My smaller kid reacts to the insect bites and he gets really swollen, so I will buy some insect repellent, should have done it already. What's your advice on the best one, should I get a stick, spray or those that we connect to the electricity? I'm afraid of this last one because I think they can cause allergies or breathing issues, anyone with experience on this?
I use plants, either the live plant or the essential oil. Lavender essential oil I use straight. There are so many repellent plants, it's really about more what I want to smell like right then. Citrus also repels but I avoid that as it's photosensitive, and will cause a burn when in the sun. All essential oils just about require a carrier oil. Lavender is one you can use straight. All the mints repel to various degrees Peppermint is great and one of the best of the mints, but for children it is better to use spearmint. Lemongrass s good, as well as catnip. Studies have shown catnip is stronger than deet. I gave a bottle of my lavender to my 9 year old granddaughter when she had a rash. I told her she can also use it for repelling bugs too. It has really helped empower her and I love that along with passing on the knowledge of plants. Best wishes.
I want to try those natural mosquito repellants. I read that America uses so many insecticides that we are killing off bumblebees. I grow lavender, and mint. I tried keeping the mint in the pots or planters but those seed continue to plant themselves in my grass. It is the devil getting rid of unwanted mint.
I did not know this about catnip. Thanks for the information. I like using the lemongrass instead of the lavender.
Wow, I'm really glad that I've visited this topic. I was also looking for natural ways to repel mosquitoes aside from Citronella. Because from where I am, the most famous plant to do this job is Citronella plant (also known here as "mosquito plant"). Lotions with citronella extracts are popularly used here as an insect repellant. Anyway, I have 2 citronella plant in our place and now I'll be looking to buy lemongrass, lavender and peppermint plants too.
If it is for children, you should try to avoid deet. While it is the most effective repellant, there has been some concern when used with children as it remains on the skin and kids will put body parts in their mouths. Yarrow is a plant that grows wild here and it is effective against flies and mosquitos - just roll the leaves in your hands to extract the oil and rub it on your skin (I have tried it and it does seem to work). Marigolds are supposed to be effective as well but they leave you orange. An electronic bug repellant (if it works) is probably safer than one of the coils that is burned as the fumes from burning get into the lungs but it will depend on the chemical involved. It is best to read the label carefully if there are allergy or respiratory concerns when using a heated or combustible repellant.
The problem with electronic bug repellents is that it leaves a smell like you say Lostvalley and it causes allergies to my kids and to myself, so I never use those. I've tried my new roll-on repellent this weekend and it was great, not a single bite, so I am really happy with it. The kids were happy too because they felt safer when I was putting that on them.
Over here, we used to use that electronic insect repellent with no problems. I think you made a good choice with the roll-on repellent, that's what most parents use on their kids based on the commercials that I see for such products, so I guess they are really safe for kids and adults alike.
The problem with most electronic insect repellents sidney is that they leave a bad smell and this causes allergies both to me and my kids, so the roll on is in fact a good option. The kids love it because they feel safe, I tell them is some magic liquid lol and they know they are not going to be bitten and swollen.
i have a reaction to deet, an ingredient in bug spray. So it caused allergies but skin allergy not sneezing. Test it on a small area of his skin before spraying it on.
Actually I've been using the roll on I've bought for the past month and a half and I am pretty happy with it, just once I've forgotten to use it on my kids and they were attacked, so that day proved that it's working fine. It was being a headache before the repellent, the kids got really severe reactions to being bitten.
You can use some essential oil as a insect repellent. You can use Lavender or Citronella oil and put it in a burner. I used this oil to protect my kids from insects like mosquito and flies. You can also use some anti-mosquito patch that is made of natural products. It is safe for your kids too.
In addition to using essential oils for repellant, you can also put a piece of rosemary on your grill when you are cooking outside. It's scent keeps lots of bugs away, including those pesky yellow jackets that like to ruin barbeques. We have had great success with that even in places that were know for yellow jackets being a problem.
Every year I have the same problems with mosquitoes during the Summer, but now that it has mostly passed and the troubles are gone, just yesterday I saw these bracelets for sale in a shop, does anyone know if/how they work?
I've never seen of heard of something similar to that and to be honest, depending on the price, I would try them for sure, because they seem really practical, considering they work. At the same time I do doubt they are effective because if you have a band on the wrist, what would keep the bug from biting your foot?
I don't know if you can get mosquito coils in your country. But if they are available, I would definitely recommend to use them instead of insect repellents. I have used them all my life, especially when camping outdoors in areas where you can contract Dengue Fever or Malaria. Alternatively, you might want to check out some recipes for home-made, non-toxic insect repellents. Here are some good ideas:Log In
I make my own insect repellant using 20 ml of virgin coconut oil, 12 drops of citronella essential oil and 12 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. This works well even for my kids' skin since these are made of all-natural ingredients. When we go out camping, we sometimes use insect repellant stickers which we place on the kids clothes or on the inner part of the tent as a reinforcement.
I've never heard of mosquito coil until now, it seems an interesting idea, the only concern I have is the smell because both me and my kid have allergies and I don't know if the smell from those can trigger a reaction. The same with non-toxic ones, their smell can be really active. Why do you say regular insect repellents are bad Dora?
It's a matter of trying it, if it bothers your allergies then don't use it anymore, have you tried using incense? It's smoke can be effective as well in repelling some mosquitoes, as long as your allergies aren't triggered by it as well... Regular insect repellants have far too many chemicals for them to be perfectly safe IMO, especially since there are some natural solutions.
I can't stand incense really, it makes me sneeze and I can stay like that for a couple of days. As for the repellent, so far I am doing fine with the drugstore repellent, I am not using it everyday, just when I know that some bugs might have entered my place or the house where I am sleeping that night.
