Home Remedies: Mosquitoes Be Gone!
[Original date of publication: June 2004]
It's that time of year again when you battle with the "skeeters" for time in your own back yard. Chances are, if you already know the value of using natural products on your skin, you're not too fond of putting all kinds of chemicals on your skin to fight these little pests. In this article we offer some natural alternatives for keeping mosquitoes at bay. And if they do manage to bite you, we offer some ideas for minimizing the itch.
Repel mosquitoes with natural essential oils. Certain oils, like lavender and tea tree, are known insect repellants. These are perhaps the only 2 essential oils that are recommended to be used straight out of the bottle and applied directly to the skin. Lavender is in fact one of the safest essential oils to use with children and the elderly. Other oils that are known to repel insects are citronella, cedar wood, geranium and eucalyptus. Do not apply these directly to the skin. Instead, make up a blend that you can keep in a spray bottle to spray onto the skin. Try the following recipe:
- 1/2 tsp citronella essential oil
- 1/2 tsp lavender essential oil
- 6 TBS water
- 2 TBS rubbing alcohol
If you do not have these essential oils available, experiment with the others mentioned above to create a mix you like best. Shake well before spraying.
Sometimes no matter how much we try to protect ourselves we still get bitten. So how can you stop the itch?
- Try applying lavender or tea tree essential oil directly to the insect bite.
- Dip a chamomile tea bag in boiling water then squeeze out excess water. Next dip in ice water and again squeeze out excess water. Apply the tea bag to the bite to soothe and reduce inflammation.
- Hold an ice cube on the bite.
Do you want to really play it safe in your quest to keep summer insects from biting you? Start your day with soaps that contain essential oils that bugs don't like! Try our Lavender Crème and Lavender Oatmeal goat milk soaps. These soaps smell great (to people not bugs!) and are very gentle on your skin. We also offer Tea Tree Remedy soap made with tea tree essential oil. Tea tree soap is good for people with normal to oily skin. And don't forget soap for your best friend! Our Dog Wash- Bug Off Blend is packed with essential oils that repel insects (lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, cedar wood and peppermint). Although we call it "Dog Wash" people can use it too! It's made from our same gentle goat milk soap recipe so it's perfect for pooch's tender skin- or yours!
Copyright © 2008 Deal Farm Soap Company. All rights reserved. Copyright policy (click to review).
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