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Saturday, December 13, 2008
How to make your own catnip-based mosquito repellent
DEET has been the most common active ingredient in commercial mosquito repellents for more than 40 years. I constantly need to use mosquito repellents to do my gardening work, but many DEET-based mosquito repellents are terribly expensive. As of right now, the cheapest DEET-based mosquito repellent is being sold for £2 per bottom in the UK.
Fortuantely, I discovered that catnip-vinegar mixture as a mosquito repellent is not a joke. At least, it works for me. Here are the steps for making your own mosquito repellent:
Step 1: Crush some fresh catnip leaves into small pieces.
Step 2: Put them into a cup of white or rice vinegar in a quart jar.
Step 3: Seal and store the catnip-vinegar mixture in a dark cupboard.
Step 4: Shake the catnip-vinegar mixture when you have time.
To use, just apply the mixture onto the exposed skin.
I recemmend AGAINST using dry catnip leaves. According to my experiments, dry catnip leaves simply don't work.
Vinegar may soothe and heal mosquito bite to some extent, but, in contrast with what many people believe, vinegar does not repell mosquitos.