Cloves against mosquitoes: how to use at home

Among the essential substances obtained from plants, clove aroma oil is especially popular due to its ability to repel insects and relieve irritation from the bites of various human parasites. The aroma oil is obtained not from the flowers with the corresponding name, but from the tropical myrtle tree. The dried buds of this plant are used as a spice in cooking, and the fresh buds are used to produce clove aroma oil. The spice has found application not only in culinary recipes. Clove oil is often used against mosquitoes, ants, bedbugs and other parasites that nest in human homes.

Use Cases

There are many ways to use clove oil to control insects. The simplest method is to apply a few drops of the product to exposed skin and clothing. Most often it is used when working in the country or walking in the forest or park. However, you can apply essential clove oil to your skin only if you are not allergic to it.

time-tested methods
are also popular :

• Using a cotton napkin soaked in clove oil is effective . This napkin can be carried in your pocket, purse or backpack when going to places with large concentrations of insects. The smell of cloves is so strong that you can smell it even from your pocket. This fragrant piece of fabric can be placed near your bed at night or in the corner of your tent during a camping trip.
• with 4-5 drops of clove oil on them help protect against insects Such decoration on the wrists will reliably protect hands that are open to flying bloodsuckers.
• A spray is prepared with clove oil , which is very easy to use. They can be used to spray clothes and premises. Both midges and mosquitoes will refuse to visit a room treated with this product. To make a spray, pour a mixture of 5 drops of clove oil, 50 ml of water and 5 ml of alcohol into a clean spray bottle.
• You can protect your home from insects using an aroma lamp . To do this, drop clove oil into a bowl filled with water and light a candle. After some time, the house is filled with a clove aroma, which not only protects against insects, but also improves your mood. Dosage - 3 or 4 drops per 15 square meters of area.
• Another effective way is to use scented candles . With some experience, you can make them yourself by including clove oil in the composition. A ready-made candle bought in a store will also work. You just need to apply 2-3 drops of clove oil on it and light it.
• To sit calmly, without annoying gnats, in the forest by the fire, you just need to drop a few drops of cloves into the fire - and the heat from it will spread the fragrant vapors, “striking fear” into the insects.
• If sensitive skin does not allow you to use clove oil in its pure form, it is best to make a cream based on it . As a rule, its composition necessarily includes fatty vegetable oil and a number of other ingredients. This product is as safe as possible for the skin and is suitable even for children.

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  For those who are going outdoors, there is another simple way to protect against forest midges. You need to drop a little essential clove oil into a large plastic bag, put your hiking clothes in it for a day and tie it tightly. During this time, things will be thoroughly saturated with the aroma of cloves, and when used, they will protect its owner from mosquitoes and midges for a long time. You can also treat a tent in the same way.

What are they like?

To choose a good product, you should first understand the principles of its operation. The drugs are:

1. Repellents. The main task of such drugs is to repel unpleasant midges and mosquitoes. For this purpose, they may contain essential oils, DEET, and pyrethroids. They are produced in the form of ointments, creams, gels, sprays and are applied directly to exposed areas of human skin. The main disadvantage is the possibility of allergic reactions upon contact with human skin.
2. Fumigants. These devices are designed to protect against mosquitoes and midges by spreading toxic substances into the surrounding air. The drugs used can be fatal to pests, but humans or pets will not be harmed. They are produced in the form of spirals or smoke bombs that are set on fire on the street, as well as special devices - fumigators. To activate the fumigator, it needs a network and an active substance. May have a liquid or solid base. Special plates and liquid are sold separately. The disadvantage is that it cannot be used in rooms that are too small to avoid negative consequences. Each package must indicate the area of ​​​​the territory for which the product against mosquitoes and midges is designed.
3. Ultrasonic repellers. These special devices operate on mains power or batteries. When turned on, they make a thin sound that irritates insects. For a person, its effect is imperceptible. A specially selected sound frequency allows you to repel mosquitoes, midges, cockroaches and even rodents.

The vast majority of commercially available products are aimed at dulling the bloodsuckers’ strong natural sense of smell.

Recipes

Over many years of experience in the confrontation between humans and annoying insects, many recipes have accumulated that really help protect against the attacks of midges, mosquitoes and ticks. However, you should choose the ones that are relevant to you individually, depending on the preferences and tolerance of the ingredients included in the mixtures.

Clove oil against mosquitoes in proven recipes:

• Mosquito repellent cream. Mix 4 drops of cloves, 5 drops of lavender and 10 ml of vegetable almond oil.
• Cream-balm against mosquitoes. The composition of the mixture is from 10 to 15 drops of cloves, a couple of tablespoons of olive or other vegetable oil and a tablespoon of aloe vera gel. Store creams according to these two recipes in a dark place for no more than 6 months.
• A product for treating premises against infestations of mosquitoes and midges. Mix 15 drops of cloves with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and treat doorways, window frames and flower pots with this mixture.

How to make your own mosquito repellent with ether:

Prim

Use of clove oil
against midges :

• Anti-midge spray . Dilute 15 drops of cloves in 50 ml of hawthorn tincture, then add a glass of water to the solution. Shake the bottle before spraying your clothes or room with the spray.
• Anti-midge cream. Mix 5 drops of cloves, 20 drops of tea tree and 50 ml of olive oil. The cream should be shaken before use. It is perfect for sensitive and children's skin.
• Anti-midge lotion. Dilute a couple of teaspoons of clove oil in 50 ml of alcohol, add 50 ml of sunflower oil, a whisper of vanillin and a small amount of ground wormwood to the mixture. This recipe is popular among fishermen.

Recipes with clove oil for ticks :

• Anti-tick spray. Stir 2 teaspoons of clove oil in a glass of water and add 100 ml of alcohol to the composition. Pour the mixture into a bottle with a spray bottle or spray cap. This product is also suitable for protecting pets from ticks. It is only undesirable to use it for pregnant dogs.
• Anti-tick cream. Mix 25 drops of cloves with a couple of tablespoons of almond oil and store the mixture in a glass or ceramic container. To protect against ticks, simply apply a small amount of cream to your skin and clothing. The shelf life of the product is 5-6 months.
• Essential clove oil to protect dogs from ticks. Apply a drop of the product undiluted to the head and rump of the animal. The protective effect lasts for 3 hours.

Use of clove oil for itching after a bite :

• Use a mixture of 4-5 drops of cloves and 25 ml of almond, apricot, peach or grape seed oil to wipe the bite areas to relieve itching and swelling. The product can be used for children.
• Another option for a healing ointment is 2 drops each of cloves and tea tree and a teaspoon of base oil.
• If you are not allergic to cloves, you can use the essential oil in its pure form, applying it directly to the wound.

What are the benefits of cloves?

One of the available mosquito repellents is cloves. It is too odorous and literally blinds the insect, the mosquito loses the ability to find a person by smell. Clove oil can be used if there are wounds, abrasions, bites or paresis on the skin, since it does not irritate the tissue, has an anti-inflammatory effect and accelerates regeneration, so it can be used not only as a mosquito repellent, but also as a remedy for after bites.

The oil quickly eliminates itching and pain, and in addition protects against repeated bites. Clove oil is obtained from the flower buds of the clove tree. At first the liquid is yellowish in color, but over time it becomes reddish-brown. The smell of the oil is woody, tart, with a hint of burnt wood and spicy, fruity and vinegary notes.

Repellent properties are due to the presence of eugenol, methyl salicylate and caryophyllene, as well as other aldehydes, in the oil.

Rules for using the product for children

The dosage of clove oil should be minimal .
Enough 3 drops of oil per 10 ml of base vegetable oil (olive, peach, apricot or any baby massage oil). You can add a couple of drops of lavender to the composition, the aroma of which is also not tolerated by mosquitoes and midges. In addition, lavender will soften the spicy smell of cloves. The protective agent should be applied carefully, not rubbing it into the skin, but applying it in a very thin layer. It is important to ensure that the mixture does not get into the child’s eyes or mucous membranes. As a precaution, you can apply repellent with cloves not to the skin, but to the clothes of children . This is an equally effective method of protection - the strong and pungent smell of the product spreads over a fairly impressive distance. To repel insects from a baby stroller in which your baby sleeps outdoors, just wipe its edges with a clove-scented mixture, not forgetting the mosquito net. If the baby sleeps at home in a crib, you can drop cloves with vegetable oil on a curtain or napkin next to his sleeping place.

The effectiveness of mosquito repellent based on cloves and lemon

Cloves and lemon contain volatile substances that are highly active. Their smell is unpleasant for blood-sucking insects and prevents them from finding prey.

Lemon contains aromatic oils, whose molecules are lighter than air, so they can float in its currents for a long time without settling. Cloves contain essential oil in high concentration, which has a strong odor.

Note! The combination of citrus and cloves can enhance the effect of these products and make the room in which they are placed unattractive to insects. In terms of effectiveness, such a folk remedy is not inferior to synthetic repellent compounds.

Contraindications

Clove oil is contraindicated :

• women during pregnancy;
• people suffering from hypertension;
• with increased nervous excitability.

Clove essential oil may be irritating to the skin , so a product tolerance test should be performed before using it. To do this, you need to apply a drop of cloves to the thin skin on the bend of your elbow and wait for its reaction. If there is no redness or irritation, you can safely use this wonderful remedy.

Can clove oil harm the human body?

The drug causes health problems in a person in two cases:

• Oral fluid intake. Clove oil is not intended for internal consumption. If swallowed, symptoms of diarrhea, nausea, and other dyspeptic disorders, including systemic ones, are formed;
• Allergy. It develops in a small proportion of people prone to such pathological reactions.

Countermeasures

If you accidentally or intentionally consume clove oil orally, you must drink two liters of clean water, then press on the root of the tongue and artificially induce vomiting. The event is repeated 1-3 times until clean wash water appears. As a supplement, available sorbents are used - activated carbon, polysorb, enterosgel, and so on. Bed rest is prescribed for 1 day.

If an allergic reaction develops, antihistamines should be taken immediately. Typical drugs are loratadine, diazolin, cetirizine. If a person develops Quincke's edema, suffocation, or anaphylactic shock, then an ambulance is called to the scene. Before the arrival of doctors, glucocorticosteroids are used - prednisolone or dexamethasone. If necessary (breathing/heartbeat arrest), manual resuscitation is performed.

Reviews

Most reviews about using clove oil as a repellent are positive . The product is really effective at repelling mosquitoes, midges, ticks and even horse flies. But there are also negative reviews - if the product was used carelessly, some children developed allergies. Therefore, the main conclusion that suggests itself is that clove oil should be used to protect against insects with caution, strictly observing the measure and not exceeding the dosage indicated in the recipes. A few reviews about the product:

“For our family, clove oil is the heaviest artillery against midges in the country. We smear ourselves with it while working in the garden, and protect the house from stray mosquitoes and midges. It really helps."

“When walking with children on the street, every hour or two I apply clove oil to their clothes to prevent insects from flying up. The oil is inexpensive, non-toxic, and its effectiveness is higher than that of chemical repellents.”

Proven folk recipes for mosquitoes and bites:

How to make a substitute yourself

Ways to use the spice
If you cannot buy the original, you can replace it with dried clove buds infused with purified olive oil. This surrogate is softer than the original, but it must be used carefully.

Important!

To make the drug yourself, you need to choose correctly prepared buds.

There are several signs that allow you to determine the quality of raw materials:

• Do not use ready-to-use ground spices. She quickly loses her qualities.
• A bud thrown into water should sink. Floating with the leg down is of worse quality, but is still suitable for making a surrogate. A bud floating in a horizontal position can be thrown away; it is not even suitable for cooking.
• A properly fermented bud has an elastic petiole that leaves an oily residue on the paper. A hard, dry petiole indicates low quality spice.

Dangerous mosquito bites

Treating mosquitoes with disdain is still dangerous. Since childhood, we have become accustomed to their bites, which then constantly itch. It seems to us that apart from unpleasant sensations, there is no more harm from insects. Dangerous misconception!

Only female mosquitoes bite children and adults. After inserting the proboscis under the skin, they inject an anticoagulant, an agent that prevents rapid blood clotting. This gives the pest the opportunity to drink to his heart’s content and go to a new victim. But it is the mosquito’s “saliva” that causes the condition we know – the formation of a pimple, itching, and redness. This is a kind of allergic reaction. In people with weak immune systems or allergies, often young children, such ordinary bites can lead to a noticeable deterioration of the condition. An increased reaction to a mosquito substance can provoke:

• swelling at the bite sites;
• prolonged and severe itching;
• temperature increase;
• general malaise, weakness;
• nausea;
• headache;
• sometimes suffocation, etc.

What most of us miss is that a mosquito flies from person to person, burrows under the skin, and drinks blood. He does not disinfect his proboscis. Is there a risk that the previous “client” of the bloodsucker who sat on your small child was sick with some kind of infection or virus? This risk exists. We may not even guess what kind of disease we caught from a small pest that has long been sleeping under our palm. Dengue virus, West Nile fever, malaria - we previously only heard about these diseases on TV and read in newspapers. Now, cases of such exotic diseases are registered annually in Russia and Ukraine.

Reactions to mosquito bites can be quite serious

People's Councils

Cloves are used in cooking and perfumery, and many folk signs are associated with it:

1. Carnation flowers are burned during rituals to attract wealth or purification processes.

2. You can carry cloves in your pocket in order to avoid evil gossip or the influence of hostile people.

3. The aroma of cloves is used during magical rituals to dispel evil, make the mind clear, or gain protection during a ritual.

4. Beads made from carnation flowers serve as a talisman for children.

5. The plant symbolizes family values ​​- marriage or engagement.