Natural mosquito repellents
With summer just around the corner, chances are good you’ll be spending plenty of time outdoors. Whether you’re at the beach, BBQ-ing with friends or setting up a picnic in the park, uninvited guests will often make an appearance, especially if you’re outdoors at dusk. While grabbing a can of a commercial mosquito repellent may be easy, many people are steering clear due to the active ingredients found in most formulations.
DEET or diethyl-meta-toluamide is an active ingredient that has been linked to all kinds of nasty side effects, including damage to brain cells, behavioural changes and even harmful interactions with some medications. Go DEET free with one of these natural solutions for a safe, mozzie free summer.
- Catnip – Not just for driving your pet cat completely bonkers, the essential oil found in catnip is almost 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling mozzies.
- Citronella – Commonly found in candle form, the pure essential oil variety can also be used to protect against mozzies. Make sure you buy a 100 per cent pure essential oil suitable for topical application. The fragrance oil often sold for oil burners won’t work unfortunately.
- Lavender – Mixing a few drops of pure lavender oil with a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba will not only leave you smelling sweet, it’ll also repel mozzies very effectively.
- Lotus – If you’re looking for a mosquito repelling plant, try planting lotus flowers. Research has found that the plant is an effective mosquito repellent and also helps kill mosquito larvae.
- Black pepper – Another essential oil to add to your arsenal. Black pepper oil has been found to be a highly effective mosquito repellent, even in small quantities.
Related links:
5 ways to stay cool while camping
Tips for caravanning with pets
How to make your own mosquito trap