DIY Homemade Mosquito Repellent

Summer is here, and with it, those annoying mosquitoes. For two days now, I have been seeing cases of people coming into the pharmacy with very exaggerated reactions to the bites of these pesky arthropods, and they have been asking me about natural repellents. I am leaving you a little recipe here to make at home. It is formulated with a […]

repelente-mosquito casero

Summer is here, and with it, those annoying mosquitoes. For the past two days, I've been seeing cases of people coming into the pharmacy with very exaggerated reactions to the bites of these bothersome arthropods, and they are asking me about natural repellents. I'll leave you a little recipe here to make at home. It is formulated with a mixture of mosquito-repellent essential oils, which give off such a strong scent that they drive them away. They smell like citrus and are a much milder alternative to chemical insecticides (DEET or N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide found in Relec, or IR 3535 found in ISDIN Anti-mosquitoes).

The stars of our recipe are citronella and geraniol essential oils, which are what the main pharmaceutical brands use for their anti-mosquito bracelets. But our preparation will be much more complete in its composition, as well as environmentally sustainable. Today, it is easy to get certified organic essential oils, so I recommend that you use ones that guarantee they come from organic crops to ensure they do not contain traces of chemical pesticides and that they also provide the highest levels of quality. Furthermore, when we consume organic products, we avoid polluting the land, water, and air.

The recipe is as follows:

Let me tell you about the properties of each one:

Virgin ORGANIC neem seed oil (Melia Azadirachta) is a natural insect repellent. Its smell isn't very pleasant, but it is very effective. In addition, it will provide flexibility, hydration, and a sense of comfort to the skin, preventing the feeling of tightness that essential oils might leave behind.

ORGANIC tea tree oil (Melaleuca Alternifolia) has antibacterial, antiviral (herpes simplex), and antifungal (Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Tricophyton mentagrophytes) activity.

ORGANIC geranium essential oil (Pelargonium graveolens) exhibits antifungal and antibacterial properties. Furthermore, its strong smell makes mosquitoes flee from it quickly.

ORGANIC citronella essential oil (Cymbopogon citratus) also gives off an intense scent that repels mosquitoes. Additionally, it relieves inflammation in the case of bites.

ORGANIC lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia) is not only a healing agent but also acts as a mosquito repellent.

ORGANIC witch hazel hydrosol (Hamamelis virginiana) has soothing properties against insect bites, tones the skin, and helps relieve skin irritation.

To disperse the essential oils uniformly in an aqueous medium—in this case, the witch hazel hydrosol—it is necessary to use an essential oil solubilizer, such as sulfated castor oil, also known as Turkey red oil. Since we aren't going to use that in this recipe, as we would need to adjust the pH afterwards and we are interested in keeping the recipe very simple, what we will do is always shake the spray very well before each application.

Materials needed to make the mosquito repellent:herbera-mosquitos

  • a scale (a kitchen scale will work).
  • a beaker (you can use any small container that you have previously sterilized).
  • a glass stirring rod (or a spoon, also sterilized).
  • a small bottle with a spray nozzle to store the lotion.

Preparation method

Weigh the virgin neem seed oil and add the corresponding drops of each essential oil. Stir with the rod so that they mix well. Now, we just need to add the 40ml of witch hazel hydrosol. Shake again, and we are ready to pour it into our spray bottle.

A very effective recipe that is prepared in barely 5 minutes. 😉

Oh! Due to its high content of essential oils, you should not use it on children under 2 years old. If you have little ones at home, you can spray the bedroom a little while before they go to sleep to prevent mosquitoes from bothering them during the night. Also, for the little ones, you can dilute geranium essential oil in a mild vegetable oil, such as almond or hazelnut oil, at 1%. A few drops of this oil behind the skin folds will be enough to keep these insects away.

References

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2016/the-pre-travel-consultation/protection-against-mosquitoes-ticks-other-arthropods

http://www.sermamas.es/homeopatia/mosquitos-y-otros-bichos/

 

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