Lemon Eucalyptus Mosquito Repellent
Summer is coming to the East coast, and with it comes…Mosquitoes.
Herbalists and aromatherapists have been saying for years that there are plenty of less toxic and more pleasant natural alternatives to the average bug spray, but until recently the CDC has only recommend DEET as a mosquito repellent.
Of course we want to protect our kids and ourselves from mosquitoes and the potential for mosquito-borne illnesses, but there haven’t seemed to be a lot of alternatives.
But now the CDC has officially announced that Essential Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is an effective mosquito repellent. And we’re overjoyed to hear it. We’ve been using Eucalyptus, Holy Basil, Geranium, Patchouli, and Lemongrass oils for years, in the garden and the woods, to repel bugs, but now it’s official!
Try the following recipe for your very own great-smelling and super-effective mosquito repellent!
Bug Repellent Spray, recipe by Olivia MacMillan, Clinical Aromatherapist
2 oz spray bottle filled with water
10 drops Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops Geranium essential oil
5 drops Patchouli essential oil
5 drops Lemongrass essential oil
Add the essential oil to the bottle, shake well and mist over everything from hair to skin to clothes to dogs and beyond as a natural bug repellent. Essential oils are not good for cats, and of course be careful not to get it in your eyes!
Thanks for the info. I will see you soon to stock up
This is very helpful – thanks! Is there a way you could put a ‘share button’ for Facebook on your web pages? It would be great to be able to easily share these nuggets of wisdom.
Great idea! Thanks Joanie!
We’ve added share buttons to the bottom of our blog posts. Share and enjoy!
It’s good to see the CDC evolving. Now I just need some lemon eucalyptus oil!
How long does it last or rather how often do I have to reapply it?
Hi Tanya! I find that an oil-based application (essential oil diluted in a carrier oil) tends to last a couple of hours when I’m working in the garden.
The CDC does not recommend the essential oil of lemon eucalyptus, but rather the EPA registered Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), which is sourced from the essential oil, but then goes through a manufacturing process which increases its effectiveness. OLE can be found in Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus, Coleman Botanicals and Murphy’s Naturals Lemon Eucalyptus products.
We got our information from a CDC press release which simply states “oil of lemon eucalyptus”. The EPA’s website says the same, while also listing the main components of the oil they have found to be the most important. Do you have further information on the EPA’s manufacturing process?