5 Natural Insect Repellents
(BeWellBuzz) Are you aggravated by “Zzzzzzzzzzz” sound in your lawn? When warmer weather comes, you find that lots of bugs and insects also come along. These little creatures not only cause trouble and irritation due to their presence but also spread many severe diseases like dengue fever and malaria.
The good news is – you can make natural insect repellents at home and get rid of insects naturally. With natural products, you can control exactly what goes into it, so you won’t need to worry about any unwanted chemicals.
Here are top 5 natural insect repellents:
1. Grain Alcohol
You can use grain alcohol, witch hazel or vodka to repel insects. For best results, mix grain alcohol with a small quantity of any of the following according to your own choice:
- Camphor
- Lemongrass oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Cedar oil
Make a solution and pour it in a spray bottle. The spray works as an excellent insect repellent and will make the insects go away within minutes. Use this spray in the air or on the surface as it is safe for humans. Do not use it on flowering plants.
2. Garlic Mixture
To create a garlic mixture, you need following ingredients:
- Few fresh garlic cloves
- Any mineral oil
- Lemon juice
- Water
Crush the garlic cloves and make a paste. Pour some lemon juice and mineral oil and then mix these well. Add two glasses of water and set it overnight. Next day again shake it well and mix all the ingredients until it becomes single colored homogeneous mixture. Now again wait for a few hours before using strain to separate the solution. Use this solution through a spray bottle. It is also safe and will cause trouble to only the insects.
3. Lavender
Who doesn’t love the fragrance of lavender? Did you know that lavender is also a natural insect repellent? Take few petals of lavender in your hands and rub those petals. Then, rub the hands around your neck, arms and feet. It will not only keep the mosquitoes away but will also keep your nostrils filled with a nice fragrance.
4. Olive oil
Olive oil is the “wonder oil” that works in numerous ways. How many uses of olive oil come to your mind? Countless, right? Yes, and you would be amazed to know one more use of olive oil. It’s an insect repellent. Get 5 tablespoons olive oil and mix it well with the same quantity of cinnamon oil. This olive oil mixture will be enough to keep the mosquitoes away from you for the complete summer season.
5. Beer
Beer is a natural insect repellent. Don’t believe it? Yes, it’s true. Beer can help you get rid of insects too. You need the following ingredients to make it work:
- A can of cheap beer
- One cup Epsom salt
- One cup Mouth wash
- Half a cube of dry yeast
Mix well the first three ingredients. Now pour this mixture in a jar and add dry yeast. Shake this mixture again and let it sit for two hours. Once it’s ready, spray this mixture in the lawn, and you will not find any insects for the next three to four days.
There are also some other natural household bug repellents which can be effectively used against insects. The preparation technique and method varies, but the main ingredients which are available in your kitchen may include:
- Essential Oils: You could use essential oils like lemon, orange, clove, peppermint, and mint that are easily available at home. These essential oils are known to deter insects due to their strong odors.
- Garlic and Pepper Powder: If you want to keep insects at bay, you can sprinkle both garlic and pepper powder in the key areas where you find most of the bugs in your house.
- Cucumber Slices: In order to get rid of ants in kitchens, you can use cucumber slices or a pinch of turmeric in cracks and areas where you see ants. This will not only kill them but also prevent them from coming again.
- Crushed Mint: You can use small packets of crushed mint to repel house flies.
- Lemon Peels: It has been found that citrus smell of lemons helps in getting rid of moths.
Time to Get Close To Nature Again!
Remember there is nothing better than using all natural products. You must avoid chemicals as much as possible. Using these natural insect repellents, you can steer the insects away without causing any harm to the environment.
References:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/natural-insect-repellents-460608
http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa050503a.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/od/healthbeautyprojects/a/naturalinsectrepellent.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect_repellent
http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm
