The mosquito defines “small bite, big threat.”. This is the slogan that was used by the World Health Organization a few years back to describe mosquitoes. It is globally considered as one of the deadliest creatures putting the whole world to be at risk for deadly diseases.
Mosquitoes are not only dangerous, but they are very annoying too. Who would have thought that such little creatures can cause dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya, West Nile Virus, and Rift Valley Fever? They risk the world to immense health dangers yet they require very little to survive and multiply!
Getting rid of these insects has been a long time quest. Getting bitten before was no big deal. But now, people are more conscious of its deadly threats. Dealing and preventing these blood-sucking creatures is very critical for any household especially if there are kids. Having a good and effective mosquito repellent is a top priority.
Sure enough, mosquito repellents are widely available, but these store-bought anti-mosquitoes can also bring harm to people and animals. Commercial repellents are surely proven to be effective, but natural mosquito repellents are still much recommended.
Why Use Essential Oils for Insect Repellent?
This is where essential oils come in useful. Aside from their aroma and health benefits, certain oils also work as insect repellents. Mosquitoes are very sensitive to scents and knowing which oil can produce that scent is key to avoid the toxic insecticides. Similar to certain plants like catnip, marigolds, and rosemary which mosquitoes hate, some oils have the same effect to these deadly insects.
The most popular is the citronella oil. There are available sprays in the market where citronella is the main concentrate. Other essentials oils that can repel mosquitoes are lemon, peppermint, basil thyme, lemongrass, eucalyptus, geranium, and clove.
Making your own essential oil insect repellent spray is easy. It will also prove to be cost-effective for you as small amounts of oils are only needed per preparation. The time it takes to make it is also convenient and hassle-free.
Here is a classic mosquito repellent spray and below are the natural oils you will be needing:
- 1 12 oz bottle of Witch Hazel (it is highly recommended to use the alcohol-free or paraben free variant to stay with the natural trend)
- 15 drops of citronella essential oil
- 10 drops of peppermint essential oil
- 15 drops of lemongrass oil
- 10 drops of tea tree oil
- 1 funnel
- 1 empty spray container
- 1 empty mixing jar
Once the above ingredients are ready, the process of making the actual repellent is very straightforward.
- Pour the Witch Hazel into the mixing jar along with all the essential oils.
- Once mixed thoroughly, use the funnel to pour them into the spray container.
- Shake the bottle before use to get that full effect before use. This little exercise ensures that the components don’t separate.
Just three simple steps and these mosquitoes will surely rid themselves within your radius stat.
