Thursday, July 26, 2007

Lavender spray

IMG_7028I have found the best mosquito repellent ever! My sister-in-law recommended it a few years ago and I've been using it ever since. Lavender oil. I just put a few drops in a bottle of water, spray it on, and the mosquitoes don't touch me! My husband uses it too, and we both swear by it. (10-15 drops in 6 oz.) The best part is, you don't have to shower off some sticky, chemically spray before you go to bed at night. And don't worry about using it on the kids. Unless they're allergic, it's safe for the little ones.

You can find lavender oil in the essential oils part of the natural foods section of a grocery store, a natural health foods store, or an herb shop. It costs about $8 for a small bottle, which will last well over a year. During spring and fall, I put a few drops in my lotion so I smell good, and already have my mosquito repellent on in case we eat outside. This site recommends putting it in a massage oil, but I've found water to work just fine.

Lavender water is also an excellent way to give you a refreshing clean feeling on a hot and humid day. Skip the 2nd shower on those sticky nights and just spritz on some lavender oil-water.

Tip of the day: Download music instead of buying cds - saves on packaging and transportation costs and waste.

6 comments:

marybid said...

That's awesome, Terra. I had no idea. I wonder if you can spritz it on beasts (dogs) too.

terra said...

My dog doesn't like to be sprayed, but if I can get her back, she doesn't get bothered by the bugs anymore. We've seen them land on us, and fly right off! It's the coolest stuff.

Anonymous said...

I love lavender! I use it all the time. In fact I restore old furniture and I spray the drawers inside to rid the musty smell and I will spray a mist just before a customer comes to buy. And buy they do, everytime! I heard on a talk show that lavender relaxes people and puts them in a buying mood. Yes it does, everytime! I've also read that you can cut fresh lavender and put it in a room to get rid of those pesky moths. Hey, make a lavender wand, pretty and effective at the same time!
Terra's mom

terra said...

I forgot about the lavender wand. Here's how to make them.

Mike D. said...

Terra-
I've also had a lot of success with a eucalyptus oil based product they sell at Whole Foods (at least the ones in the Bay Area). I use when i go camping and it is very nice when my tent and other camping equipment doesn't smell like deet and other chemicals.

terra said...

I've heard that about eucalyptus. We tried to get rid of our cats' fleas with it - didn't work. But, I hear it's quite effective against mosquitoes.