I have a non embroidery ???? It's mosquito season and I’m allergic to insect bites. Does anyone have any remedies to keep the critters away? I try not to use toxic sprays since they also make m

I thank you all for your remedies. Some I've tried and some are new. Bounce sheets work for DH but not me. Skin So Soft works best so far but not completely. I'm going to try B1. Here's a laugh for ya'll. I've been taking the wrong B vit. all winter. I dohave a fan on the deck and that helps keep them away. Citronella torches all over the yard. We have 10 acres around the house so it's impossible to cover everything. I have my list of supplies and will let you all know what seems to work. Flowers all around

My neighbor sent an email saying that Listerine does the job.I haven't tested, but are campers and I'm going to try it.

1 comment

by celticlady1031 16 May 2008

Tried it and it works for all of maybe 10 min. My neighbour tried it too without much luck.

Oh my, I have no remedy but I do feel your pain. I am highly allergic to insect bites also. I have yet to find anything that really works but the skin so soft does help. Only problem is that when I put it all over my body, because the do bite through my clothes, then they attack my head. And SSS in your hair looks nasty. I have considered wearing a beekeepers helmet!!!! Good luck! I am going to stay on this thread in case someone has a real remedy. Thanks for asking this one. *4U

You can rub the leaves of sented gerainum the one that smells like herbs not the lemon sented one you rub the leaves together in palms of hand then rub on arms and legs and forehead.

I am extremely allergic to mosquito bites (amongst many other things) and I have to keep anti-histamine medication handy at all times, but I grow Citronella plants in pots around the house (outside), especially near main entry doorways, and if I have to go outside at all I tear off a couple of leaves, scrunch them up and rub them onto exposed areas. I have been taking Mega B tablets twice a day for the last 10 years but can honestly say I have never noticed that this stops mosquito's biting, so i can't support that theory. If i should forget my Citronella leaves and get bitten i rub neat Lavender oil onto the bite and keep applying until the itch stops, otherwise the bite site will flare up every day for a week or more, sometimes though, i have no option but to take the anti-histamine, it depends on the type of mosquito. Hope this helps some. Hugs n roses, Meganne

Find a container with a wick and add Citronilla Oil and burn . I use this offen

I make my own spray and it waorks a treat. Equal parts baby oil, dettol and motholated spirits mixed in a spray bottle . I have used this on my babies and grandbabies

1 comment

by celticlady1031 16 May 2008

have no clue what dettol is.

Yep! Skin So Soft works most of the time if you don't mind the slicky feel of the stuff. Eating Garlic helps...you sweat it out of your pores. And using Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Oil) seems to help me too... just keep it away from pets especially cats and birds. Beer drinkers get bit a bit less often because they sweat the Yeast from their pores. Cinnamon oil seems to be very effective in killing pests.
Try externally: Castor Oil, Rosemary, Oil, Citronella Oil, Lemon Eucalyptus Oil, Cinnamon Oil, Lemongrass Oil,Cedar Oil, Peppermint Oil, Clove Oil, Geranium Oil, Possibly Oils from Verbena, Pennyroyal (be very careful with this one!), Lavender, Pine, Cajeput, Basil, Thyme, Allspice, Soybean, and Garlic

Keep in mind 'natural' does not always mean safe and non-toxic or allergin free!

My grmothers receipe is 125ml baby oil, 25ml dettol, & 25 ml metholated spirits, mix together and rub on your skin. This seems to work for other biting insect too.

1 comment

by raels011 16 May 2008

sorry I didn't see your answer before I put mine in

Citronella oil in water seems to work. However I use the avon skinsosoft bug guard on my daughter and she hasn't reacted yet. Paediatrician gave us Vit B1 (thiamine) to take during mossie season, it makes you taste unattractive apparently. She also suggested putting the repellent around the cuffs of sleeves/trousers, actually on the fabric not skin, as it is the smell that repells them.

We live in mosquitoville too, and usually use the Avon Skin so Soft. I quickly did a search and came up with a couple of tips: don't wear dark clothing or flowery or fruity scents. B1, garlic or brewers yeast are helpful (but I didn't see how much to take, or frequency.) I also found a list of oils that appear to be repellent (here too, I don't know if it's to be used topically or as in a potpourri.)
Cinnamon, Castor, Lemon Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lemon Grass, Cedar, Peppermint, Clove & Geranium.) Guess I should do a little more research.....

I have alot of problems with allergic reactions to alot of stuff, this works for me. Apply 5 or 6 drops of pure Tea Tree Oil onto a wet warm facecloth and apply to exposed skin (works for dogs also), or you could try using Watkins insect repellent lotion.

1 comment

by celticlady1031 16 May 2008

Tea Tree Oil is available up here. I need a gallon for me and the dogs. LOL

Citronella candles do work and we can get a citronella spray. *4U

ok ladies, here is something else I was told to do, tried it and it worked. Find some real lye soap, after you have the bite and don't want it to itch, just wet the lye soap a little and rub it on the area and leave it. That will keep it from itching. Of course this is after you get the bites.

How about burning citronella candles around the house.

I always use Avon's Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray on my skin in the mozzie season, I don't know how or why but it seems to work, and it smells good too!

I used to live in the redwoods in N.Calif. where mosquitoes swarm and are huge. We used to put Listerine - regular flavor- in a spray bottle and mist ourselves and the area around us. It works! Also a friend of mine rubs herself down with a Bounce dryer sheet and swears the mosquitoes leave her alone.

celtic lady I have a friend n Mi. that mixes up a formula, the base starts with skin so soft, don't know the other 2 ing. abut I've heard people requesting form. when they lived here n Ga. 4 awhile.I'll try to find out what it is4U *4U

Well, learn something new every day!. B1, huh? I'm game to try it.;)

4 comments

by simplyrosie 15 May 2008

I do remember when I used to go down South in the summertime to Arkansas when I was a kid, I feared chiggers more than anything! Do you have them there in GA?

by lbrow 15 May 2008

U better believe it,


when summer camp nurse that was biggest complaint chigger bites.

by jrob 15 May 2008

Oh, yes, we have the dreaded chiggers! My mother used to paint them with clear fingernail polish. OUCH!

by nonna57 16 May 2008

whats a chigger?

Start taking Vitamin B1 as soon as possible and take it through October, then start taking it again in March or April depending on your region. Have been doing this for the past 5 years and have not received a mosquito bite since then. BTW...only take 1 a day.

1 comment

by simplyrosie 15 May 2008

What's the dosage?

I think you can ingest something like Vitamin B (can't remember if that's the right one) and it builds up a "natural" repellent... you should find some hits on Yahoo or Google regarding that. :-)

Thanks Cuties. I have Skin So Soft and it helps. Key word.. Helps. LOL I have the softest bites on the prairie.

I use Avon skin so soft bath oil spray, its not greasy if you don't overspray and they don't seem to come near. And no I don't sell avon -- hehe ;-)

Avon Skin-So-Soft... works very well. ;-)

make me sick.