Eco-Friendly Mosquito Repellents are Safe, Non-Toxic

Eco-Friendly Mosquito Repellents Protect You and Your Family!

If you live in a part of the world where mosquitoes are a problem, you’ll know that they are an irritant, and some varieties carry disease.  But most anti-mosquito products contain DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide) and that’s not good for the environment, nor, apparently for us if we use it repeatedly – children especially are at risk.

I get mosquitoes most summer days, so I need eco-friendly mosquito repellents.  I certainly don’t want DEET all over me!  Read on to find out

• Why mosquitoes prefer some people to others
• Some eco-friendly, safe and natural recipes that will keep the mozzies away

Why Me? Why Do Mosquitoes Love Me So Much?

Firstly, why do some people seem to be endlessly attractive to mosquitoes, and others not at all?  Well, according to the American Mosquito Control Association, there are some suggestions but we’ve barely scratched the surface of mosquito preferences.  So, here’s what is commonly accepted at this stage:

• It’s to do with sight and smell.  Mosquitoes are attracted to dark things – so wear light colours for a better chance.
• Your rate of carbon dioxide is important.  We all breathe out carbon dioxide, but if you have a higher metabolic rate, you exhale more.  So do larger people, and pregnant women.
• And the warmer you are, the more you’ll attract mosquitoes.

However, apparently it’s an old wives’ tale that eating bananas will attract them and taking vitamin B will repel them (I can vouch for the latter – I take Vitamin B and they still love me.  It must be my winning personality).

Some Anti-Mosquito Tips

Mosquitoes breed in still / stagnant water.   So as a simple eco friendly mosquito repellent, remove sources of water from around your house – and that includes pet dishes, bird bowls, old tyres, small shallow pools, and flower pots.   Be aware however, that your surroundings (outside your property) may have water traps.

Alternatively, if you have a pond, stock it with goldfish, mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis)  or some native fish which eat mosquitoes.   Then your pond will act as a natural eco friendly mosquito repellent / trap.

A product called “Mosquito Dunks” is apparently non-toxic and can be placed in stagnant water; however, you should avoid inhaling the dust, and wear gloves to handle it.  I haven’t seen the product, but my gut feel tells me those handling suggestions don’t make it sound non-toxic, so personally I probably wouldn’t use it.  But it’s widely recommended by others.

Citronella candles, or little machines which release citronella, are fairly effective as eco-friendly mosquito repellents.

Recipes – Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Mosquito Repellents

When you make your own eco-friendly mosquito repellents, you’ll know for sure that they’re safe because you’ll know exactly what went into them! Below are recipes for DIY mosquito repellents, as well as some more tips.

Mosquito Repellent Dab

Place half a cup of crushed parsley into a small jar of apple cider vinegar.   Refrigerate.  Dab the mixture on your skin, or dip a handkerchief in it then wear it as a hatband or around your neck.

Mosquito Repellent Oil

Mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 10 drops of essential oil from this list (use one or a mixture of a couple):  basil, eucalyptus, cloves, geranium, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, pennyroyal, lemon balm (citronella).   Essential oils are normally available at health food stores and online.

Combine in a glass jar and stir.

Dab a few drops on your clothing or skin.

(Caution:  pregnant women should consult with their doctor before using).

You might want to experiment a little – different oils work best for different people, depending upon your body chemistry.  If you don’t like the smell of one which works for you, add some peppermint oil.  Test a small area of skin first to check for any adverse reaction.

Mosquito Repellent Spray

If you would prefer to be able to spray on an eco-friendly mosquito repellent, try half a cup of chopped fresh rosemary with a cup of boiling water.  Let it steep for about an hour.

Once it is cool, put it into a spritz bottle and keep it in the fridge.  Spray it on yourself as needed.

Other Suggestions:

• Bats eat mosquitoes.   If you like them, encourage them to your home by building or buying a bat house.  However, although they do eat mosquitoes, they prefer larger insects.  So bats will help, but won’t eliminate them.
• Avoid wearing strong perfume.
• If you’re having a BBQ, try placing some sprigs of rosemary or sage on the coals.
• Grow rose-scented geraniums or Citrosa geranium on your patio or porch and swish your hands through the leaves as you go outside.  Or grow lemon balm there.   Some nurseries sell a strain of lemon balm plants with a higher essential oil content – crush a leaf or two in your hand and then rub it over exposed skin.  Catnip might also work.
• While indoors or on a patio, use a fan – mosquitoes don’t like being blown around (that’s why you get bitten less on a windy day – my personal, non-scientific observation).
• Remember that plant / herb-based solutions last for a short time only – re-apply at least every hour.
• The best clothes: Wear long-sleeved shirts, trousers instead of shorts, and shoes instead of sandals.  In hot summer weather these may not seem attractive, however, thin and loose-fitting clothes may be just as comfortable and also help to protect you from sunburn and UV damage.  A broad-brimmed hat can help keep bugs away from your head. Clothes are an excellent eco friendly mosquito repellent.

Things to avoid:  garden pesticides all over your garden, which kill all insects including the beneficial ones and disrupt the natural balance; and electric bug zappers which kill lots of things but very few mosquitoes.

It’s a fact that DEET works very effectively, and for a longer period of time than herbal remedies – perhaps keep some for emergencies only.   Or consider applying it to your clothes instead of to your skin in the hope that it will still repel them.

As a final suggestion, if you do get bitten, apply a drop of osha root (a native American herb) tincture.  If you can’t find it, make a paste of water and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and dab that onto the bite instead.

Watch this video to see how to make your own mosquito repellent:

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Warm regards