Keepin' the bugs away...naturally

    I enjoy all four seasons, they each have some pros, each have some cons. I think we can all agree that a huge con that comes with summer are those nasty little blood sucking Mosquitos! They seem to swarm in some areas, covering you in red, itchy swelling bumps. So how do you make yourself Less appealing to them?!? And without covering yourself in a bottle of chemicals you can't even pronounce? 

     There's simple things you can do, like turn on a fan. This makes it too hard for them to fly and will help keep them down. Make a garlic oil spray and spray it all around the area you will be in. I would say a head of garlic in a cup of oil, heat the oil, remove from heat, crush garlic and add to your oil. Steep a few hours (over night would be ideal). Put this in a spray bottle and use it all over your garden. I mix up a bug oil to apply to our skin, for this i use 1 ounce jojoba oil and then add 6 drops citronella oil, 4 drops lavender oil and 4 drops pennyroyal oil. You can put a few drops on your hand and rub it in to your exposed skin. Safe for the entire family! 

     You can also make a soap. For this you need: 

           ~ 1 oz liquid Castile soap (I flavor dr bronners) 

           ~  About 30 drops of essential oil (pick from citronella, pennyroyal, lavender, peppermint or rose geranium) I like to try out different blends. 

      You can wash with this before hikes, while camping or anytime you'll be outdoor for a while. 

      And you can also make a spray. For this you'll need:

        ~ 4 oz boiled water

        ~ 4 oz witch hazel

        ~ 30-50 drops (you pick citronella, lemongrass, eucalyptus, mint, lavender, clove or rosemary)

         ~ mix your ingredients and fill up a spray bottle. This smells great, you can mix a few different oils and it works fantastic. 

        You can also add some things around the garden to keep Mosquitos away. Basil, mint, lavender, lemongrass and even marigolds are said to keep them away. 

        All of these are methods of keeping the bugs away are complete kid friendly so you can feel comfortable spraying them around. Bug bites are not only it by and annoying but some people have an allergic reaction to them. Our oldest daughter gets baseball size lumps at the site of her bites, when she has a few bites, its scary looking. So for us, prevention from her getting any bites is very important. 

       If we do come across some bites, I just apply a cool compress of water and lavender Castile soap (again, I favor dr bronners). Also I apply a paste of baking soda and water, this draws out some fluid and you'll really see a difference in the size of the bump. 

       I hope some of these recipes are helpful to you and your family this buggy season! Enjoy your bbqs without all the bites :)

~ Janet ✌