Summertime - in the shade or in the sun – as long as it rains there will be mosquitoes. There are a ton of products on the market and some are quite toxic. There are several non-toxic ways to trap mosquitos and to repel them. You can make them with natural ingredients which are inexpensive and safe!
The website Healthy Holistic Living outlines a strategy for dealing with mosquitoes (please view the link for details):
- eliminating potential breeding sites
- maintain the yard by keeping grass low, bushes trimmed and cleaning gutters (additional breeding sites)
- wear light-colored clothing
- limit time outside to periods when mosquitoes are less active
- use screens and netting to limit the range of mosquitoes
- protect yourself with non-toxic repellent sprays which you can make at home.
The posting includes two recipes for mosquito repellent sprays. The ingredients are generally aromatic oils which can be purchased where aromatherapy oils are sold, including most health food stores and many nutrition stores.
Recipe #1
Ingredients:
5 drops of Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops of Citronella essential oil
3 – 4 Tbsp Homemade Vanilla Extract
4-5 Tbsp. Lemon Juice or 5 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
Mix all of the above ingredients in a spray bottle and fill the rest up with water (or a mix of water and vodka, or a mix of water and witch hazel). Spray away!!
Recipe #2
Ingredients:
1/2 ounce citronella oil
1/4 ounce lavender oil
1/16 ounce clove oil
1/8 ounce tea tree oil
1/8 ounce jojoba oil
Do not use this concentrate on your skin without diluting. First, dilute it by adding 16 ounces of jojoba or almond oil. Blend. *Please note because of the clove oil this may not be your first choice for children or if you are pregnant.
In addition to personal repellents, you can also create mosquito traps with ingredients found in the home. Many thanks to Crystal Ward Daniel, a friend of a Facebook Friend who posted to her FB page.
HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP:
Items needed:
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 gram of yeast
1 2-liter bottle
1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.
4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.
5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)
Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.
Enjoy your time outside and keep those pesky mosquitoes away with these helpful hints. Please let us know if these recipes work for you!
