The best essential oil for mosquitoes and midges
Proven repellent oils include:
- clove extract;
- wormwood;
- basilica;
- geraniums;
- rosemary;
- tea tree.
Now think about why our grandmothers loved pots of geraniums so much? Was it only for the beautiful flowers that grew like umbrellas?
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For example, the pleasant smell of cloves has a detrimental effect on mosquitoes, and lavender is generally considered one of the most powerful remedies: it not only repels insects, but helps relieve nervous tension.
Features of use for children and pregnant women
For babies, you should choose oils that do not irritate delicate baby skin and do not have a strong odor. It can be:
- lavender;
- vanilla;
- mint (from 7 years old);
- tea tree (from 3 years old).
Tea tree oil is good for protecting children from mosquitoes, as well as for treating bites.
As for pregnant women, it is better for them not to use essential oils at all, as many can cause miscarriage or negatively affect the unborn child. The following essential oils against mosquitoes are especially dangerous for expectant mothers:
- lavender;
- juniper;
- thyme;
- him.
There are others that are undesirable for pregnant women (see table “Contraindications”). In the first three months of pregnancy, it is prohibited to use any aromatic oils.
Lavender essential oil is also dangerous for those who have recently undergone gynecological surgery, as it can cause contraction of the smooth muscles of the uterus and, as a result, bleeding.
As for the forms of using aromatic oils, it is better to use a clothing spray or a repellent bracelet. The exception is vanilla; this oil can be used in any form, as it has an extremely gentle effect and a minimum of side effects; it can be called the most suitable for children and expectant mothers, if there are no allergies.
How does repellent work on insects?
Its working principle is to disguise a person’s natural odor under the smell of natural products. And the components of these products have a negative effect on mosquitoes. All bloodsuckers have a very sensitive and developed olfactory system, tuned to search for prey. In the process of life, a person emits carbon dioxide and sweat, and it is these odors that serve as markings. Mosquitoes can smell the smell from several kilometers away. When essential oils evaporate, they release compounds into the air that can adapt to and eliminate a person’s odor.
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The active component of essential oils is a natural insecticide - pyrethrum or ethoc. Insecticides are drugs used to kill insects. Insecticides work very simply: they cause muscle paralysis and then death. Therefore, for an insect, such a pleasant smell of rosemary that comes from an aroma lamp means only one thing: “There is no food in this place, there is death.”
Oils of clove, citronella, eucalyptus, lavender, mint, lemon balm, orange, cedar, rosemary and tea tree help fight insects.
Precautionary measures
Although oils are non-toxic, improper use can cause problems. Thus, an overdose of drugs based on them can provoke headaches, nausea or other unpleasant symptoms. In order not to harm your health, you must use oils strictly in the specified dosage.
All essential oils and products based on them should be kept out of the reach of children.
Allergy sufferers and asthmatics should be especially careful: they may experience an exacerbation of the disease from any sharp or unusual smell. If this happens, you need to stop the attack with usually taken medications. Contact your doctor if there is no improvement.
Table: consequences of an overdose of essential oils
| Essential oil | Overdose symptoms |
| Lavender | migraine, nausea, tachycardia |
| Vanilla | headache |
| Carnation | disturbance of nervous activity |
| Camphor | nervous excitement, convulsions, tachycardia, headache. |
| Orange | sunburn (when using the product on the skin), skin irritation when the oil concentration in the product is more than 2% |
| Geranium | increased estrogen levels, decreased blood sugar |
| Bay | increased blood pressure, skin irritation |
| Cedar | headache, weakness, nausea, redness of the skin |
| Basil | mental depression, miscarriage or early onset of menstruation |
| Juniper | poisoning, kidney dysfunction (especially when used on the skin) |
| Rosemary | vomiting, kidney and liver dysfunction, uterine bleeding |
| Anise | drug addiction, circulatory disorders, dermatitis |
| Tea tree | vomiting, decreased immunity, drowsiness, confusion, loss of coordination |
| Mint | dizziness, weakness, low blood pressure, sleep disturbances |
| Melissa | headache, drowsiness, hoarseness and sore throat |
| Citronella | sneezing, skin irritation, overexcitement |
| Thyme | overexcitation, insomnia, tachycardia |
| Nim | Impaired kidney and liver function, skin irritation (when used on the body) |
Sensitivity test
Essential oils are not always a good option for people with allergies to natural substances such as pollen, for example. I am allergic to many flowers and foods, and one day I used neroli oil, pouring it into a special aroma pendant (not for mosquitoes, but to “improve my mood”). At first there were no symptoms, but after about an hour my nose became blocked and sneezing began, and my eyes also became swollen. Unfortunately, the mood deteriorated even more as a result. To avoid such sad misunderstandings, before using any oil you need to conduct an individual sensitivity test. This way, anyone can choose the right option. For example, tea tree oil suits me - there is no allergy and the smell seems very pleasant.
In general, it is advisable for everyone to check for individual sensitivity, since in rare cases, completely healthy people may experience severe allergic reactions to a new substance that comes into contact with the body.
- Apply the selected product to the elbow or the skin of the wrist from the inside.
- Wait. The conclusion about the absence of intolerance is made after 24 hours if no negative symptoms have occurred.
- Do not use the product if the following reactions occur at the site of application: skin itching, irritation, persistent redness, acne, etc. Sneezing, swollen eyes, and coughing can also indicate intolerance.
If you plan to use oils without applying them to the body, you can spray a little fragrant emulsion into the air, onto clothes or accessories (pendant, bracelet) and also wait for some time, ideally a day. An important point: the concentration of aroma oil should be lower than required according to the recipe. If the body does not react negatively to a small dose of the drug, then you can already use it against mosquitoes in a standard dosage.
Most often, sensitivity manifests itself as skin itching and redness.
It is especially recommended to test the essential oils of clove, citronella, and thyme because they often cause irritation.
Top 5 proven essential oil manufacturers
"Botany"
Manufacturer: Russian Federation. The company's products contain natural extracts and oils. The company's specialty is posting on its personal website recipes from its oils that help prepare natural cosmetics. Advantages: wide range, greater availability. Average price: 80-200 rubles per 10 ml.
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"Elfarma"
Manufacturer: Russian Federation. The company focuses on natural composition, excluding the use of chemicals, suppliers are European countries. Main advantages: environmental safety, budget cost. Average price: 70-150 rubles per 10 ml.
"Vivasan"
Production: Austria and Switzerland. The company's engineers control the entire production process, starting from the collection of raw materials. ending with storage conditions in the store. Average price: 800-1500 rubles per 10 ml.
"Aura"
Manufacturer: USA. The company uses phyto-raw materials from India, Vietnam and Madagascar. Advantages: no counterfeits, different bottles of 15, 30 and 50 ml. Average price: 700-1000 rubles per 15 ml.
Blends for indoor or clothing
This mixture of oil against mosquitoes and midges is used in freshly prepared form, as it includes water and some quickly exhaling components.
Composition for spraying the room:
- vinegar 60 ml;
- water 60 ml;
- eucalyptus 10 drops;
- lime aroma oil 6 drops;
- lavender 15 drops;
- tea tree 10 drops.
Lime is not yet as common as other aromatics, but you can do without this ingredient.
Clothes and room mixture:
- half a glass of water;
- 10 ml alcohol;
- 10 drops of mosquito repellent essential oil (geranium, citronella or clove).
To repel midges, you can additionally add some aroma oil.
Mixture of kitchen spices;
- 50 ml water;
- cinnamon/vanilla extract 8 ml;
- 20 drops of any aroma oil;
- 1 cube of alcohol.
On a note!
The composition is suitable for treating clothing and premises. But those around you will associate the smell with baking.
Citronella
edaland.ru Citronella is one of the most popular ingredients in repellents - mosquito repellents.
Growing citronella in garden beds or on a windowsill is very easy. This is a perennial grass that grows in tufts and rises quite high. It has such a strong smell that mosquitoes simply don’t notice others behind it, so they don’t react to people. The aroma of fresh citronella is stronger than the smell of repellents, so it is perfect for repelling bloodsuckers.
In our latitudes in open ground the plant turns into an annual. If you want lush bushes, then plant citronella in containers that you put away in warm rooms for the winter.
Other uses:
- dried crushed citronella - seasoning for meat and vegetables;
- Lemon-scented leaves are an addition to tea;
- A decoction of the leaves is an antiseptic and helps with colds.
Methods of application
The use of essential oils against mosquitoes
When used in aroma lamps, a few drops of the above compositions are added to the water. When heated, the aroma is released into the air and repels bloodsuckers. In the absence of a lamp, a few drops of essential compositions are poured onto pieces of cotton wool and placed in different corners of the room. This folk remedy is enough to get rid of mosquitoes indoors. Mixtures for spraying are poured into a spray bottle and used for their intended purpose.
Additional properties of aroma oils
Natural oils are used for more than just repelling insects. Many of them have medicinal properties:
- lavender oil has antiseptic and anticonvulsant properties, calms the nervous system, helps with insomnia;
- tea tree heals festering wounds, stimulates the immune system, and has a pronounced antifungal effect;
- Eucalyptus oil lowers blood pressure, stimulates cerebral circulation, and relieves muscle pain;
- rosemary relieves pain, promotes relaxation and ensures good sleep;
- fir oil destroys bacteria and strengthens the immune system;
- citronella oil improves brain function, refreshes and invigorates;
- geranium oil normalizes blood pressure, helps with tachycardia, migraines and ischemia;
- clove is an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent, has a healing effect, normalizes hormonal levels.
When preparing mixtures to protect a room, essential oils against mosquitoes are selected so that their effects do not conflict with each other and are not harmful when used. The scent of lemon in the room at night does not promote sound sleep. A mixture of citronella and lavender will have the opposite effect on the body. Such mixtures of antagonists very quickly incapacitate a person.
