Smell Like A Hippie To Keep Mosquitoes Away

A rainy summer has led to a surge in mosquitoes in Iowa and Illinois.  And definitely for me.  In about 30 minutes on Sunday evening, I got 7 mosquito bites.  What is in my blood?!

Of course we can all cover ourselves in DEET to keep them away, but in a world full of chemicals, going all natural might be better for you and more effective to keep the pesky blood suckers away.

Add Patchouli Oil To Keep Mosquitoes Away

a close up of a mosquito on a white surface

Would you stick your arm in a mosquito-infested cage for three hours with nothing but patchouli oil?  Participants did, and it turns out it worked well!

According to the American Chemical Society,  adding patchouli oil to unscented cream keeps mosquitoes just as well as DEET.

The team of researchers believes patchouli oil's rich, earthy aroma overwhelms the mosquito's sense of smell.

Wait...mosquitoes can smell?  I guess all animals can smell, but for some reason that is just extra disturbing to me.

Three Hours No Bites with Patchouli Oil

Researchers had subjects coat their arms in either the Patchouli Oil, DEET lotion, or nothing.  Who was that poor person?  I wouldn't volunteer for any of this, but definitely not that.

The patchouli lotion and DEET were both effective for up to 3 hours at the same concentration.  So just like the harsh chemicals, the natural oil can get the job done as well.

As of now, finding this on the market is a little tough.  There are not many options, and many of them come in oil form.  The experts say the best solution is to take the oil and mix it with an unscented lotion.  It puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the bite again.

So go ahead and smell like a hippie, take in a Phish show, and stay mosquito-free!