Make Your Own Toxin-Free Insect Repellent With A Splash Of Vodka
You’ve got plans to explore the great outdoors but no insect repellent? No problem. Just use leftovers from last night’s party and this eco-friendly mix that’s as customisable as the cocktails you had.
Photo by Valerie Everett
Tip site Little House in the Suburbs has a recipe for a spray that aims to keep the bugs far, far away without using any harmful or harsh chemicals:
- 1 cup vodka
- 2 T. aloe vera juice
- 2 tsp. favourite conditioning liquid oil (soybean, olive, castor, etc.)
- 1 1/2 tsp. essential oil blend
The blend of essential oils is the customisable part, and you’ll find a list detailing which oils to use for which pests in the full post. Keep in mind that unlike store-bought and chemical-laden sprays, this one needs to be reapplied far more frequently to maintain its insect repelling qualities.
The great part about this particular mix is that it is tailored to be a spray and usable on the go. What are you using while away from your porch and citronella candles? Share your favourite ‘Squito-be-Gone tricks in the comments.
Make Your Own Insect Repellent [Little House in the Suburbs]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@ShanghaiLil: Why does all of this sound like a night at my local gay bar?
ShanghaiLil
At least you wont feel the bites!
Axel_BZ
Waste a CUP of Vodka? No way!
There is only so much tree hugging in that can be done in a day. When it comes to absolute and total disregard for alcohol that is where I draw the line.
Hell, if you drink that cup of Vodka you won't care about the bugs that are trying to eat you. :)
AKA: How to get West Nile Virus because you're afraid of toluamides!
Confuzius
Anyone else get an "Account Suspended" page when trying to get to the full article?
So many uses for Vodka...
Calvin Lear
Vodka? Toxin Free? try telling that to my liver XD
@cinejoe: Haha! I like that idea.
Joshiii-Kun
@ShanghaiLil: No, you have to lure the mosquitoes in with promises of booze.
cinejoe
This sounds like napalm.
You just spray it on, light yourself on fire, no bugs.
cinejoe
So Muskol, etc. are "chemicals" and those essential plant oils aren't? A lot of the oils listed on the linked sites are irritants and many would make you pretty sick if you ingested them.
Just because they're found in plants doesn't mean it's automatically "safe" to concentrate them to 1,000x their normal levels and spray them on your skin.
JordanW
OFF Deep Woods or Muskal
or u might as well stay home this may work in some parts of America but in Canada use the real stuff or go home
spetz
Uh, except ethanol is toxic, harsh, harmful and readily absorbed through the skin. I'll stick with deet.
christianmlong
Their essential oil blend seems somewhat random and misguided. You don't want to use just any eucalyptus; it's specifically LEMON eucalyptus that repels mosquitos (according to Wikipedia "its effect against mosquitoes is similar to that of repellents containing lower concentrations of DEET."). I use a mix that is mostly lemon eucalyptus mixed with cedar, geranium and lavender which make the mix smell really nice. I just mix with water (about 1 part essential oils to 10 parts water) and spray it on; you do have to reapply more often than with commercial products.
kenzilisa
Seems to me that if you get any of this spray containing olive or soybean or essential oil on your clothes (very likely to happen) that it will stain them.
HolbrookLinglewood
@jupiterthunder: Is it their fault that vodka has so many uses?
I can attest to the constant sound of a lawn mower through the weeks-worth of nights I spent in the Canadian wilderness on a long canoe/fishing trek I did. Just ridiculous! ...99% Deet blends were permanently sprayed on my clothing.
EdinaAmyclas
@Counterglow: Now, really, that's hardly accurate. I managed to get away from three just this morning on the way to work. (Of course, I winged one of them with my trusty stun-gun.)
I was thinking we could maybe spray the mixture into the air and ignite it but that'd make CO2 and just attract more of 'em.
Good way to get yourself stopped at the roadblock. Seriously, Muskol WORKS. This just doesn't.
Would it work if I just drank the vodka and sprayed the rest on my skin?
ShanghaiLil
dunno bout the insects but damn that tastes good
@jupiterthunder: We Canadians know them as, "Jeebus, here they come again! Save the last bullet for yourself!"
They've got schnozzes on 'em bigger than a porn star's pecker, they're the size of dogs, and three of them are enough to drag you off into the bush.
Counterglow
A buddy of mine tried this recipe (or something very close to it) on a camping trip. The result?
First night: drunk, gorged mosquitoes.
Second night: Guy preying on my Muskol supply.
Third night: See second night.
Counterglow
so its better to douse ones self in 5$ of vodka and castor oil than to get something off the shelf for 3$?
whos going to want to smell like dead fish?
*give back my star gizmodo*
fanboy.took.my.star
Seems Like a waste of the cup of Vodka.
Next week, change the author and title and we have another Vodka infusion post. You're welcome, LH.
BTW, we southerners know that it's "skeeter".
jupiterthunder
I use gasoline and matches.