Deet-free mosquito repellent?

prairie hill · #1 07/18/07, 07:14 PM

We live in a part of the country known for yearly deaths from West Nile Virus but am very unwilling to use products with deet. Mornings and evenings are bad, of course, and I've got to find something actually effective. Any ideas?
Thanks.

Ravenlost · #2 07/18/07, 08:29 PM

Catnip.

prairie hill · #3 07/18/07, 09:30 PM

CATNIP? (But my kitties already love me! Will they be leaping on my back while I'm out working?)

I use catnip for tummy upsets and to stave off colds and flu, but never know it could repel skeeters....

Thanks!

Tricky Grama · #4 07/19/07, 09:04 AM

I've posted in a few places the orange oil/vanilla in water for repellant, then I used it & was viciously attacked!

Found Lemon Eucalyptus by REPEL at Target & it works! Got to cover completely, tho.

Patty

BaronsMom · #5 07/19/07, 03:01 PM

Catnip is being studied, problem is getting enough on you.

I don't risk it - I use the strongest DEET formulation possible in a product and put it mostly on clothing. Try to reduce contact with skin.

Tricky Grama · #6 07/19/07, 04:14 PM

Some don"t want to use deet b/c it's considered a carcinogen.

Patty

WalkingHorseTX · #7 07/19/07, 06:53 PM

Hi! New member here and thought I'd offer a suggestion. I live in mosquito hades as well and am also not fond of DEET. We've had great luck with Picaridin based repellents.

http://www.picaridin.com/

Good luck!

Kimberly

Cash · #8 07/19/07, 07:16 PM

A member of another list whom I respect greatly says the best mosquito/blackfly repellent she has ever used is cucumber oil. She uses it for herself and her animals (horses and cows), and she swears by it.

Alice In TX/MO · #9 07/19/07, 07:43 PM

Mix dusting sulfur with your favorite hand lotion. About two teaspoons in 1/4 cup lotion. Slather it all over exposed skin.

fin29 · #10 07/20/07, 06:35 AM

Avon's Skin So Soft really does work for mosquitoes. I make a spray using rubbing alcohol with essential oils of Lemon Balm (citronella) and Lemon Grass (about 15 drops of each to 1/4c. alcohol). I have to reapply every 1/2 hour or so, but it works. Other herbs that repel mosquitoes are rosemary, peppermint, and basil.

moonwolf · #11 07/20/07, 06:44 AM

a product I've used works to repel moquitoes, though it lasts only a few hours. Also, if you sweat or get wet, it needs to be reapplied.
The product is called 'Florida Special' and contains a blend of:
Rosemary Oil
Geraniol
Lemon Grass Oil
Alcohol

sue currin · #12 07/20/07, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cash

A member of another list whom I respect greatly says the best mosquito/blackfly repellent she has ever used is cucumber oil. She uses it for herself and her animals (horses and cows), and she swears by it.

Where can I get cucumber oil, or how do you make it?

tamatik · #13 07/20/07, 09:16 AM

eating garlic is said to reduce the bugs,,apparently it comes out thru your skin.they make garlic pills these daze so the smell isnt keeping your friends away

CajunSunshine · #14 07/20/07, 10:30 PM

A homemade alcohol or vinegar tincture of catnip works great for repelling the skeeters. Catnip is super easy to grow and it readily re-seeds itself for another crop of leaves and stems for next year. It is also good for a lot of other things too...a must-have on my homestead.

Heh. I recently read that some scientifical study or another indicated that some compounds in the catnip is as effective as DEET!

Catnip skeeter dope is easy to make. Here's how to do it:

Chop fresh leaves, stems. Put into a blender with just enough rubbing alcohol (or vinegar) to cover. Whiz it good. Pour the mess into a clean glass jar. Cover, keep in a dark location (or put the jar into a paper bag). For two weeks, shake twice a day, if you can remember it. Strain, pour into clean bottles. I put mine into spray bottles.

Before offering your body as a blood sacrifice when venturing outdoors, spray the catnip tincture onto exposed areas. It will buy you a few hours of nearly mosquito-free time. Reapply as needed.

I'm a believer in catnip spray and a diet that is big in B-Complex rich foods (or extra B-Complex vitamins). Something about them that mosquitoes hate...

I plagiarized myownself with this post (from my blog), so apologies to those who have seen this post before...but just I couldn't resist, with all the talk about catnip, and all.

Like Baron'sMom, I've read too, how catnip is effective as DEET, but only IF enough is used. Well, I believe with all my heart and soul that "they" might not have made their preparation the old fashioned way: a two week old tincture, as described in this post. Also, maybe they didn't understand that the peak time for harvesting the herb at its peak potency is just before or at the very beginning of flowering...

This homemade potion works pretty good... but I wonder if I could make it even better by making a double or triple strength tincture (reusing the same liquid through new batches of green herb)... Hmmm. Maybe in a few weeks I can let ya'll know how it works out!

Old ways are good.

--Sharon

Hip_Shot_Hanna · #15 07/21/07, 06:57 AM

Well, I heard it worked. So I tried it. If it works for y'all, that's great. But here in Central Texas, it did NOT work. Not on me, my daughter, my daughter-in-law, OR my grand daughter. Maybe our skeeters are hungrier or fiercer, dunno. We sure have a lot of them! We had to get out the DEET, because it seemd that the Skin So Soft bath oil served as a gravy with the main course. We were bitten anywhere skin was exposed, and that's what we really covered with the bath oil too.

Some say that tucking a bounce fabric softener sheet in your belt or hatband works. I haven't tried it.

The Lemon Eucalyptus oil by Repel also works well for us, though you might want to spray it and then smear it with your hand to spread it out. That stuff has a VERY strong smell, and it gets too strong fast when spraying it all over yourself. The scent is not unpleasant, just very strong.

Tricky Grama · #16 07/21/07, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hip_Shot_Hanna

Well, I heard it worked. So I tried it. If it works for y'all, that's great. But here in Central Texas, it did NOT work. Not on me, my daughter, my daughter-in-law, OR my grand daughter. Maybe our skeeters are hungrier or fiercer, dunno. We sure have a lot of them! We had to get out the DEET, because it seemd that the Skin So Soft bath oil served as a gravy with the main course. We were bitten anywhere skin was exposed, and that's what we really covered with the bath oil too.

Some say that tucking a bounce fabric softener sheet in your belt or hatband works. I haven't tried it.

The Lemon Eucalyptus oil by Repel also works well for us, though you might want to spray it and then smear it with your hand to spread it out. That stuff has a VERY strong smell, and it gets too strong fast when spraying it all over yourself. The scent is not unpleasant, just very strong.

Maybe you're right-TX mosquitos ate me up when I used skin-so-soft too. The lemon eucalyptus seems to work for me, if I cover well w/it.

Patty

Jethro · #17 07/21/07, 12:04 PM

I have an article from a sports mag that did tests on the leading mosquito repelents. This was before Lemon stuff from Repel, however. They went to Florida and built cages that would hold a persons arm and several hundred mosquitos. All the products that had a goodly amount of DEET worked very well. The test with Skin So Soft was a TOTAL bust!! The first mosquito bite came within 7 SECONDS!!! I am out alot and use the Repel 29% DEET. I don't have any problems with any bugs when using this stuff. The stories about DEET being a cancer agent are true to a point. But they don't tell you that you have to pratically drink the stuff by the gallon to have any problems with cancer.

Cash · #18 07/21/07, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sue currin

Where can I get cucumber oil, or how do you make it?

Sharon got it through a soap making supply house. Perhaps your local natural foods store carries it, too.

Rea · #19 07/22/07, 12:09 AM

Found this recipe a little while back in a search for something to use on my now 11 month old grandson that doesn't contain harmful chemicals. So far this formula has worked great for him & on me.......

In misting spray bottle add 2-4 drops tea tree essential oil and 3-6 drops lavender essential oil. (less drops for very young children, more drops for older children) close and shake in order to blend oils and create a synergetic blend. Then add 3 oz distilled water and 1 oz witch hazel. Avoid eyes and mouth when misting. Reapply every other hour in very hot weather.

Another repellant is just plain old apple cider vinegar or vinegar in general. No, it doesn't smell good, but if you just working around the place or don't have to worry about what others thing of the smell, you can rub your self down with either one and there ain't hardly a critter around that will bother you!

Good Luck!

Rea

Tricky Grama · #20 07/22/07, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jethro

I have an article from a sports mag that did tests on the leading mosquito repelents. This was before Lemon stuff from Repel, however. They went to Florida and built cages that would hold a persons arm and several hundred mosquitos. All the products that had a goodly amount of DEET worked very well. The test with Skin So Soft was a TOTAL bust!! The first mosquito bite came within 7 SECONDS!!! I am out alot and use the Repel 29% DEET. I don't have any problems with any bugs when using this stuff. The stories about DEET being a cancer agent are true to a point. But they don't tell you that you have to pratically drink the stuff by the gallon to have any problems with cancer.

This is true, there's so many chemicals we use daily that you'd have to ingest a ton of b/4 you'd have a problem. However, there's many of them that interact and while each one is OK in small am't, we are taking in so many of these that are OK in small am't that it's no longer a small am't.
If that makes any sense.

Patty