Herbal Mosquitos Repellants
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Stacy
Posted on: June 10, 2000

My dad has a problem with mosquitos. They seem to pick him out of the crowd to suck blood from. I was wondering if you had any herbs that could help repel the mosquitos. Please include the formula for creating the remedy.

There are several herbal formulas for mosquito repellants. Generally they are not effective for as long as commercial products containing the toxic DEET, but they can safely be applied repeatedly.

Yarrow: a study has shown that an alcoholic tincture of Yarrow is more effective than some oils commonly used for mosquito repellants: citronella, birth or pine tar, Eucalyptus and Lily-of-the-Valley. I have used Yarrow as a mosquito repellant by filling a spray bottle with Yarrow tincture (available at health food stores) and found it effective for about an hour.

Citronella and Eucalyptus: an effective repellant oil can be made by adding one teaspoon each of essential oils of Citronella and Eucalyptus oil to one cup of almond oil. Test this on your skin before applying as a repellant. Some people are sensitive to the essential oils. Citronella and Eucalyptus essential oils are commonly available from pharmacies.

Other essential oils that have been found effective are Cloves, Geranium, Neem, Onion, Peppermint and Rosemary. These essential oils are available at health food stores. You can try any of these for effectiveness by adding a few drops to a teaspoon of almond oil and applying to the skin.

Feverfew: make a strong tea by adding a handful of feverfew flowers and leaves to a cup of boiling water. Allow the tea to cool, strain, apply to skin and allow to dry.

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