8 Natural Mosquito Repellents to Get Rid of Mosquitoes
In the winter, we complain about the cold. In the summer, it’s the heat—and the mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can seriously add frustration to any outdoor activity, and if you’re like me, you want to spend as much time outdoors as possible when the weather heats up. While there are plenty of sprays, lotions, and gels that offer to keep the pests away, we all know these chemical baths are far from safe. Luckily, you can easily use a natural mosquito repellent to get rid of mosquitoes and bypass the harmful chemicals.
Natural mosquito repellents come in many forms. There are oils for your skin, plants to keep around, and even things you can eat. You can change your environment to make it less attractive to them and you can even use foods to change your body’s chemistry.
Let’s look at some of the more worthwhile natural insect repellents you can use to get rid of mosquitoes.
Natural Mosquito Repellent
1. Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Lemon eucalyptus is possibly one of the most well-known and widely recognized natural solutions for repelling mosquitoes. Whether you can find the plant to keep around your home or the essential oil to apply to pulse points, the more you can keep this scent around, the fewer pests you’ll see.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (notoriously anti-natural solutions) has even admitted the plant is as effective as DEET (used in traditional bug sprays) in mosquito repelling.
You can find natural bug-repelling products with lemon eucalyptus in it or you can make your own with the essential oil and a carrier oil like jojoba.
2. Catnip
Yes, catnip isn’t only for cats. As I wrote about a few weeks ago, this easily grown herb has many useful medicinal and household applications—including being used as a natural mosquito repellent. Researchers with Iowa State University found it to be 10 times more effective than DEET.
Because it’s a prolific grower, putting some catnip in pots around your patio can help ward off the little bugs. Also, you can simply rub the oils from the leaves on your skin. This is one of 5 homemade mosquito repellents we posted earlier.
3. Lemongrass
Lemongrass is also known as citronella, and while you can find citronella candles and oils, the plant is just as or even more effective. It’s a beautiful grass and can add landscaping interest to your yard or is great in large pots. Its effects are far-reaching, not only for repelling mosquitoes, but other bothersome bugs too.
Other Solutions to Get Rid of Mosquitoes
There are many other natural solutions that can be employed, many of which are widely available as essential oils. Also worth trying are:
- 4. Lavender oil
- 5. Tea tree oil
- 6. Consume garlic
- 7. Wear light colors
- 8. Decrease beer consumption (seriously).
Hopefully, these natural mosquito repellents will work for you, but in case they don’t, here are some home remedies for mosquito bites you can utilize.
Coconut Oil rubbed on legs, arms, neck, face and ears soaks in grease freee and keeps us "no-seeum" free totally!
I love using coconut oil on my face and like the way it sinks in I didnt know this about coconut oil though. I will try it . I have noticed my neck is getting firmer since doing this as well but cant say for sure if it is the oil or not. Even though I am not doing anyting else
Buggle, a new product made in Maine. I didn't believe it could work till I tried it — zero bites! It's a combination of natural oils and baby soap. Smells nice and washes right off, no harm done to your skin or respiratory system. I've had my bottle for going on 2 years, so it doesn't take much and it lasts.
http://youtu.be/14aZbjs0mIY
Great info overall. Lemongrass and Citronella though, are NOT the same thing. Just to be clear. They are closely related, but not the same thing. Both grasses, the citronella plant has reddish stems, while lemongrass stems are green.
If planing on a bar-b-que, etc; Try mixing some lemon dish soap in water and spraying around the bushes and such near the bb-que area. It will deter them buggers for that day and evening.
Along with not drinking beer, (Oh my gosh, what am I saying), well anyway, drinking beer and eating sugars puts off more of the human body heat that attracts mosquitos.
Eating raw Garlic not only strengthens the body’s immune system, it will deter mosquitoes. Lemon juice without the sugars or using it as a rub on exposed skin will also deter then flying hypo needles.
In the malaysian jungle a red haired friend who was being “eaten alive” kept the mossies and other bugs away by drinking a small shot of whiskey …. The bugs are all “T”totallers.