If you keep up with the news, then you know that getting bitten by a bug is more than annoying. Many bug bites can have short term or even long lasting repercussions. Mosquitoes can carry a host of diseases including West Nile virus.
You want to lower your risk of getting an insect borne disease by not getting bitten in the first place. But some commercial bug sprays can be just as dangerous for you as the bite itself can be.
Many over the counter bug sprays have the ingredient DEET which has been linked to skin irritations, nausea, vomiting and other health issues and has had some questionable reports.
Other over the counter bug sprays are loaded with chemicals that will be absorbed into your body once you spray it onto your skin. You don’t have to use bug sprays that are questionable for your health.
You can make safe bug spray by using essential oils. Because essential oils are natural, you don’t have to worry about loading your body up with chemicals that will give you disturbing side effects.
When you make a natural bug spray using essential oils, you’ll gain other benefits, too – like the oils being better for your skin and the spray having health benefits besides just warding off insects.
This kind of natural bug spray can use a combination of essential oils that bugs just can’t wait to get away from. You’ll save money since you can make batches of this spray cheaper than you can buy over the counter products.
To start, you’ll need to have a spray bottle to use for applying the mixture after you’ve made it. If you’re looking to repel those annoying mosquitos, using citrusy based essential oils have a lot of success.
One of these is lemongrass. But you want to be careful with this and make sure you dilute it because lemongrass essential oil not diluted can trigger headaches in some people.
You have a wide range of essential oils you can use to create your bug spray. These include peppermint, citronella – you’ll see this ingredient in repellent candles in the lawn and garden department at some stores because it’s an ingredient that works well, just like lavender, rosewood, eucalyptus, grapefruit, tea tree and rosewood.
To create your own bug spray for mosquitoes and other pests, mix witch hazel, apple cider vinegar and between 30 and 40 drops of your chosen essential oil.
The amount of the ingredients that you use depends on the size of the spray bottle that you choose to use. Make sure that you shake the bottle before each skin application to ensure the ingredients are mixed well.
