For a family in mosquito country, needing to use mosquito repellents throughout the Summer is just a fact of life. The thing is, the main ingredient in the most popular products is DEET, which has recently been called into question as potentially damaging to children's developing nervous systems -- and potentially harmful to adults as well. Yes, there's evidence to the contrary as well, but is it worth the chance? Anything you put on your skin is immediately absorbed in to the bloodstream. The folks making it known that DEET might be dangerous don't have a grudge against the DEET makers -- they have no reason to make an issue unless the potential for harm was there. Given that, did you know that making your own natural formula is totally easy? And that there's natural ingredients that have been shown to be 10 times more effective than DEET? You can make gallons at a time if you want! So here's a primer on making your own effective insect repellent formulas at home, and even how to use these same ingredients to repel the buggers from the space around you as well. Making your own natural, and even "all organic" if you like, mosquito and insect repellent formulas is as easy as it gets. These will be exactly the same as any of the natural over-the-counter products you'll find in your local health food market. All you do is choose your base -- be it unscented lotion or a liquid to spray that "holds" the essential oil, add the essential oils to it, shake well, and there you have it. Commonly available aromatherapy tools also make it easy to repel insects from your home as well. An "aromatherapy diffuser" is a common tool for dispersing essential oils into the air around you. Simply using one of the oils known for its repellent action will repel bugs from your environment and not just your body. Couldn't get easier! You'll just want to make sure you find a diffuser that can output a high concentration of oils in to the air, so check on specifications -- one's that simply warm the oils to release a little scent will probably not do the trick. So how about it -- prepared to make your first all-natural topical mosquito repellent? The basics are this: Your concentration of essential oils is anywhere from 5 to 10 percent. The higher number is most common, but if you find you or your loved ones are sensitive to such a strong formulation, just lower the amount of oils a bit. Some of these essential oils are so effective, as we'll see, that a 5% concentration will work just fine. First, choose your base: either an unscented lotion or, if you'd like to make a spray, use either low-alcohol rubbing alcohol (like the 70% kind, or even lower), or if you can get it in your state, Everclear will work well. If you'd like to avoid alcohol, use witch hazel, which is also available at regular grocery and drug stores. Once you've chosen your base, you'll just measure your essential oils and add them to it. If you're making 4 ounces total, then A 10% concentration uses 240 drops essential oil -- if you have something that will measure milliliters, that's 12 ml. Which essential oils to use? A few which are often used are Geranium, Citronella, Cedarwood, Lemongrass and Lemon Tea Tree. These can be mixed and matched to your liking. Using more than one is recommended, as the aroma's will synergize, possibly having a more potent effect together than any single oil alone. But on that note, scientific research has it that Catnip essential oil, being made up primarily of nepetelaction, is the single most potent essential oil for repelling mosquitoes -- ten times more effective than DEET. It's a pricier essential oil because of its relatively low production, but you'll also be able to use less. Here's an example recipe: fill a 4 ounce spray bottle with 1/3rd each vodka, water, and witch hazel. To this add 120 drops Rose Geranium, 80 drops Lemongrass and 20 drops Peppermint. Shake well and apply. You can spray this on the outside of your clothing if you like, and of course, directly on your skin. For children under 12, be sure to substitute Spearmint for Peppermint, and the Peppermint can be to intense for the young ones. You can make precisely the same recipe in a lotion: just find an unscented, preferably organic natural lotion and add this same amount to the lotion base. These same oils can be used in a diffuser to disperse the oil around your home. A nebulizing diffuser is best, as they output higher concentrations of the oils. As in making the topical formula, Catnip essential oil will probably be most effective -- at the same time, you may or may not find your own nose likes Catnip! In this case, concoct your own recipe from the oils already discussed. How much to diffuse? Experiment for your space and your needs -- the idea is to use the least amount of essential oil necessary to do the job, so see what works for you and your family. And there you have it -- a quick look at how easy it is to use essential oils as insect repellents during these Summer months, with the great relief knowing you're choosing organic and natural oils over questionable synthetic ones for your health and the health of your family.
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Are you concerned about applying DEET to your little ones? Here's a way to make your own, very effective, very safe formula at home to keep the bugs of Summer away.
For more on the wonderful therapeutic potential of essential oil, visit The Ananda Apothecary.
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