The Whole Truth About Mosquito Repellents

Having mosquitoes buzzing around your ears is a frustrating occurrence. Therefore, to keep them away, we often use mosquito repellents mindlessly as it is convenient to use. However, while it offers the convenience of keeping them away, we must consider what they contain which go inside our body when we inhale. These are chemical-based repellents, which makes it even more imperative to consider their reaction in the body. Mixed Combo of all Drinks

Many of us consider mosquitoes to be harmless; but that is far from the truth. Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest creatures on the planet as they can infect us with malaria, dengue, and numerous other diseases which are lethal in nature. It is a fact that over 7 lakh people die every year due to mosquito bite. When we consider the harm that mosquitoes can cause and witness them flying around our homes, using a mosquito repellent becomes a no-brainer! However, we must consider that if the repellent is poisonous for mosquitoes, are they safe for us? The packaging of these repellents contains warning signs, which are rightly mentioned due to the ingredients.

What Does a Mosquito Repellent Contain?

Transfluthrin and BHT are two of the most common ingredients of a mosquito repellent. While instructions of use are provided on the packaging, if those aren’t followed, serious negative effects could be seen, which are the symptoms of poisoning, like anxiety, convulsions, tremors, sneezing, irritation, and more. The brands per se acknowledge these facts, which is a reason for the mosquito repellents coming with numerous warnings. The number of warnings is astonishing as it is even more than that mentioned on a pack of cigarettes. However, most of us aren’t aware of the potential health hazards as companies play smart and mention them in insignificant size, making them hardly noticeable by a layman. 

Measures to Follow

Open the Doors and Windows

Imagine yourself being frustrated due to the buzzing and biting of mosquitoes. When you go fetch a repellent and turn it on, the first thing most of us tend to do is shut the windows and doors. However, the most important warning or cautions provided by the companies is that windows and doors must be opened while using these products. The contradiction in the warning and our actions could lead us to seriously damaging consequences.

Avoid Inhalation While Sleeping

Most of us resort to mosquito repellents when we are about to sleep, so that mosquitoes don’t disturb us while we sleep peacefully due to the 10 reasons why good sleep is important. While the companies tell us to avoid inhalation while sleeping, the big question is, is it possible? The chemicals that these repellents release are mixed with the air of the room, making it impossible to inhale air without the chemicals.

There are numerous other warnings that come along with the mosquito repellents and most of them are difficult, if not impossible to take care of. There are various types of repellents available in the market, such as the ones which can be applied on the skin and the ones which are burned. Although these look to be different, all of them contain ingredients which are harmful. This calls for urgent spreading of information around how to safely keep the mosquitoes away, as we cannot let them bite us but cannot keep inhaling the toxic air as well.

Ways to Safely Keep Mosquitoes Away

Traditional Methods

Traditionally, various ways were employed to keep the mosquitoes away, including mosquito nets and neem oil lamps. While these had a widespread use in the earlier times, with the changing of times, these have become redundant and relatively impractical. 

Plant-Based Alternatives

There are an array of plants that are known for naturally keeping the mosquitoes away. These include rosemary, which we all are familiar with and has a woody scent, thus keeping the mosquitoes away; basil, which has a pungent smell, effectively repelling mosquitoes, and can be mixed in the garden; and lavender, which has a pleasing odour but hinders mosquitoes’ ability to smell. As it might not be possible for all to have these in their homes, there are convenient options available which are made using the essential oils of these plants. You may find options ranging from cream, vaporizers, oils, sprays, gels, and more. These natural repellents are safe to use and are cost-effective, making for a perfect choice. 

Therefore, the next time mosquitoes bug you, dump the idea of using chemical-based repellent and embrace the safety and convenience that plant-based alternatives offer. Do make sure to read the ingredients of whichever repellent you use as you would want to stay away from the harmful ingredients which could cause serious damage to your health.

You may be using the chemical-based repellents for quite some time now without witnessing any negative impact on your body, which is due to the fact that a human’s immunity is significantly higher than that of a mosquito. However, the long-term inhalation of such poisonous chemicals infused with the air is bound to have serious implications in the long-run.

Bonus Tips for Keeping Mosquitoes Away

While repellents are widely used for keeping the mosquitoes away, there are numerous things to take care of to ensure that the mosquitoes naturally stay away and do not pervade your place. The following are the bonus tips for keeping mosquitoes away.

Avoid Accumulation of Water

Mosquitoes are known to breed rapidly in still water. This is why you need to dump any standing water to avoid breeding mosquitoes. You can add natural bacteria to the water, if you intend it to stay at a place like in a pond, as the bacteria eliminates mosquito larvae without having any negative impact on humans. 

Take Care of Clothing

Darker colours are known to attract mosquitoes; therefore, if you are expecting mosquitoes, make sure to wear lighter colors of clothes. Also, wearing loose clothes with thick fabric are more likely to prevent you from being bitten by mosquitoes than wearing tight fitted clothes.

Do Not Let Them Come In

While this is a no-brainer, it gets taxing to keep them out. Using a mosquito screen on the window effectively prevents them from coming in. Another way to keep them out is the use of air conditioners. If nothing seems to work, you may get yourself a mosquito net which is to be hung on the bed, preventing mosquitoes from coming in. This saves you from the potentially lethal bite of a mosquito. 

We hope this carefully curated guide will help you stay informed about the negative implications of using chemical-based mosquito repellents and make you adopt the use of the natural alternatives, such as those made using basil, rosemary, and more. 

While the potential harm of a mosquito bite is lethal, that of a mosquito repellent isn’t safe either. We strongly recommend looking for alternatives and staying clear from mosquitoes.

Additionally, taking care of a number of other things will help, such as avoiding accumulation of water as it paves a way for mosquito breeding, wearing lighter shades of clothes and those made using thick fabrics, and not allowing them to come in by using mosquito screens, nets, and air conditioners. Now that you are aware of the whole truth about mosquito repellents presented to you by Auric, it is time to make the mindful choice!

Do you know what’s the hype of Auric Beverages and why it’s trending all over the internet? It is due to the ayurvedic beverages that it offers which effectively shows results!

Authored by: Bhavishya Pahwa

About the Author: Bhavishya Pahwa is a budding writer who has always confided in a pen. He believes that art is a cure-all and that introspection followed by writing can add to the sanity of the world.