| updated 7 AUGUST 2024
Content
Summer, the most favorite season of most of us. It is full of colors and smells. However, they also naturally include the arrival of the unpopular and intrusive... INSECTS.
In this article, we would like to provide you with some effective tips with which you can confidently arm yourself for a walk, hiking, or lounging in your garden on a deckchair . The natural way - a natural repellent - is one of the safest and most gentle solutions. In this way, we successfully avoid chemicals harmful to health. Come with us to the world of fragrant and natural solutions, where we will prepare a natural repellent from essential oils together.
You can find the recipes at the end of the article.
Essential oils vs. synthetic repellents
| DISADVANTAGES of using synthetic repellents |
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BENEFITS of using essential oils as a repellent |
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Ticks and mosquitoes are not "just" annoying, but also dangerous for us adults, our children and also animals. A tick can transmit tick-borne encephalitis or Lyme disease , which affects approximately 150,000 people in Europe every year .
These are the most commonly used essential oils with an effect against the most common type of tick in Slovakia ( Ixodes ricinus ): lemongrass, peppermint , eucalyptus , geranium , lavender .
Because the best solution is prevention !
Let's remember that essential oils can also repel other types of insects, e.g.: moths, mites, etc.
| ATTENTION → on the combination of different types of oils (each of them has different effects). The combination can be counterproductive - you can attract insects (bees, wasps and butterflies...) and smell them like a tempting flower. |
How to prepare a natural repellent
Recipe for natural mosquito repellent
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12 drops of lemongrass
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6 drops of patchouli
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12 drops of cedar wood
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30 ml carrier oil, (you can use for example: olive / coconut / almond / jojoba /...) alcohol or distilled water
Or mix the repellent exactly according to your needs based on the following table
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A pesky insect |
Essential oils with repellent effects |
| Fleas | Lemongrass , Mint , Lavender , Rosemary |
| Mosquitoes |
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| Pliers |
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| Ants |
orange ,
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Natural repellent directly on the skin
Safe concentration of essential oils
Adults MAX 4-5%
Children MAX 1%
Recipe for a natural repellent diluted with alcohol (suitable for a sprayer)
EXAMPLE OF RECIPE
| ADULTS | 30 ml of boiled water at room temperature + 30 drops of essential oil in total |
| CHILDREN | 30 ml of boiled water at room temperature + 6-9 drops of essential oil |
Durability of repellents
The version with alcohol lasts longer than the repellent with water . In that case, it is best to prepare a fresh one for each trip and before each trip.
Whichever of the repellent options you choose above, avoid thick and tall grass during your walk. Always check yourself, the children and don't forget your four-legged pets when you arrive . Ticks look for warm places , thin skin and carefully choose the best shelter for themselves - ears, private parts, torso, neck. In dogs, check in particular the groin, paws (also between individual toes), ears (especially from the inside), teeth (yes, they can also hide in the gums...), armpits and belly.
Important → If you know you will be using essential oils in your blend that you haven't used before, test your blend first on your forearm for a possible allergic reaction.
We wish you fragrant summer days, trips and adventures!
