Mosquito repellent

[breconbcs]

We live in a heavily wooded area with lots of leaves on the ground in the woods (many vacant unkept lots) and we've always had mosquito problems. Two years ago I bought a product that is oil of garlic concentrate, you add water and then spray it around your yard making sure to get the perimeter. I have only had to spray in the spring and it works all summer long for us to keep the majority, I'd say 90-95%, of the mosquitos away. Only "down" side is that the air smells like garlic for a day. I also used it in the dogs' area every couple of weeks and it really helped with the flea problem we have. I never had a flea on the dogs till we moved here.

As for a body repellent. I have been using a mix of lemongrass, cedarwood, bergmot with a touch of citronella (it's really strong!) oils on the dogs and kids. I just have been mixing it with water to spray it on, but I also added it to sweet almond oil so that I could use it on the dogs as a conditioner after a bath. Soap bar is in the making if I ever get past the human soaps...lol.

I also used the citronella to make air fresheners for outside at night. I haven't gotten to try those out as it's still just a tad to cool to sit out at night. But I think they will work well, the Ocean Breeze I made for the bathroom works really well. And I want to try making candles with it.

 

[2dream]

I use the listerine and water mixture every year. No it does not knock them dead but it dose work as a repellant (at least for me).

I keep the spray bottle sitting next to my chair and spray the chair and my clothes. When I first started using the listerine and water my DH laughed. The first few times I offered it to him when he was being eaten alive and I was mosquito free, he continued to scoff.

Now he has his own personal listerine and water spray bottle.

 

[big brown horse]

I use a mix of listerine on my horses when they get itchy. I noticed a difference in the stable flys when I sprayed it. They eventually came back.

And maybe I'm crazy, but I like the smell of listerine, so I tried it on myself, for mosquitoes. It didn't hold up to them Texas sized suckers, but I smelled like fresh breath! It would clear out the mosquitoes that would gather while I BBQed on the patio. I had to keep spraying every 10 minutes though.

 

[mythkat]

We use Dr Bronner's Peppermint or Lavender soap. We bathe with it and it seems to help. The peppermint works better and it also makes you feel cool and tingley.

 

[big brown horse]

We use Dr Bronner's Peppermint or Lavender soap. We bathe with it and it seems to help. The peppermint works better and it also makes you feel cool and tingley.

This is my all time, hands down, most favorite soap, the peppermint version. I have used that soap since 1986! It was the best thing to shower with in TX because it really cools you off.

 

[mrs.puff]

When I"m out in the garden, I find that a dab of vanilla behind the ears and on the wrists will keep mosquitos away for about 30 mins till I need a re-dab.

 

[Chickchic]

I have been using diluted vanilla extract for about 8 years now. I put some extract in a tiny spray bottle about 1/2 full (real or imitation, does not matter) fill the rest with water. Spray on as much as you want. just try to avoid sraying around white clothing LOL. I never get bit if I am wearing vanilla.

 

[rowdysunsetart]

Citronella oil mixed with water will stop every kind of flying bitting bug and smells like oranges, I always put a drop of peppermint oil in it too and sometime pennyroyal oil, they stop flys and fleas too. Spray around the area your going to be in, it works. also when I have a picnic I put cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil on the tables to keep flies bees and wasps away

 

[big brown horse]

Citronella oil mixed with water will stop every kind of flying bitting bug and smells like oranges, I always put a drop of peppermint oil in it too and sometime pennyroyal oil, they stop flys and fleas too. Spray around the area your going to be in, it works. also when I have a picnic I put cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil on the tables to keep flies bees and wasps away

Hi rowdysunsetart!!

 

[kohburn]

best stuff I've come up with hat handles mosquitos and ticks both is a blend of lemon eucolyptus and teatree essential oils. I'll have to experiment with the mints and vanillas too.