10 Mosquito Repellents
Have you ever been bit by a mosquito? OF COURSE YOU HAVE. Everyone has been attacked by this menacing pest at least once. This disease carrying beast can turn an afternoon in the outdoors into itchy evening of hell. If you're like me you'll do just about anything to keep these bugs from biting. We gathered a list of methods to keep these blood suckers at bay. We've also noted which ones are natural.
1. Bug Spray Duh. Mosquito spray comes in a variety of sizes and ingredients, with and without DEET. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a spray that smells good and isn't sticky.
2. Catnip (natural) According to research the essential oil found in herb catnip is about 10 times more effective than DEET in repelling mosquitoes. Careful, this may attract feral felines.
4. Garlic (natural) - Eat enough garlic so it's sweating out of your pores and you'll have a fighting chance.
5. Dryer Sheets I haven't tried this one myself, but rumor has it rubbing your body down with a dryer sheet will repel mosquitoes. Bonus: You'll smell like fresh waterfall breeze.
6. Citronella (natural) Bring a candle along, rub down in essential oil or toss a sprig of the plant in your pack. However you do it, citronella will help deter the creatures from spoiling your outdoor fun. I'm a fan of the citrusy scent too.
7. Jewelry Bracelets and anklets that are loaded with naturally derived ingredients that keep bugs away are popping up all over the place. These accessories may not be fashionable, but if they keep bugs away for 120 hours they'll be a staple in my jewelry box.
8. Black Pepper (natural) Some research shows that black pepper is effective in repelling mosquitoes, plus it adds a little zing to any dish.
9. Hammock For an overnight trip near water a mosquito hammock is a gift from the gods. Who needs a tent?
10. Soy Oil—(natural) Soy oil has a number of impressive qualities. It penetrates dry hair, moisturizes skin and now it even keep evil insects away. Best of all, it's cheap and available everywhere.
Do you have a tried and true method for cutting back on bites. Let us know if the comments.
Match tips. Now let me caveat this by saying this probably ant for everyone but I can tell you that while in the Army we would eat a match tip or two for the sulfur content.
Now the two reasons I’ve been told that this works make sense but I’m no scientist so I can’t confirm the reason.
1) The sulfur is absorbed by your body and release by the pores on your skin making you undesirable. (The garlic method used the same logic)
2) Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide in you breathe out, and that the sulfur content you add by eating them makes you not an option.
Just my two cents.
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