Natural Mosquito Repellents You Can Use Right Now
Filed Under: Do It Yourself on July 27, 2009
This was originally published in Natural News on July 23, 2009.
by Aaron Turpen
Have you ever looked at the back of a bottle of insect repellent you might have purchased in the store? You`ll see chemical names like N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, N-diethyl-3-methyl-benzamide, 2-hydroxyethyl, and 1-methylpropyl ester.
Do you have any idea what those are? Most people don`t, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency`s website, the first two are the chemical names for DEET and the other two for Picaridin.
The EPA`s own study of DEET in 1998 found that it poses no specific risk to humans provided it is not worn for long periods of time and is used as a topical repellent only. Their tests of both DEET and Picaridin show them to only be “slightly toxic” when ingested.
This could be worse, but if you`re not interested in even slightly exposing your family to questionable chemicals–especially if a proven alternative exists–then there are ways to avoid them. Why expose yourself or your children to potentially toxic chemicals if you don`t have to?
Prevention First
The first step in keeping mosquitoes from biting is to not have them around in the first place. Your home, place of business, etc. might be a mosquito breeding ground. Drain or clean up any standing water.
If you have ponds or non-chlorinated pools, consider a circulation system to keep them fresh and clean.
Keep the gutters around your home clear of debris.
Two other attractants are evergreens (especially the heavy foliage types) and dark clothing. Consider using a natural insect killer like diatomaceous earth (DE) to treat your trees and shrubs. Finally, avoid dark clothing if possible, as it`s a natural visual cue for mosquitoes.
Natural Insecticides
There are a lot of natural insecticides you could turn to for help in keeping the pesky mosquitoes away as well. Many are available as topical oils and creams for ready use off the pharmacy or health store shelf. Others can be quickly (and easily) made at home from essential (non-dilute) oils.
