The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsTis the season when the mosquitoes will carry you away. Any natural remedies yall can recommend?
I mean, something to put on your skin to keep them away.
d_r
(6,907 posts)You might get a LITTLE break from a few things. Try this, but no guarantee.
Get some fresh basil leaves and some garlic and some cinnamon, break out the garlic cloves and peel them and squash them in to a pot and put in the basil leaves and cinnamon and boil them in a cup of water. Bring it to a boil then let it sit for three hours. Then pour it through a stainer and catch the liquid. Mix it with a cup of vodka and a bottle of tea tree oil. And spray it on your EXPOSED SKIN! DON"T DRINK IT!!!
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)But it probably tastes awful!
Unless you hold the basil, hold the garlic, hold the cinnamon, hold the water, and skip the boiling and straining and tea tree oil.
d_r
(6,907 posts)spray it on you. DON"T DRINK THAT. DON"T DRINK TEA TREE OIL!!!!
Put it on your skin. Put it in spray bottle.
alcina
(602 posts)Then you probably won't care too much about the bites.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)And we probably choose the same Screwdriver.
hobbit709
(41,694 posts)Very few of those bloodsuckers ever bite me.
a kennedy
(29,771 posts)I feel so bad for him, he'll be mowing the lawn and have at least 10 mosquitoes on his back and I won't have one. He's not the putting liquid stuff on exposed skin type either...so I just rub dryer sheets on his clothes and that helps, but he IS just an attractor. He hates this time of year. I've heard the "skin so soft" product is good. Good luck.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,976 posts)Here's a recipe: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/using-catnip-to-repel-mosquitoes-and-insects
There may be a side effect, though: Cats.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)I've tried catnip and it works for my daughter. She's an easy target for mosquitoes....they hate me so I've never had to worry about it.
a kennedy
(29,771 posts)Lots of heavy duty drugs though. Ugh......
discntnt_irny_srcsm
(18,483 posts)I've heard good things about an Avon product called skin-so-soft.
In my experience mosquitoes generally prefer hot to cold, wet to dry, dirty to clean, old to young and male to female.
Hot, all wet dirty old men have it worst.
lastlib
(23,366 posts)Can't find any empirical data that it actually works, but she seems to have less problem with bugs when she uses it.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)lastlib
(23,366 posts)no defense against those.......they don't show up on radar.............
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)Death B-4 dishonor!
lastlib
(23,366 posts)(of COURSE you don't see a plane--it's a STEALTH fighter! )
mackerel
(4,412 posts)We rarely get mosquitos.
Response to mackerel (Reply #14)
DebJ This message was self-deleted by its author.
mainer
(12,037 posts)citronella lotion repels for only about 15 minutes.
femmocrat
(28,394 posts)I just saw some kind of lemon and eucalyptus stuff on a TV report too. It looks pretty good. I'll try it if I can find it.
They bite the living heck out of me regardless and I can't stand those oily repellents on my skin.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)Now I use the oral remedies that repel ticks and fleas and prevent heartworms.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,379 posts)Mosquitoes don't like the smoke.
It'll kill you, but you won't die itchy.
raccoon
(31,131 posts)Yo_Mama
(8,303 posts)If they are really determined nothing will stop them, as in a GA swamp, but if the density is less you will notice a real difference. The horseradish also tends to make horseflies and wasps/hornets veer off.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)I'm breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight snack for them. A good friend isn't bothered by them at all. She claims it's because she likes to drink vinegar.
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)Flaxbee
(13,661 posts)NOTE: Many of these are just for planting in containers to keep the buggers away from your porch, but a few can be eaten and/or rubbed on skin. The articles note which are useful for direct application - not necessarily as convenient as a lotion, but much less toxic.
Catnip is 10 times more effective than DEET, by the way (and you can rub crushed catnip on your skin - but be prepared for extra feline attention!).
http://www.gardenista.com/posts/first-aid-kit-5-essential-healing-cure-plants-to-grow-summer
http://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/fresh-clips-herbs-to-repel-insects.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=MEL%20eNews&utm_campaign=5.22.14%20MEL#axzz32MWr9yqp