Be Earth-Friendly - Not Bug-Friendly!
Posted: 25 April 2007Here are some safe natural alternatives to the conventional array of chemical bug-repellants.
Ant repellant:
- In kitchen and bathroom, wash counter-tops, cupboards and floors (paying particular attention to seams and corners) with equal parts vinegar and water
- Clean with borax
Bug bites:
- Gently apply the cut section of a wedge of raw potato to the bite, sting or rash. The potato will help to draw toxins out of the skin. (If you have an allergic reaction or if the insect is poisonous, seek medical attention)
Flea & Tick Repellant:
- Mix brewer’s yeast powder and garlic powder in your pet’s food.
- Fennel seeds and rosemary leaves also repel fleas
- Place eucalyptus leaves around you pet’s sleeping areas
Moth Repellant:
- Sprinkle the area with cedar chips or lavender sachets
Roach Repellant:
- Sprinkle bay leaves in cupboards and drawers
- Clean with borax
Mouse Repellant:
- Sprinkle cupboards and drawers and window-sills with whole cloves
Worried about West Nile Virus?
Mosquito Repellant:
- Take brewer’s yeast daily in tablet form beginning before mosquito season
- Eat lots of garlic – or take odourless garlic capsules leading up to and throughout the summer months
- New studies suggest that the natural chemical component that gives catnip it’s distinctive minty smell is a highly effective mosquito repellant.
In tests at Iowa State, DEET (at 55%-60% repellant) was considerably less successful than catnip essential oil (at 80% repellant) against mosquitoes.
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Alypsis Inc, our suppliers of excellent Karooch essential oils, suggests the following preparation:
Add 1 ml for every 99ml of carrier oil (sweet almond, grapeseed, or coconut oils). This is equivalent to about: 6 drops catnip oil per 25ml carrier oil
Soapworks, our supplier of natural soap-products, ships cases of carbolic soap each year to missions, researchers and adventurers heading off into mosquito-infested jungles and swamps. They may not have scientific studies to back it up but they certainly have testimonials to indicate that carbolic soap used for bathing has an amazing mosquito-repellant property! And Soapworks products are biodegradable in lakes and streams…
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