Guest Author - Lili Pintea-Reed

Make Your Own Insect Repellent

Now that the balmy days of summer are here an absolute deluge of insects has washed over the land. Rather than soak oneself and one’s family and pets in toxic chemicals, you can repel insects naturally for little cost. Just follow the recipes below and you can make insect repellent spritzers, oils, and powders for people and pets.

INSECT REPELLENT SPRITZER

Materials:
lemon peels and/or orange peels
mint leaves and/or pennyroyal leaves and/or sage leaves
rubbing alcohol or witch hazel

Directions:
(Note Do Not use penny royal if you are pregnant or wish to become so.)

Make a strong tea with the peels and the mint leaves. You can use each ingredient separately if you like or combine them to suit your sense of smell. Its best to soak the ingredients over night in a covered pan. The next day strain. Mix the strong herbal tea half and half with either witch hazel or rubbing alcohol and put in a spray bottle. Spray your self down before going outside in the evening.

INSECT REPELLENT OIL

Materials:
Salad oil of any kind (but olive is preferred)
lemon peels and/or orange peels
mint leaves and/or pennyroyal leaves and/or sage leaves
glass jar sterilized
pan to heal oil

Directions:
(Note Do Not use pennyroyal if you are pregnant or wish to become so.)

Place torn leaves and peels packed in a sterilized glass jar. Heat oil to 160 degrees F. Pour over herbal mixture in the jar to completely cover. Place top on, and let sit in a dark place for at least a week. A month is better. Rub this oil on before hikes or out side activities where one might sweat off a spritzer.

FLEA REPELLENT FOR DOGS

(NOTE: Do not use this on cats. Citrus is toxic to cats in large amounts.!!!)

Materials:
citrus peels
water
pan

Boil left over citrus peels in a pan of water. Pour over your dog after a bath rubbing into the coat. It will make your dog smell like an orange. It will kill fleas AND keep them off your pet.

For other ideas check out:
The Alternative medicine site at Bella!
http://alternativemedicine.bellaonline.com/Site.asp

Bella Fragrance Site:
http://fragrance.bellaonline.com/Site.asp

For more ideas Check out these Frugal Living Books!
Complete Tightwad Gazzette
The Complete Tightwad Gazzette

Declare Your Finanacial Independence
Declare Your Financial Independence

Complete Cheapskate
Mary Hunt's Complete Cheapskate

Miserly Moms
Miserly Moms

You Can Afford to Stay Home With your Kids
You can Afford to stay Home WIth your Kids