- HubPages»
- Health
Use Lemongrass Oil to Repel Bugs
A Natural Repellent
Lemongrass oil is a natural repellent that can be safely used to keep away mosquitoes. The many commercial repellents sold on the market today, contain chemicals that are dangerous - and when combined with other compounds, including whatever medicines you are taking, can cause neurotoxin reactions.
When used as an insect repellent, lemongrass oil has the added benefit of having a pleasant aroma.
Below is a Question and Answer list about lemongrass (sometimes spelled lemon grass):
Does the oil have other names?
Lemongrass oil is also known as Indian oil of verbena. The lemongrass plant itself (cymbopogon) is also known as silky heads, citronella grass, fever grass and more.
Wait, isn't lemongrass used for cooking?
Yes it is. As a tall perennial grass, lemongrass, native to the Philippines, has been widely used in Asian cuisines. Lemongrass has a citrus flavor, and in addition to being used fresh, it is also available dried and in powdered form. It is most often used as a tea, in soup and in curries.
How is it used as a repellent?
There are several ways to use lemongrass oil as a repellent.
- dilute in distilled water or rubbing alcohol. Before spraying directly on your skin, do a small patch test to check for skin irritation before spraying all over
- burn it in small lamps or candles to protect a larger outdoor area
- add a few drops to other cosmetics such as body lotions and liquid hand soap
- it can be mixed with other oils - like rosemary oil - to repel a wider range of insects.
You can accomplish two things if you decide to grow your own lemongrass
- you can use it in food preparation
- the plant will act as a natural repellent in the yard and you can chop the lower stalks of the plant and rub the juice onto your skin.
Where can I find the oil?
Order it online or find it in health-food stores
For information about other beneficial oils see the links below. Also see warning about using camphor to repel moths.
Imitation camphor warning
- Warning About Camphor Use
The familiar camphor, with its strong smell, and long used as a moth repellant, is now showing up on the market in an adultered form. This form is toxic and particualry dangerous to children. Although similar...
More beneficial oils
- Cedarwood Oil: 10 Medicinal Benefits
Cedarwoodl oil comes from the wood chips and sawdust of the North America cedarwood tree. The pale yellow to light orange oil is extracted though a steam distillation method and has a soft, woody fragrance -... - Myrrh Oil: 10 Uses
The very versatile myrrh plant is indigenous to the African countries of Somalia and Ethiopia, as well as the Arabian peninsula. The essential oil is extracted from the resin of myrrh. Myrrh oil has...
Comments
- Author
I'm all about natural too MarleneB - which is why I couldn't wait to tell folks about your vodka and lavender repellent. Great stuff!
I am all for natural ways to do things and this is a great idea. I like the idea of growing it so that it repels the bugs throughout the yard.
- Author
Thanks for the information!
You can find tips using essential oil as insect repellent in Indonesia Essential Oils blogspot..
I wonder how it would work to sow an entire lawn in this fabulous grass. Lots of mowing, I'm sure, and I think it might be pervasive, but would it be worth it?! :-)
Oooh love the plant - I am sure I will love the oil - and will certainly get some before all the mosquitoes show up. Whew!
Yay! Why on earth have we bought into the flood of chemicals as the solution instead of knowing they create another more serious problem. I'd like to grow lemon grass now because we can eat it, drink it and repel insects. What chemical can do that? Rated up!
Excellent hub ! I like to use this lemon grass in my cooking esp in cooking curry chicken.
Good to know that it repels mosquitoes since we get mosquitoes' visit quite often here.
8