosquito bites is more important than ever. That's because mosquitoes today may transmit dangerous, even deadly diseases, like encephalitis, West Nile Virus and Zika.
1 - Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE)
Unlike most all-natural insect repellants, oil of lemon eucalyptus or OLE appears alongside products like DEET on the Environmental Protection Agency's list of registered insect repellants. This list is proven safe and effective for use, even on pregnant and breastfeeding women, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is a natural oil that comes from the twigs and leaves of the lemon-scented gum eucalyptus plant, native to Australia. There are many products on the market today that contain this sweet, woody smelling, ingredient.
2 - Garlic
Mosquitoes do not like the pungent smell of garlic. And while you might not want to go so far as to rub it on your skin, when you eat more garlic, the smell of garlic can permeate your skin.
3 - Cloves
Cloves are another ingredient that you might find right in your kitchen that can be used to fend off mosquitoes. You can just put a handful of clove buds in a sachet and keep them in your pocket. You can also use clove oil to make a homemade insect repellant for the skin by diluting a few drops in a spray bottle with either witch hazel, rubbing alcohol or olive oil. Use approximately one part clove oil to 10 parts of the liquid used for dilution.
4 - Lavender
You can also carry some lavender flowers in a sachet, or for more effectiveness, crush the flowers and rub them directly on your skin. While we like the fragrant aroma of lavender, mosquitoes and other insects like moths and flies do not like its smell. Lavender essential oils can also be used to make homemade insect spray for the skin. The best thing about lavender is that it has other benefits for your skin as well. In addition to being an insect repellant, lavender has also been shown to have analgesic (pain relieving), antifungal and antiseptic properties.
5 - Catnip Oil
Herbs like catnip, rosemary, and mint are thought to repel insects like mosquitoes; however, catnip or catmint oil is the only one of these that's identified by the EPA as being an application for use on the skin to repel mosquitoes, black flies and other insects. According to the EPA, small amounts of hydrogenated catnip oil can be applied directly to the skin. For children, it's recommended that parents first rub the oil into their own hands and then rub it on to the child with their hands, avoiding the child's fingers and hands.
In addition to the five all-natural mosquito repellants that we've mentioned, there are many other herbs and essential oils that come from plants and trees that have long been recognized to be effective for repelling mosquitoes. You can easily find more information on these by searching online.
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