In Part One we tackled the most annoying part of summer – mosquitoes. We explored natural strategies to avoid getting bitten, including making yourself less attractive to mosquitoes, using environmental controls, and putting up mosquito barriers. Here we will cover some of the best natural products that you can apply directly to the skin, both to prevent bites, and to relieve the itch if you get bitten.
Use Nature’s Repellents
The simplest repellant is vinegar—any type. You can put it into one of those oil-and-vinegar shaker bottles and just sprinkle it on your face and arms–especially around your ears—whenever you will be around mosquitoes.
There are also repellents made from fragrant essential oils, which are sold at many natural food stores. Most contain oil of citronella and/or oil of peppermint as the active ingredient. You can find a list of commercial herbal repellents at Debra’s List, or make your own (there are many sources for “recipes” online).
The U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recommend oil of lemon eucalyptus as an effective mosquito repellent. This natural, plant-based repellent oil is prepared from leaves of Eucalyptus citriodora. It is similar to citronella in smell and similar in effectiveness to a repellent with a low-concentration of DEET. Other herbal oils that repel mosquitoes include citronella, eucalyptus, lemongrass, tea tree oil, cedar oil, and peppermint. If you purchase these as straight oils, mix them with some plain cooking oil first to dilute them before putting them on your skin.
Smoke also discourages mosquitoes, regardless of the source—a citronella candle, a mosquito coil, a campfire, or even a cigarette and incense. They can rid an area of mosquitoes to a certain degree, but are not as effective as applying a repellent right on your skin.
Mosquitoes also hate the smell of garlic.
Natural Treatments for Mosquito Bites
If, after all the prevention, you still get bitten, here are four excellent, natural ways to relieve the itch.
1. Make a paste of water and baking soda and put it on your bites.
2. Apply salt water made with natural salt—the water will evaporate and the soothing salt will stay on your skin.
3. Rub raw garlic over the bites.
4. Apply aloe vera to the bites, in gel form or straight from the plant.
Caution: Don’t Use DEET
“Cover any exposed skin with DEET” is the standard advice for preventing mosquito bites, but it’s not the best advice for your health.
The warning label on insect repellants containing DEET, the common name for diethyl toluamide, says, “Harmful if swallowed. Avoid contact with eyes and lips. May damage furniture finishes, plastics, leather, watch crystals, and painted or varnished surfaces, including automobiles.” Do you really want to rub something on your skin that could take the paint off my car?
The Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry list a variety of symptoms and even deaths associated with normal dermal use of DEET by both children and adults, but characterize these symptoms as relatively rare. Other research has confirmed that long term exposure to DEET can cause brain impairment rats.
But there’s no need to take any risk at all with all the safe and natural alternatives available.
Debra Lynn Dadd has been researching and writing about how our consumer choices affect our health and the environment for more than twenty-five years, earning her the title “The Queen of Green” from the New York Times. A woman of many interests and talents, she brings her natural curiosity, wisdom, and personal experience to the challenge of living green every day at home. A writer, consultant, and speaker, her prolific website includes everything from a directory of websites that sell green products with 1000+ links, to recipes using natural sweeteners. Her book Home Safe Home has been continuously in print since 1984. www.dld123.com
Tags: natural mosquito bite remedies, natural mosquito repellants
Two more repellents.
Take vitamin B1. It works immediately. Vitamin B1 releases an odor that comes through your skin that mosquitoes don’t like, and they will keep their distance.
Apparently they don’t like vanilla, either. Put vanilla on pulse points, like perfume to keep mosquitoes away.
Debra
Here at the nursery we use 100 Percent Pure Neem Oil spray which we use as if we were a plant. One spray in the morning keeps the skiters off all day long. I also put it on my pets, cats and dogs, and it works on them too.
Another one that works is Peppermint Oil mixed in water and sprayed around will keep your picnic area clear while you eat. We also mixed water and Oil and put it into pots with fire ants and they left the pots by the next day. The best part is the soil smelled like peppermint. Happy Gardening Kathy
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