cheap, natural insect repellant

[granolahead]

I've been spraying myself liberally on a daily basis with DEET-free bug spray before I go running in the mornings, so as to avoid being eaten alive by bazillions of mosquitoes. I've been spraying my kids pretty often, too. We're going through a ton of bug spray and it makes me nervous about what all those chemicals are doing to us, so I'm looking for an alternative that's both natural and cheap. Any ideas? Thanks!

[texasAPmom]

Originally Posted by granolahead

I've been spraying myself liberally on a daily basis with DEET-free bug spray before I go running in the mornings, so as to avoid being eaten alive by bazillions of mosquitoes. I've been spraying my kids pretty often, too. We're going through a ton of bug spray and it makes me nervous about what all those chemicals are doing to us, so I'm looking for an alternative that's both natural and cheap. Any ideas? Thanks!

Here's something I found on the net and adapted according to what I had around the house. It's been working great for us.

20 drops Tea Tree Oil
2-3 drops of lemon dish soap
~ 2 ounces of rubbing alcohol
~ 4 ounces of water

We have watched mosquitoes sqarm our legs, yet never land, bc they hate the stuff so much. My 15 mo doesn't get ate up everytime he goes outside anymore. It's great. Some of the ingredients may be less than desireable for some folks, but it sure does beat most stuff you buy at the stores IMO.

[pixiepunk]

i make my own. i use about 3.5 ounces of witch hazel, a couple of tablespoons of oil (usually jojoba, but you could use whatever you've got i think), and 10-15 drops of all the following EO's:
citronella
cedarwood
lemon-eucalyptus
lavender
tea tree
rosemary
peppermint
lemongrass

it is amazing. it's like i'm wearing a shield - bugs won't fly anywhere near me. and it smells really nice too :