Mosquito Remedies

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Alix

Everymom
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OK, I completely hijacked a dinner thread with my talk about the mosquitos. Mods if you want to split those off and toss them in here its all good.

Just wanting to know what folks have done that works. I've never experienced the little buggers this bad. My youngest has over 100 bites.

Skin So Soft (Avon) - sort of works, but only when there aren't too many out.

Listerine (green) - sprayed on areas where they like to live. Seems to work. I can get in my door without being drained now.

Deep Woods Off - works, but smells nasty and probably isn't too good for you.

Muskol - same as Off.

Any other recommendations?
 
Vanilla extract placed on ankles and pulses will keep them at bay and smells good.
Citronella is another smell they hate, citronella oil is available at most health stores and pharmacies.
Dettol works like the listerine does, just put a capful in a spray bottle with water and spray on exposed skin.
Burn a citronella candle in the room you are sitting in to keep the room clear.
 
Try the Off fan thingies, the ad says it surrounds you with a bubble of the stuff, no spray needed. We have some, and while we haven't tried them yet, I would think they'd be worth a shot.

There's a disc of stuff in it, and a little battery-operated fan distributes the stuff around you. You clip it to your belt or put it on a surface next to you.
 
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OK, I completely hijacked a dinner thread with my talk about the mosquitoes. Mods if you want to split those off and toss them in here its all good.

Just wanting to know what folks have done that works. I've never experienced the little buggers this bad. My youngest has over 100 bites.

I live on the very edge of a place called "Twelve Mile Swamp" in Florida. The skeeters here are so big that they carry wire cutters. :ohmy: :LOL:

I will not put chemicals on my skin. I don't care what they say about how safe they are, human skin doesn't need chemicals saturating it.

Here's what I do, and it works well:

I put the clothing I intend to wear outside, on the floor of my garage. Then I spray it on the outside of the garments, with Deep Woods Off. Including the socks, shoes and hat. All sides. Don't saturate the cloth where it will be wet on the inside. Just the outside.

This creates a full body barrier that only one or two skeeters will get though and keeps that nasty stuff off your body.
 
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OK, going to look for the Off fan things. That sounds like it might work.

Snip, you're supposed to spray Dettol ON yourself??? Dettol is pretty toxic isn't it? I read it has three main compounds: chloroxylenol, pine oil and castor oil in it, and that chloroxylenol is a toxic chemical that can cause burning, itching, rash, redness, or swelling. The Listerine doesn't get sprayed on you but around you. Maybe that's what you do with Dettol?

The citronella candles work a bit, I've tried those. I've not tried the vanilla. Is it the real vanilla that works? Or just any vanilla smelling stuff?
 
Alix said:
OK, going to look for the Off fan things. That sounds like it might work.

Snip, you're supposed to spray Dettol ON yourself??? Dettol is pretty toxic isn't it? I read it has three main compounds: chloroxylenol, pine oil and castor oil in it, and that chloroxylenol is a toxic chemical that can cause burning, itching, rash, redness, or swelling. The Listerine doesn't get sprayed on you but around you. Maybe that's what you do with Dettol?

The citronella candles work a bit, I've tried those. I've not tried the vanilla. Is it the real vanilla that works? Or just any vanilla smelling stuff?

We used to use the fake vanilla, but I am thinking it may be more for gnats. Absorbine Jr actually works better for gnats.
 
You can always do what Paris Hilton does for mosquitoes, Alix...
 
OK, going to look for the Off fan things. That sounds like it might work.

Snip, you're supposed to spray Dettol ON yourself??? Dettol is pretty toxic isn't it? I read it has three main compounds: chloroxylenol, pine oil and castor oil in it, and that chloroxylenol is a toxic chemical that can cause burning, itching, rash, redness, or swelling. The Listerine doesn't get sprayed on you but around you. Maybe that's what you do with Dettol?

The citronella candles work a bit, I've tried those. I've not tried the vanilla. Is it the real vanilla that works? Or just any vanilla smelling stuff?

When it's really well diluted it does no harm, just like when you add some to water to disinfect cuts etc. and the vanilla has to be real vanilla not imitation!
 
You can always do what Paris Hilton does for mosquitoes, Alix...

And that would be?

When it's really well diluted it does no harm, just like when you add some to water to disinfect cuts etc. and the vanilla has to be real vanilla not imitation!

Gotcha, real vanilla it is. And I've never used Dettol to disinfect anything. I use peroxide for that.
 
I thought you'd never ask...

She says, Say hello to my little friend.

Pet-Bat-31986.jpg

:LOL:
 
And that would be?



Gotcha, real vanilla it is. And I've never used Dettol to disinfect anything. I use peroxide for that.

And I bet you peroxide would cause irritation too if you put it straight on to skin..lol! We use dettol to disinfect :)
Hope the vanilla helps for you and it's smells yummy, you'll smell like cake..lol!
 
pacanis said:
I thought you'd never ask...

She says, Say hello to my little friend.

<img src="http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11519"/>

:LOL:

Love it!
 
I have one of those "bug" shirts--it is mesh, but I swear it is made of rayon. I get so FLIPPING hot when I wear it, I can't stand it. I can't wear rayon, I sweat like a pig in rayon. Odd, rayon is made from wood cellulose, but I can't wear anything that has rayon in it.
 
I will rent out DH. He is always very popular at outdoor gatherings, as the bugs congregate around him and leave everyone else alone.
 
CWS4322 said:
A little hard to do when riding the lawn tractor or weeding the garden ;).Dawglover--how much would it cost to ship him to upstate NY for pickup (within 5 days) at the UPS store?

As long as it's not by Canadian post...
 
As long as it's not by Canadian post...

AH HAHAHAHAHA! Good one!

Snip, I hope I didn't offend by saying I wouldn't use Dettol. I have done some reading on toxic household chemicals and that's a biggie. I'm trying to be more environmentally conscious and removing all those things if I can. I figure if it kills fishies, I'm not going to use it in my house.

I am currently wearing eau de vanilla and while I've not been outside a LOT, the short time I was out I was bite free. I am in shorts and a tank, and expect to be out a lot tonight. I'll report back.
 
justplainbill said:
Stay near a nice smokey fire and smoke a good Cuban cigar or a pipefull of a Latakia blend

Thought Cuban cigars were illegal. You must be in Canada! Or a really good smuggler.

I do love a good Cuban cigar, only in Mexico though.
 
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