Live without DEET

CDC Confirms Lemon Eucalyptus Oil as Effective as DEET

It's easy to say you'll never use DEET, that is until you come down to South Carolina. My home state boasts mosquitoes that rival your house pet in size and stature. But even still, many fear the toxicity of DEET and try to avoid it even with those mini-monsters landing on you noon and night. According to the CDC, lemon eucalyptus oil could be a much safer and more natural weapon.


The CDC confirmed that lemon eucalyptus oil can be as effective as DEET in repelling mosquitoes, a story reported on Mattermore:


Oil of lemon eucalyptus [active ingredient: p-menthane 3,8-diol (PMD)], a plant- based repellent, is also registered with EPA. In two recent scientific publications, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitoes found in the US it provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET


attermore reports that until recently, DEET was the only repellent recommended by the CDC, and approved for individual use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Oil of lemon eucalyptus is plant-based repellent oil made from leaves of Eucalyptus citriodora.

Goodbye DEET. Can't wait to see parents spray a safe repellent on their little ones.

Grapefruit and bugs

Repelling Bugs With The Essence Of Grapefruit

"People really dislike a lot of the repellents available now," Dolan says. "They don't like the odor they have, they don't like the greasy feel they give. And a lot of people are just concerned about putting man-made chemicals on their skin."


That's why the CDC is pushing hard to develop a completely natural insect repellent made from a chemical called nootkatone, which is found in Alaska yellow cedar trees and citrus fruit.


Dolan says nootkatone "is nongreasy, dries very quickly, and it has a very pleasant, citrus-y grapefruit odor to it."


He recently demonstrated its effectiveness as a mosquito repellent, rubbing some on his hand and then sticking it into a cage containing 50 hungry mosquitoes. When he holds the treated hand near mosquitoes, they try to get away in the opposite direction as fast as they can.


Even after five minutes, Dolan has no bites on his nootkatone-treated hand.


Nootkatone is also effective against ticks, and scientists think it will work against bed bugs, head lice and other insects, too.


Moreover, nootkatone is so nontoxic you could drink it. In fact, it's already an approved food additive, officially classed as "Generally Considered Safe." It's also a natural ingredient in some foods.


"If you've had a grapefruit, you've consumed some nootkatone," Dolan says, "or drank a Squirt, for instance."

Hmmmm. Grapefruit and vodka?
I guess rather than compost the grapefruit skins I'll rub on my skin - see if it works.