How to protect yourself from mosquitoes naturally |
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Warmer days have finally arrived and you are planning to stay outside.
But, as soon as you peek through the door, you get attacked by mosquitoes!
You can’t enjoy the beautiful weather and spend time outdoors with your friends and loved ones.
This is absurd and irritating. That moment you start thinking about the ways of protecting youself against mosquitoes.
But you know that mosquito creams and sprays can be harmful and you wish to avoid using them, especially on kids.
But what about natural products? Can they help you or are they not effective enough?
They are effective, but they need to be applied more often. They are not harmful and are suitable for children, even babies.
It is best to choose products with more ingredients for their synergism creates a better mosquito protection.
You can make your own spray or cream for protection from mosquitoes.
How to make a mosquito repellent
It is very easy to make your own repellent - a natural product for protection against mosquitoes.
Natural oils will effectively repel mosquitoes, and they need to be reapplied every 2 hours.
To protect against mosquitoes, you can use the following essential oils:
- citronella oil
- lemon eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus Citriodora)
- cinnamon oil
- castor oil
- rosemary oil
- lemongrass oil (Lemongrass - Cymbopogon citratus)
- cedar oil
- peppermint oil
- clove oil
- geranium oil
Mix selected essential oils with olive oil and regularly apply the mixture on your skin to protect yourselves against those small villains.
You can also add verbena, lavender, pine, basil and garlic oils.
If you decide to purchase a bio-repellent, we recommend that you choose products with multiple ingredients because they are generally much more efficient than a repellent that contains only one or two ingredients.
Do not forget that some factors such as rain, swimming and showering may diminish the effectiveness of repellents, so they should be reapplied.
Helpful tip
Mosquitoes do not like the wind! For camping, select a windy place.
Things that attract mosquitoes (avoid them!)
1. Dark clothes and foliage
Dark clothes and foliage attract mosquitoes. Therefore, avoid dark colors and do not spend time near a tree with dark leaves.
2. Carbon dioxide
Our body releases it when we are hot or after we exercise. Burning candle or fire is another source of carbon dioxide.
3. Lactic acid
Our body releases lactic acid after exercising or eating certain foods (such as salty foods). Lactic acid is a magnet for mosquitoes.
4. Floral and fruity aromas
Few people know that fruit and floral scents can attract mosquitoes. We're not talking about perfumes. Face creams and body shampoos, hair sprays, cosmetics, sunscreens etc. may contain subtle scents that attract insects.
5. Skin temperature
Different species of mosquitoes prefer different skin temperatures. But generally cooler body temperatures (such as cold hands and feet) are more attractive to mosquitoes.
6. Humidity
We all know that mosquitoes love moisture. Even small amounts of water (like wet flowers and puddles after rain) will attract mosquitoes. Stagnant water is where mosquitoes breed. But not only that – even the smallest amounts of sweat on your body will attract mosquitoes.
Natural treatments for a mosquito bite
If you still get bitten, you can use the following natural remedies to ease the itching and redness:
Essential oils:
- lavender
- lemon eucalyptus
- lemongrass
- bay
Hydrolates (floral water):
- hamamelis
- geranium
- lavender
Other natural products:
- aloe vera (cream or gel)
- black cumin oil
- chamomile (cream)
- propolis (cream)
- marigold (cream)
- colloidal silver (spray)
- sodium bicarbonate (dilute with water to make a paste, apply to the bite site)
Did you know?
- There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes around the world.
- Different types of mosquitoes use different techniques for finding food (scary!)
- They do not attack only humans, but also other mammals, frogs and birds.
- They have adapted to all types of climate: they live in tropical countries and arctic regions.
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