Saturday, July 30, 2011

Natural Insect Repellent info & recipe

It's very easy to make your own natural mosquito repellent. These natural products will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require more frequent reapplication (at least every 2 hours) and higher concentrations than DEET.
Because of the differences between types of mosquitoes, products that contain multiple repellents tend to be more effective than those containing a single ingredient.

Sample :

Natural Insect Repellent
app: 2 ozs.
Ingredients
20 drops eucalyptus oil
20 drops cedarwood oil
10 drops tea tree oil
10 drops geranium oil
2 oz carrier oil ( jojoba , sweet almond, olive etc.)
Directions
Mix together in a 4 oz container. Apply to skin as needed.
Avoid eye area.
Test on a small area of skin.
You can try different oils to your liking .

different Oils to maybe try are:

Citronella Oil
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Cinnamon Oil
Castor Oil
Rosemary Oil
Lemongrass Oil
Cedar Oil
Peppermint Oil
Clove Oil
Geranium Oil
Possibly Oils from Verbena, Pennyroyal, Lavender, Pine, Cajeput, Basil, Thyme, Allspice, Soybean, and Garlic

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

The essential oils that work well against biting insects (mosquitoes, flies, ticks, fleas) are:cinnamon oil (mosquitoes)
lemon eucalyptus or regular eucalyptus oil (mosquitoes, ticks, and lice)
citronella oil (mosquitoes and biting flies)
castor oil (mosquitoes)
orange oil (fleas)
rose geranium (ticks and lice)
Safe carrier oils and alcohols include:olive oil
sunflower oil
any other cooking oil
witch hazel
vodka

Natural Insect Repellent Recipe
Mix the essential oil with the carrier oil or alcohol.
Rub or spray the natural insect repellent onto skin or clothing, using care to avoid the sensitive eye area. You'll need to re-apply the natural product after about an hour or after swimming or exercise. Unused natural insect repellent may be stored in a dark bottle, away from heat or sunlight.

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