DEET Free Insect Repellent - Safe, Natural, and Effective

Bugs can kill a good time outside, but luckily there are natural ways to repel insects without the harmful DEET. The natural DEET free insect repellent is a safe way to keep your skin free of bugs, and it truly works.

If you weren't aware of dangers of DEET, you should know that DEET has been associated with brain cell damage in lab testing at Duke University. DEET has been shown to have a serious effect on the nervous system, inhibits the motor skills and possibly leads to memory dysfunction. The reasons that DEET hasn't been full-on banned is because it is regarded as necessary, when it in fact is NOT.

This chemical isn't quite as effective as many have made it out to be. Many store bought insect repellents have DEET listed as the active ingredients that helps to keep away the bugs. What it's actually doing is disguising your scent so bugs can't find you. What you may not know is that there are completely safe, natural alternatives to DEET bug sprays and insect repellents that lack the toxic chemicals. These products often use eucalyptus and lemon to repel insects. These two ingredients have been shown to be just as effective as those chemical bug sprays you might in stores, but just need to be reapplied a little sooner. A small price to pay to avoid some toxic chemicals!

If you're questioning whether or not DEET is really bad for you, think back to your childhood or anytime that you used DEET insect repellent. When you sprayed it on, it stunk. It made you choke, and you couldn't get it on your eyes and face. When you did, it was awful! There's no coincidence that it smells much like roach killer and other bug sprays. We just might be doing a lot more damage to ourselves and our children than we are repelling mosquitoes by using these chemical filled sprays.

Natural bug sprays are a safe and effective way to prevent disease carrying mosquitoes. Put your mind at ease and prevent the possible infection of West Nile Virus and other serious mosquito borne illnesses without the exposure to DEET.

Read more about DEET free natural insect repellents, or click to purchase this insect repellent today to get it shipped right to your door. It's the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors without having to worry about chemicals or biting bugs!

Natural Insect Repellents - Safe and Effective

Insect repellent sprays are applied to the skin and clothing to discourage insects from landing on that surface. The use of repellents can help prevent and control outbreaks of insect-borne diseases. Many insects carry and spread diseases such as West Nile fever, Lyme disease, bubonic plague, and others. Some repellents are very effective against pests, but contain synthetic ingredients that can be unsafe for humans. Natural insect repellents are highly effective, nontoxic alternatives that do not contain harmful synthetic ingredients.

One of the most common active ingredients found in synthetic insect repellents is DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET is a powerful insecticide used in over 400 products. Although DEET is very effective as an insect repellent, its safety record is questionable. When applied directly on the skin, over half of DEET is absorbed into the bloodstream. It can cause side effects such as skin rashes, muscle spasms, nausea, lethargy, and irritability. Severe reactions can cause seizures or death. DEET is a moderate pesticide and studies have shown that it may not be safe for use in and around water sources. Therefore, the health concerns from use of DEET far outweigh its effectiveness against insects.

Natural, safe, and effective alternatives to DEET are available. Insect repellents can be made with organic, all natural ingredients that are not unsafe for humans. These products are made from naturally occurring sources that repel certain insects. Some of these ingredients act as insecticides, while others only repel pests. These natural insect repellents are made primarily from essential oils derived from plant sources. Most natural repellents are just as effective as DEET, and they have a huge advantage because the ingredients are not toxic to humans.

Insect repellents work by using a fragrance that insects naturally avoid. This odor helps to mask the human scent that initially attracts insects. Most natural insect repellents contain the aromatic oil of citronella. Citronella is an essential oil obtained from the leaves of the plant Cymbopogon. Its lemon-like fragrance is pleasant to most people, but offensive to mosquitoes and other insects. Citronella has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a non-toxic pesticide.

Other aromatic essential oils commonly found in natural insect repellents include lavender, rosemary, peppermint, cedarleaf, lemongrass, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, and bergamot. Research has also shown that neem oil is an effective repellent for mosquitoes. Other volatile plant oils that work well as natural repellents are cinnamon, castor, cedar, clove, geranium, pine, basil, thyme, and garlic. Soybean oil has no direct insect repellent activity, but it is often used as a fixative to extend the shorter duration of action of some essential oils. Products containing multiple natural repellents tend to be more effective for more insects than those containing only a single ingredient.

Most natural repellents contain water in place of alcohol as the carrier base. Water is less volatile and does not evaporate as quickly as alcohol. Water has less dermal absorption, which leaves more repellent on the skin. Water based products will last longer because there is less need to reapply. Also, many people are sensitive to the strong aroma of alcohol, so the water-based products have a more pleasant smell.

The use of insect repellents can help control and prevent outbreaks of insect-borne diseases. Many insects carry and spread diseases such as West Nile fever, Lyme disease, and bubonic plague. Natural, organic insect repellents that do not contain harmful synthetic ingredients are available, and are just as effective. Many repellent products also serve a dual purpose and contain sunscreen to protect the skin from the sun as well as from insects.

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Green Pest Control in the Form of Natural Insect Repellents - Are They Worth It?

There are a couple of different formulas that insect repellents are available in. One of them is lotions, the other being sprays. Sprays break down in a couple of different formats. You have the pump sprays and you also the aerosol. As we discussed earlier, aerosol is not the best format because aerosol does not contain alcohol. Alcohol dilutes the pores of your skin, which increases the absorption of the active ingredient in your insect repellent into your skin, and you don't want that to happen. You want the insect repellent to float on top of your skin, because once it absorbs down in there, it becomes ineffective.

If basic mechanical motion doesn't work, then you must consider "gentle" controls just like repellents, soaps and natural oils that have little or no impact on the surroundings and beneficial bugs when only applied to the pest bug. For instance, organic neem oil spray is now popular to protect garden plants from nibbling pesky insects and fungal diseases. Use it to manage bugs and termites just like whitefly, aphids and scale. It also regulates fungal diseases like black spot, rust, mildew in addition to scab. Neem degrades quickly with UV light, so it has less of an effect on beneficial organisms as compared to more traditional pesticides.

These two particular sprays, the pump sprays are all oil based so they're going to be a little greasy, a little oily on your skin. The 100 percent deet obviously is like the mac-daddy, it really, really, really works with mosquitoes but it is a little bit oily. The two lotion based are more skin friendly, they go on, they have a lower odor and they don't stink as badly just like your typical insect repellent odor. Another thing is that they are a little more skin friendly, in terms of how they feel on your skin but they all work in certain application. The one that we do not recommend of course, is the alcohol based, the aerosol, which you can't take on a plane anyways. So that pretty much sums up the different formats.

The question is, is it really okay to put this stuff on your kids? Obviously as would be the case with you, you would not want to apply this everyday, over an extended period of time. Most of them even say that you can is this product "occasionally". They are wrong. If you're going to actually be out for a while, it is not at all advisable to put these products on your child.

You don't want to think of it as being safe to use at all, as much as you want to. When you think about risk assessment, people would say "so what is the risk of being bitten by an insect that is going to cause a disease or an illness? This product is way worse than that even! The mere fact that you are putting a chemical on your child's skin is dangerous enough to be a precaution before actually using this stuff. That is the main reason for a person to make an educated decision on whether to use this or not.

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Garden Sprayers Home Remedies - Produce Your Very Own Natural Insect Repellent

Summer season tends to make me happy. I love taking a swim, enjoying baseball, and not wearing socks for four months. But if there's one point about summer which bugs me, it's... well, bugs. Not only are mosquito bites itchy and painful, they're also dangerous. Going outside, specifically into a wooded area, with no insect repellent is not an option.

But insect repellents, as you could see, are not eco-friendly nor particularly healthy for you. Most are created using DEET, which is noteworthy in keeping off pesky pests but not something you want swimming around inside your blood vessels, which is precisely where it ends up once you spray it on your skin. Fortunately, for those who want to safeguard their health by avoiding both insect bites and chemical-based bug repellents, there are all kinds of do-it-yourself formulas for natural bug sprays.

Google "create your very own bug repellent" and you will get more formulas than you can shake a stick at. (I've never understood that expression, but obviously that doesn't stop me from making use of it.) In many recipes, the main components are alcohol (either rubbing or perhaps the type you could drink) plus essential oils. Here is one that I think is just great!

Ingredients:

1 cup of grain alcohol (organic and natural if available), vodka, or witch hazel

30 drops essential oils (lavender, citronella, rosemary, rose geranium, lemon, or tea tree oil (pick one or a mix of only 2)

Directions:

Put all of the ingredients inside a spray bottle. Shake very well. Spray liberally all over your skin just before going outside. Reapply as necessary. This recipe must also ward off ticks, fleas, wasps, and other unwanted pests. Keep your homemade repellent inside a dark container far from heat as well as sunlight.

You can also dab essential oils directly on your skin - normally in the elbows, behind the knees, and at the rear of your ears will do. However, give this a test run prior to going outside to make sure your own skin doesn't react badly to the oils. Different kinds of essential oils react differently with individual body chemistry, thus you might have to experiment a little before getting the one that's right for you.

If you don't wish to produce your own, there are a myriad of natural insect repellents on the market. A varuety of manufacturers all produce organic insect sprays that are DEET-free and safe for kids. Just how do you keep the bugs away? Just follow these directions and you are good to go!

The addition of Garlic to every one of our dog's meals will help to keep them free of fleas, as will the addition of Sulphur to their diet on a once per week basis. Remember that none of these remedies work overnight and may take approximately 4 to 6 weeks before they are effective. If you think that your pet does have a flea infestation check out the animal closely by separating the hair on the animal's back or flank area.

Wondercide has dedicated themselves to discovering the secret to top quality garden sprayers and natural pest control. Today, this company proudly offer professional techniques and advice on how to eliminate biting, flying, and burrowing insects by using only the best garden sprayer available in the market today.

Lemon Tea Tree Beeswax Candle - Natural Mosquito & Insect Protection

Lemon Tea Tree ( Leptospermum petersonii ) has the bacteria fighting strength of the common Tea Tree plant along with a wonderfully clean, fresh lemon scent. Its aroma is similar to the fragrant Lemongrass oil, but lighter.

Lemon Tea Tree is reputed to have extraordinary power as a NATURAL insect and mosquito repellant!

Highly recommended for protection against mosquitoes and insects. Be safe and healthy this summer with this NATURAL outdoor fragrance that does not contain any DEET (which is known to have toxic side effects).

LEMON TEA TREE BEESWAX CANDLE: Make your own Lemon Tea Tree beeswax candle to use outdoors on those long, slow summer evenings!

Recipe for one candle: Fill the inside of your candle container with beeswax pearls. A 4" round X 2.5" deep tin or terra cotta bowl is ideal.

Pour the beeswax pearls into a large glass measuring cup that sits inside of a large pot that's been partially filled with hot water. Heat the pot of water on the stove until the beeswax pearls melt.

Remove the glass measuring cup with melted beeswax from the pan. Cool slightly before adding 60 drops of Lemon Tea Tree pure essential oil. Gently stir the mixture with a sterile stainless steel spoon. Pour the Beeswax infused with Lemon Tea Tree oil into your candle container and allow to cool for 4 hours before using.

SYNERGY BLEND: For a pleasing synergy blend 30 drops each of Lemon Tea Tree and Lemongrass pure essential oils and add to your melted beeswax.

PLEASE NOTE: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of aromatic oils, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. For best results purchase the highest quality oils you can possibly find. Use certified organic essential oils, or oils that have been tested and are pesticide free.

Aromatherapy is a gentle and noninvasive complementary health care system used for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind, spirit and emotions to enhance your health. Properly administered essential oils are a natural, safe and effective way to enhance your health and well-being and may produce satisfying results where other methods have failed. Please consult with your physician regarding serious health concerns and do not attempt to self diagnose.

KG has developed massage training and holistic health programs for the spa industry, health clubs and clinics, schools, resorts, as well as for individual clients. She is a MindBody Therapist and Health Educator with advanced certification and training in Bowen Therapy, BodyTalk and Aromatherapy. She is the owner of Springhill Wellness Center and the Founder & Director of PurePlant Essentials aromatherapy products.

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Click to learn about & order http://kgstiles.com/moreinfo/lemongrass.htm - LEMONGRASS PURE ESSENTIAL OIL

Click to learn about KG's other fine aromatherapy products
http://www.kgstiles.com/pureplantessentials.html PUREPLANT ESSENTIALS

More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, 2520 Springhill Drive Ashland, OR USA (541) 941-7315 Mahalo!

What Are the Best Natural Insect Repellents?

Those annoying flying insects are arguably the worst part of the warm summer months. Summer is usually the most anticipated of all the season. There's the vacations, the swimming, hiking, fishing, sports and, last and certainly least are all those bug bites and stings. So, how can we keep those insects away without dumping a bottle of toxic chemicals on our skin and, to all the parents reading this, how can you avoid spraying toxic chemical insect repellents on your kids? 

It is a very difficult decision: expose ourselves to a witch's brew of toxic chemicals or risk being bitten by mosquitoes which could be carrying West Nile Virus and, let's not forget those ticks which carry Lyme disease and who knows what else. Even if the insects are not carrying a deadly pathogen like West Nile or Lyme disease; no one wants to suffer with itchy bug bites all summer. 

So, what are the natural alternatives to chemical insect repellents?

You've already decided that toxic chemicals may be more comfortable than itchy bug bites but it just isn't worth the potential health risks, and you certainly don't want to put up with those bug bites all summer. Well, there are some natural alternatives to toxic insect repellents that work just as well as their chemical cousins. 

Many people use essential oils to promote relaxation and even to induce meditative states or, simply to add a wonderful fragrance to any room.   The following essential oils have proven effective as natural insect repellents:

Lemon - may irritate skin if undiluted

Geranium

Pine

Citronella

Cedar

Rosemary

Basil

Myrrh - also a powerful antimicrobial

Juniper

Use 1/4 teaspoon of any one, or a combination of two or more (ie. 1/8 tsp. lemon + 1/8 tsp. Myrrh) of these essential oils mixed with approximately 2 ounces of 190 proof grain alcohol (available at any liquor store) to make an effective insect repellent. Water can also be used as a substitute for the alcohol although it may not be as effective. Mix the oils and the alcohol/water in a 2 ounce amber glass bottle with a sprayer and shake vigorously before spraying the mixture on exposed skin and/or clothing.

Experiment with the oils to find a combination that you like and remember to test it on a small area of skin before spraying it on larger areas. 

What do you do if you've already been bitten or stung? I have used pure, undiluted eucalyptus oil on bites to relieve itching. Eucalyptus is also a strong antimicrobial which may be absorbed into the skin to kill any nasty pathogens that may have been carried by the insect. Another effective remedy is plantain, which is a very common "weed" that grows on lawns and even on sidewalk cracks and along driveways. Crush the fresh plantain leaves and rub the crushed leaves directly on the bite.

Discover more at Key2Healing.com
Viny A. D'Errico

Recipies for Natural Bug Repellent

Baby, it's warm outside. If you are pregnant or traveling with a newborn and / or a breast feeding baby, please take the time to read this great information about how to make your own, natural insecticide. Exposure to insect repellents has always been a source of concern with regard to adverse outcomes to the infant because they contain the chemicals DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) or permethrin which can cross the placenta and are considered toxic in high doses. Generally 6 to 8 % of the repellent is absorbed when applied topically to the skin.

Mosquito Repellant Recipe

For a smaller batch use:

10-25 drops (total) of Essentail Oils

30 ml (2 Tbsp) Canola OilMix the esential oil(s) with the canola oil. Store in a small preferably dark, spray bottle, away from direct heat or sunlight.

Note that many Commercial available Essential oil repellants use a combination of several oils to ensure protection against more than one species of mosquito.

For large amounts of mosquito repellant a good rule of thumb is to mis the repellant so that it is 5-10% Essential oil. To do this mix 1 part Essential oil to 10-20 parts carrier oil, like Canola oil.

To use: Rub or spray the natural insect repellant onto the skin, taking care to avoid the sensitive eye area. Some of the repellants will need to be re-applied after 1 hour, depending on body perspiration, or after swimming or exercise.

Note: In their report on, " The Best Insect Repellants", Consumer Reports does not recommend the use of Lemon Eucalyptus essentail oil on children under the age of 3.

Repellant for Fleas: Use Orange Oil

Repellant for ticks and lice: Use Rose Geranium oil.

Many of these essential oils, although natural and herbal, are not designed to be ingested or used during the first trimester of pregnancy when all the organs of the fetus are forming. The compounds mentioned have not had any harmful effects noted in pregnancy but we recommend that pregnant women should still avoid insect infested areas and not use these essential oils on a daily basis.

If you must use a repellent with insecticide:

Never spray insect repellent in an enclosed area. This might cause breathing difficulties for your baby.


Never spray the repellent directly on the baby's face. Instead, first spray the repellent on your hands and then apply to your baby's face and exposed skin.


Before trying any insect repellent for babies, apply a small patch on the baby's arm to check if the baby's skin is sensitive to it or not.


Do not use insect repellent near the baby's eyes, mouth and avoid applying the insect repellent on cuts.


Avoid, using insect repellent on the baby's hands as most babies have the habit of putting their hands into their mouth.


Avoid applying the insect repellent on the baby's skin more than once a day.


Once you and your baby are back inside the house, wash off the insect repellent immediately with unscented soap and water.


Never use insecticide on your breast or chest if you are breast feeding.

Dr. Michele Brown, is a practicing OBGYN and founder of Beaute de Maman Natural and Herbal Products for Pregnant Women. Beaute de Maman recognizes the importance of safe products for pregnancy. Beaute de Maman products contain natural and herbal ingredients that are safe for pregnancy as per the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines.

Please visit http://www.beautedemaman.com

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Natural Ways to Repel Insects

Bothered by flies, mosquitoes and other bugs? The best protection from pests is prevention. You can easily avoid insects and the diseases they bring by following a few simple steps.

Here are some tips adapted from "The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide."

Make yourself as unattractive to insects as possible. Black or brown clothes can provoke some insects, while white clothes will drive them away.

Avoid using scented soaps, perfumes, suntan lotions and other cosmetics when going outside.

Don't wear loose-fitting clothes so insects won't be able to get in them. Bare as little skin as possible.

Wear shoes instead of sandals.

Keep car windows closed.

If you're susceptible to insect bites, let someone else mow the lawn, trim the hedges and tend the flower garden.

Garbage cans should be cleaned regularly, sprayed with insecticide, and tightly closed.

When having a picnic, avoid staying near trees with plenty of ripe fruit.

The surest way to get rid of mosquitoes and other pests is to use an insecticide. Of the many products in the market today, which should you choose?

An important point to consider when buying an insecticide is that it should be deadly only to insects - not to man or the environment. Admittedly, that golden rule can be hard to follow since a very thin line separates efficacy from toxicity. While many insecticides can effectively rid your home of bugs, they are also suspected of causing cancer and other chronic effects. The long-term risks of others remain unknown.

The trick, therefore, is to choose the lesser evil. It's true that all insecticides have the potential to cause trouble if they aren't used properly. However, some products are less hazardous than others. The information in this article will, hopefully, help you make the right decision.

The most popular insecticide which is seldom used nowadays is dichlorodiphenyl - trichloro-ethane or DDT. It was first used in 1945 and became man's first line defense against malaria-carrying mosquitoes mainly because it is cheap, effective and readily available.

Concern about its possible carcinogenic effect, however, prompted the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban the use of this insecticide in 1972. Studies show that DDT is not only harmful to man, it is also an environmental hazard. It can accumulate in fish and affect the reproductive capabilities of birds and other animals. (Next: Other controversial insecticides.)

To strengthen your body against diseases that bugs bring, take Immunitril - your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system. For details, visit http://www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html

Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com