Harmless, Natural Mosquito Repellents

Herbs and Oils that Repel Mosquitoes Without a Bad Effect on Health

Sep 24, 2009

Excessive use of DEET mosquito repellents is known to be harmful. How can mosquitoes be kept away with using products that are kinder to health and to the environment?

Mosquitoes are dangerous, disease carrying pests and worst and an irritating nuisance at best. The war against mosquitoes typically involves spraying a commercially produced mosquito repellents containing DEET, which have dangerous side effects, especially when used on a continual basis.

Finding a mosquito repellent plant and using the essential oils made from these plants can assist in keeping the pests at bay without being a hazard to health.

Natural Mosquito Repellent Citronella Grass

An aromatic grass grown mainly in Sri Lanka and Java with stems that resemble sugar cane and long, lance like leaves. Also known as nard grass, its oil is commonly used as a mosquito repellent.

Besides oil production, citronella grass is also used for culinary purposes, in tea and for flavoring food. The stems are cut off at ground level and the oil is extracted to make citronella oil.

When purchasing this plant, look for either Citronella Winterianus or Cymbopogon Nardus. Citronella likes full sun with approximately 76 cm (30 inches) of water annually. Do not over-water.

Citronella grass may not survive cold, damp winters and the plants need to be replanted each spring after the ground has warmed. Planting citronella grass around the home under windows will provide a lovely fragrance and keep mosquitoes away.

Citronella oil is an excellent natural mosquito repellent but it needs to be applied to the the skin every 30 minutes or so to be truly effective. Citronella candles, soaps and creams are also helpful in keeping mosquitoes at bay. If mosquitoes are a severe problem, a combination of nets and citronella or lavender oil will work effectively.

Lavender Plant

Lavender is said to be an effective mosquito repellent, but once again the essential oil needs to be applied regularly to work. Lavender creams can be made at home by combining a little aqueous cream with pure lavender essential oil.

Lavender plants prefer sunny conditions and the plants do not need a lot of water, in fact they are a good choice for arid or dry areas. Lavender tolerates sandy soil conditions as long as the drainage is good.

More Mosquito Repellent Plants

Other plants that can be planted in the garden, known to be natural mosquito repellents include garlic, rosemary, catnip, basil and thyme. Trees and flowers that work well in keeping mosquitoes away include cedar and pine trees; and flowers to look out for are geraniums, daisies and chrysanthemums.

Natural mosquito repellent can be made at home using a few drops of essential oils from plants such as lavender, rosemary, basil, verbena, lemongrass, pine cedar, or cinnamon. The drops of can be added to water in a spray bottle for a quick spray-on repellent that is inexpensive and does not have a bad effect on health.

More Articles on Mosquitoes, Herbs and Natural Health:

The copyright of the article Harmless, Natural Mosquito Repellents in Herbal Properties/Benefits is owned by Fleur Hupston. Permission to republish Harmless, Natural Mosquito Repellents in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.