Hey Vicki, I'm new to the forum but thought I could help you out on this one. A mix of lavender, eucalyptus and lemongrass oil has always worked for me, but then again, maybe I'm just not that tasty!
This homemade recipe from stoney mountain botanicals (http://www.wildroots.com/recipe/Detailed/61.html)might also be what you're looking for: Herbal Repellent Oil 1 part fresh pennyroyal 1 part fresh thyme 1/2 part fresh basil 1/2 part neem leaf (if available) tea tree essential oil citronella essential oil olive oil
Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place until the herbs are wilted.
Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup). Turn the crock pot on low temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.
When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil.
Jump in anytime you have a suggestion, or a question, and welcome to OG!
With your mix of lavender, eucalyptus and lemongrass oil, combo, do you mix water, oil, or something else with it? And do you use equal amts. of each oil?
Thanks for the other recipe, too...I had pennyroyal in NC, but don't have it here, yet, and haven't seen any plants to buy!
Thanks for the welcome! I use equal parts of essential oils with sweet almond oil. The ratio I usually go by is 1 drop essential oil per 1 tbsp sweet almond. Some people can be really sensitive to the essential oils, so you may want to experiment with a more watered down version. If you find all the oils too greasy for you, using ethanol (or a high quality, high proof vodka, which is easier) to water it down to more of a cologne-type liquid might work for you too...just don't get tempted to drink it! It smells great and works well for me- let me know if you try it out!
I've had good luck a while back just taking a few catnip leaves and rubbing them on my skin. I haven't tried it for a couple years because I usually just don't work outside if the mosquitos are bad. I try to get out there first thing in the morning before they wake up! But if you're in a shady/wet area, it might be next to impossible to find a time when they aren't active.
Burt's Bee's makes a really nice mosquito repellant - if I remember right it has a lemon verbenna base. It worked well and I didn't get bitten, but they still swarmed around me like crazy which is almost as annoying as having them bite. It's hard to relax and enjoy being outside when you think you're going to get bitten any minute! X-(
Any commercial product with DEET in it really chases them away, so sometimes if I HAVE to be outside and they are really bad, I will use it ONLY on my clothes. I don't like to use that stuff at all but getting eaten alive by mosquitos is not good either. And I figure if it's only on my clothes it isn't doing anywhere near the harm that it would if I put it on my skin. A combination of herbs/herbal repellant on my skin and OFF on my clothes seems to work for me.
Simply applying an oil to your skin will help a lot. the mosquitos may still hover around you, but they don't like to bite thru that layer of oil whether it be olive oil, mineral oil, or whatever.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Bloom where you are planted.
tulips 4 buddy at yahoo dot com
Posts: 2492 | Location: Zone 4 Central South Dakota | Registered: June 20, 2002
I posted what I had saved to my files, so forgive me for the long post. I added Rue to my herb garden for this very reason. Mosquitoes seem to think we wear neon signs reading, "ALL YOU CAN EAT"! LOL
Also, the last couple of years we've taken a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and that seems to help. It's supposed to change body chemistry enough to make you invisible...if I remember correctly.
Combine 12 tablespoons of the premixed herbs and 2 quarts of vinegar in a sealed glass jar, and steep in the sun for 2 weeks or so, shaking daily. Then, strain out the used herbs, and retain the herbal liquid mixture. Add several cloves of crushed garlic, and seal again. Let soak for three days, and strain out the garlic fiber and discard.
This liquid tincture needs to be stored in a cool place, like the refrigerator, or it can be preserved by canning. Fill canning jar with boiling liquid tincture to within one-half inch of top. Cap with rubber seal canning lid, tighten ring, and turn hot jar upside down; leave it undisturbed until it cools to room temperature. This will cause the jar to seal. DonÂ’t forget to date and label it.
This repellent can be used many ways. Splashed on your socks or shoes will discourage ticks, chiggers, and mites. An herbal cloth kept in your pocket and rubbed on your skin ever hour or so would be very beneficial during outdoor work or recreation. Or, a nightly bath with a little herbal vinegar and oil will keep it on your skin for many hours and could prove helpful for families who live in the country or while out on camping trips.
What is essential, is invisible to the eye.
Posts: 35 | Location: Zone 7, greater Atlanta...most of Georgia is greater Atlanta! | Registered: February 16, 2006
I just made some....1/2 cup 190 proof grain alcohol with 1/2 tsp cedarwood, 1/2 tsp lemon, 1/4 tsp pine..essential oils. It seemed to work OK. I scraped the house for 5 hours in the bushes yesterday. It's nice to see the other recipes incase this doesn't work out for me.
Posts: 91 | Location: Zone 8, South East Virginia | Registered: April 24, 2005
I had to get Everclear in North Carolina. It is illegal to sell in VA. I used it alot this weekend. I found that you need to keep it handy b/c it wears off while sweating in a few hours. I have a few bites but not to bad. Other oils the recipe suggested are basil, citronella, juniper, myrrh, palmrosa, rose geranium, and rosemary. It is 2 1/2 tsp oil combo to 1 cup grain alcohol. It says you can tone it down with peppermint oil. I only made a half batch to start with to make sure I liked the smell.
Posts: 91 | Location: Zone 8, South East Virginia | Registered: April 24, 2005
Got any weeds in your lawn? I used broad leaf plantain (which MY yard seems to have an abundance of ). I just bruised the leaves and rubbed them on my arms and legs, worked for hours. Now that I've read the rest of these 'recipes' I think I'll try bruised leaves in olive oil. Maybe add some applecider vinegar - we can call it "Mosquito Vinegarette"
I typed a response, clicked the stupid mouse and erased it!:::taking deep breath::: and trying again -
I bruised plantain leaves in olive oil, added some cider vinegar to thin it out and soaked a small cotton cloth in it. Then I put the cloth in a baggie, and put the baggie in a small cooler with ice that I took outside with me. (The cloth idea came from Gigi)
Not only did it repell the bugs, using the cold cloth was also refreshing.
My first post... best thing to keep the mosquitos away is lemon balm, just crush the leaves and rub on your skin. My husband and I used it on the 4th when meeting with friends to watch the fire works... we used the lemon balm they all used the sprays, they were getting bit and we were sitting there without a bite. Nice lemony scent too!
I have been growing it for years in my herb garden and use it when going out in the evening to do chores. We are in MN lake country and have plenty of mosquitos around.
Plant seeds in the sunshine, dance in the rain
Posts: 1162 | Location: zone 3 MN | Registered: September 05, 2006
I used broad leaf plantain (which MY yard seems to have an abundance of 
). I just bruised the leaves and rubbed them on my arms and legs, worked for hours. Now that I've read the rest of these 'recipes' I think I'll try bruised leaves in olive oil.
