[leila1213]

My good friend is 6 mos preg and trying to absorb all my advice on NFL. She is a bugspray-a-holic, claiming they are drawn to her and she is really bothered by them. She has pets and is outside a lot. What are some safe bug-repellant solutions I could suggest?

 

[Selah L.]

I'm also interested in what people have to say about what bug sprays are safe for kids. I don't know which I'm more freaked out about, bug bites or the bug spray!<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">:

 

[Gitti]

A safe bug repellent can only be something natural like citronella or some other oil. I don't know of anything else. Check at your hfs.

 

[AEZMama]

Have her bathe in the evening and put some tea tree oil in the bath-she'll be bug free the whole next day! Or she can put some water and drops of tea tree oil in a spray bottle and can spray daily.<br><br>
I know for a fact that this works tremendously as a friend lives with a swamp in her backyard and she bathes her 3 boys with drops of tea tree in the bath daily and they never get a mosquito or gnat bite.

 

[Gitti]

Hey, that's interesting. I put some TTO into our shampoos.

 

[Lady Lilya]

Bite Blocker<br>
It is basically geranium oil.<br>
It has been around in the US for a decade, and is MORE effective than the DEET sprays.<br><br>
You can also use catnip oil.

 

[beanma]

actually, Bite Blocker's active ingredient is soybean oil. it does have added stuff to make it smell nice/effective, but if you read the label the active ingredient is soybean oil. i bought some other natural bug spray from <a href="http://www.gardensalive.com" target="_blank">www.gardensalive.com</a> and it's the same thing -- soybean oil as the active ingredient and other oils as nice smells (this one has vanilla in it and has a different scent than Bite Blocker). i think some people just have a body chemistry that is attractive to bugs. my dd1 is a tick <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/yikes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="EEK!"> magnet. they always find her and i don't think my dd2 has gotten any bug bites this year.<br><br>
hope you can help your friend find something that works for her. sometimes simple things like a fan on a deck or porch can really help if she's trying to avoid mosquitoes. they're not very good flyers and can be blown away pretty easily with an oscillating fan.<br><br>
hth

 

[Lady Lilya]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>beanma</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/7991870"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">actually, Bite Blocker's active ingredient is soybean oil. it does have added stuff to make it smell nice/effective, but if you read the label the active ingredient is soybean oil. i bought some other natural bug spray from <a href="http://www.gardensalive.com" target="_blank">www.gardensalive.com</a> and it's the same thing -- soybean oil as the active ingredient and other oils as nice smells (this one has vanilla in it and has a different scent than Bite Blocker). i think some people just have a body chemistry that is attractive to bugs. my dd1 is a tick <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/yikes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="EEK!"> magnet. they always find her and i don't think my dd2 has gotten any bug bites this year.<br><br>
hope you can help your friend find something that works for her. sometimes simple things like a fan on a deck or porch can really help if she's trying to avoid mosquitoes. they're not very good flyers and can be blown away pretty easily with an oscillating fan.<br><br>
hth</div>
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</tr></table></div>
Ahhhhh, I could have sworn that the website said the geranium oil was the active ingredient, and soy and another oil were the inactive ingredients. But, I guess I am suffering from pregnancy brain. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/dizzy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Dizzy">:

 

[pinky]

Great product from a great WAHM:<br><a href="http://www.moondancesoaps.com/product.html?id=164&Baby's_Bug_Off_Spray" target="_blank">Moondance Soaps Baby Bug Off</a>

 

[Petersmamma]

Here's what I do:<br><br>
Fill a small spray bottle with water, then add 10 drops each of tea tree oil, citronella oil, and lavender (all EOs). It's cheap, though you have to reapply fairly often, but you can put it on kiddos, it's effective, and you can go to sleep with it on!

 

[LandonsMama]

Burt's Bees has a great natural repellant that works wonders if you aren't looking for something to mix yourself <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">