Natural Mosquito Repellent

Repellents do not kill mosquitoes, but help make humans unattractive and harder to detect by masking the environmental cues mosquitoes rely on to choose hosts. Some compounds extracted from plants can mimic the same effects on mosquitoes as conventional chemical mosquito repellents, like DEET. Typically, these are essential oils. Common essential oils that are taken from natural mosquito repellent plants and used in natural mosquito repellents include:

• Oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Citronella
• Cedar
• Peppermint
• Lemongrass
• Geraniol (component of several different types of oils, like rose and geranium)

Effectiveness of Natural Mosquito Repellents

Citronella is commonly found in repellent candles and torches, and has been found to be effective in repelling mosquitoes. Other essential oils have been found to be as effective as DEET, but just for not as long. In a study done by the University of Florida, they found that oil of lemon eucalyptus products last about two hours, soybean oil products last about an hour and a half, 10% citronella products last about 20 minutes, and products with a combination of the above oils in varying percentages last about 20 minutes.  That being said, these products can be applied as needed without a high risk of over-application.

Using Repellents: Choosing The Right Product

When you love spending time outside during mosquito season, you’ll need products that let you enjoy the outdoors without worrying about itchy bites and potentially harmful chemicals around you and your family. We sell a variety of natural, safer alternatives that keep mosquitoes at bay.

For skin: The choices are simple. Look for either a 10% concentration of one active ingredient, or a variety of active ingredients in varying percentages. Apply these products as needed.

Outdoors: Combining a skin spray with an outdoor area spray can be a huge advantage in mosquito protection. We carry several options, with different active ingredients to suit your needs. For a very natural approach, Mosquito Barrier provides protection using almost a 100% concentration of garlic, using the mosquito’s highly sensitive sense of smell to repel. For ease of use, our ready-to-use hose end products attach to your garden hose, diluting with the proper amount of water while spraying a protective barrier. Try Bonide Mosquito Beater, with cedar oil and citronella, and St. Gabriel Organics Mosquito and Tick Repellent with peppermint and cinnamon oils and comes in a larger, tank sprayer size as well. All of these products can be properly diluted and sprayed onto the surface of standing water to kill mosquito larvae in the water.

Natural Mosquito Repellent Tips

• Apply to exposed skin only, not under clothing
• Do not apply near food
• Lemon of eucalyptus cannot be applied to children under 3
• Apply as needed
• Read all instructions carefully; natural products may not always be safer and still require caution.

*See our entire selection of natural & organic bug repellents.