Following on from the eco barbecues post; Christopher, over at Blog Harbour, asked about natural ways to get rid of mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes can turn a pleasant walk or relaxing evening into a nightmare of feeling that you’re being bitten alive and the critters can carry some nasty diseases.
Unfortunately, most over the counter mosquito treatments rely on harsh, toxic ingredients such as DEET. However, there are some natural, safe and effective ways to repel mosquitoes.
Go naked
Sometimes mosquitoes are ATTRACTED to the scents of shampoos, deodorants, perfumes and other toiletries, so experiment with going au natrelle on the cosmetics front. Better for you too, probably!
Repel
Use some scents on yourself which REPEL mosquitoes. Out come the essential oils for this and a little kitchen chemistry.
Mix together equal parts of citronella, lavender and clove essential oils (clove can be a skin irritant, so for your kids you might prefer equal parts citronella, lavender, geranium and rosemary).
Pop a few drops of each in a spray bottle, top up with water, add a tablespoon of vodka and spray on your skin, hair and clothes as often as you need to.
If you prefer, put the essential oils in a base carrier oil such as grapeseed and apply the oil to your skin this way.
Herbs
If the mosquitoes are really bad and you’ve got to the desperate stage, then cut a garlic clove in half and rub the juicy side over your skin. You won’t get vampires that way either ;).
If you enjoy regular al fresco dining then grow herbs around the area you sit at – catmint, rosemary, tansy, basil, pennyroyal, marigolds and mint are your allies for this one.
Supplements
Prevention, which is always better than cure, includes taking a couple of supplements which make your skin taste horrible to mosquitoes.
Take a vitamin B complex tablet and garlic capsule daily for about a month before you get a mosquito problem in your area. Continue with them throughout the mosquito season. These supplements will also help support your immune system in case you get bitten.
Top tip of the day: If you have pets, give these supplements to them too to deter fleas.
Candles
Create a little ambience in your garden with citronella candles. Citronella is the number one mosquito repellent essential oil. Make sure you buy quality candles which use pure essential oils, not a cheap fragrance.
If you’re going camping, then take some candles or special citronella incense with you too
What about you – do you have any tips to share for dealing with mosquitoes the natural way?
