How Annoying Have Mosquitoes Been to You?
Living in a mosquito-infested environment can be quite frustrating, especially when no long-lasting insecticide is available to keep them away. It becomes so frustrating that you feel that since studying all night or working late into the night is not keeping you awake, why then should mosquitos?
Apart from the bumps you get from their bites, you can also fall sick when you get too exposed to them. Some of the health conditions you may suffer from when you get too many mosquito bites include; malaria, Zika virus, West Nile virus, Dengue fever, and chikungunya, among others.
Not only do their noises and unwanted music bring discomfort and sleep deprivation, their bites and the bumps that the bites leave on your skin can cause several nightmares for you in one night.
With all of these things happening to you, you may begin to think about moving out of that environment or getting a long-lasting solution to the problem because leaving it unattended can reduce the quality of your life and skin and also give you mental stress.
It is important to undertake measures that can help you get rid of mosquitos. These measures involve eliminating their breeding grounds, such as garbage or stagnant water. After this is done, you can then adopt the use of a strong insecticide that can keep them away all day and all night.
However, using chemical-based insecticides is a slippery slope as, on the one hand, they get rid of mosquitoes in your environment and help you enjoy your sleep, but on the other hand, most of these chemical-based insecticides can be harmful to your health and can cause more hazards to you than to the mosquitoes you are even using them on.
This is why it is important to be cautious when choosing insecticides for your home. However, to avoid going through the stress of having to choose which chemical-based insecticide is less harmful to you, you can try using a DIY insecticide made from both carrier oils and essential oils, and this is what this article will be focusing on.
What You Should Know About Natural Repellents
These natural homemade mosquito repellents have to be applied directly on the skin for maximum results. Studies have shown that these mosquito repellant oils are effective in blocking mosquitoes’ sense of smell, such that they might not be able to detect the presence of humans and talk more of coming close to suck blood.
Although, essential oils have a record of being too concentrated and thus might cause skin reactions when applied directly to the skin.
However, the adverse effects of essential oils on the skin can be avoided by diluting the essential oil with other mild carrier oils like jojoba oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and palm kernel oil. Mixing essential oils with these carrier oils comes with no side effects at all. In other words, they are safe for you to use.
Essential Oils That Repel Mosquitos
Do you experience multiple mosquito episodes? Do you wish to avoid the health conditions that come with mosquito bites? Do you desire a natural mosquito repellant? One that comes with no side effects? If your response to these queries is yes, then you are on the right blog.
The following are natural essential oils that can help you repel mosquitoes long enough for you to enjoy an all-night uninterrupted sleep.
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
According to research, lemon eucalyptus oil is an effective natural mosquito repellant. It is present in most chemical-based insecticides. People who have used this oil over the years as mosquito repellants have confirmed its effectiveness.
Studies have shown that it can reduce the occurrence of mosquito bites by up to 96%. Lemon eucalyptus oil is packed with compounds that are effective in blocking the sense of smell of mosquitos and also killing them if they get any close to you by chance. One of these active compounds is citronellal.
All you may be required to do is, apply the oil directly to your skin and put a few drops of it in different corners of your room. It is important to dilute the oil with carrier oils like coconut oil to avoid skin reactions. Try out this DIY method and record your experience.
Cinnamon Oil
Cinnamon oil is no doubt one of the most effective oils that prevent mosquito eggs from hatching. In other words, you can both apply the oil to your skin and also spray your environment to eliminate mosquito eggs.
If you have cinnamon oil in your home and you still experiencing mosquito bites, then you are making a huge mistake. Studies have shown that without even applying the oil to your skin, by just spraying the oil in your environment, you would have gotten rid of well over half of the mosquitoes in your environment.
Now imagine what happens when you both spray the oil in your environment and on your skin? Think about it. As effective as this home remedy is in repelling mosquitoes, be careful while applying to the skin to avoid inflammation and irritation.
Better still, mix with jojoba oil to reduce the concentration. If your skin still reacts to the oil even after diluting, just spray in your environment morning and night, especially before bed, and close all windows and doors after spraying for better results.
Cedarwood Oil
Cedarwood oil has a tripartite function. First, it prevents mosquitoes from biting you, it can also help eliminate mosquitoes from your wider environment, and most important of all is the fact that it can help clear your skin of the bumps and redness that come with mosquito bites.
In other words, if you were once exposed to mosquitos before knowing about cedarwood oil, you can apply the oil directly to your skin to eliminate the bumps and irritation that the bites must have caused.
Also, you can apply the oil to your skin every night before you go to bed. However, before doing this, you should mix the oil with a carrier oil to avoid skin irritation or reaction. In addition, you can spray your kitchen, rooms, flowers, and other parts of your house with cedarwood oil to get rid of mosquitoes that may be lurking in them.
Peppermint Oil
This oil has a cooling effect on the skin, which is good, especially during the hot season. Not only will it keep mosquitoes far away from you, but it will also keep you cool and fresh all night long.
Peppermint is packed with properties that are effective in repelling mosquitoes by a whopping 90%. Studies have also shown that applying this oil to your skin does not only repel mosquitoes but also freshens your skin and keeps it supple and healthy.
What is more? Applying peppermint oil to your skin can supply you with both anti-mosquito effects and also serve as an amazing skin regimen. In addition, peppermint oil gives off a nice smelling fragrance. It is important to cite that peppermint oil should not be applied directly to the skin but should be diluted with carrier oils to reduce cases of irritation and skin inflammation.
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is known for its sweet-smelling fragrance. It is an effective mosquito repellent. Research has shown that lavender oil works not only for mosquitoes.
It also works perfectly in the elimination of bugs, ants, spiders, lice, and ticks, among others. Thus, spraying lavender oil within and outside your home will not get rid of only mosquitoes but also other insects that may be disturbing you while also keeping your home smelling nice.
Isn’t this amazing?
In addition to these, lavender oil is also packed with anti-inflammatory properties that rid the skin of every form of inflammation or irritation that may result from previous mosquito bites. Not only can the oil reduce the appearance of the bite, but it can also eliminate the itchiness that comes with the bites.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is a natural oil and is considered to be the most effective mosquito repellent. Studies have shown that neem oil can repel up to 500 pests, including mosquitoes.
Although studies have shown that this oil may not kill the pests completely, but can repel them by up to 99% and reduce the rate at which they breed.
In addition, it is one of the longest-lasting mosquito repellents, as it can last for up to 10 hours after applying it to your skin. To avoid irritation and inflammation of the skin, you should dilute the oil with carrier oils such as jojoba oil, olive oil, or coconut oil.
Conclusion
Mosquito bites can expose you to a series of health conditions. This is why it is important to get rid of them. Above is a list of natural repellents for mosquitoes. Ones that have been tested and proven to be effective.
