5 ways to repel mosquitoes – naturally!

5 ways to repel mosquitoes naturallyRecently I was asked by a reader to suggest ways to protect herself from getting bitten.

Every year she gets feasted on by mosquitoes and she was dreading this summer.

Here’s five things you can try:

Essential oils

In the past I’ve managed to stay bite free by slathering myself in essential oils.

Essential oils are obtained from flowers, trees and other plants and even though they can seem expensive, a little goes a long way because they are so concentrated.

Ctironella and eucalyptus in a base of neem oil can work really well. But it does smell quite strong!

Burn candles

Another thing you can do is buy citronella candles to burn when you’re outdoors.

These are lovely use at night time if you’re eating al fresco.

I’ve also seen huge coil joss sticks, scented with citronella that work well. The smoke and the gentle smell of these candles and joss sticks act as a repellent to mosquitoes.

Safe products

When I was pregnant I learned that 60% of what you put on your skin can end up in your bloodstream.

So it’s important to choose skincare products that are less toxic to use. Every day millions of people across the world are slathering themselves in a cocktail of chemicals; many of which can be harmful to health.

Fortunately there are lots of products and brands making some excellent products.

Does natural mosquito repellent work? Deter say it does!

They have made an impressive all natural insect repellent, which is scientifically proven to last over 6 hours and is as effective as products containing 25% DEET.

Plant flowers!

Mother nature has a habit of providing everything we need, including mosquito repellents!

And not only that, but many of these plants are herbs which you can use in your food as well as in your home.

Plant herbs in pots and put them in the areas you like to sit. You’ll find a list of suitable herbs here.

Tidy up the garden

While it’s important to leave ‘wild areas’ in your garden for beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies, it’s important to balance that with not attracting the insects you’d rather not have around!

Mosquitoes are attracted to shallow, stagnant water. So take a look around your property. I’m not saying you have to stop filling up the bird bath, but regularly change the water and if possible aerate larger bodies of water by adding a pump or fountain. You’ll find lots more ideas on Housetipster for fighting mosquitoes – including how to stop them getting in your home and some information on traps.

What about you? How do you avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes in the summer?