The number of dengue fever cases in Singapore has been skyrocketing in recent weeks. Clearing stagnant water in the home and spraying insect repellents onto your skin can protect you from the bites. But did you know that natural mosquito repellents can do the trick too? Read on to find out how different they are from synthetic repellents and how to prevent dengue fever by making your own homemade (and effective) natural mosquito repellents.
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Synthetic vs natural insect repellents
Commercial insect repellents contain diethyltoluamide (DEET) which is highly effective at repelling the mosquitoes from attacking you. However, high concentrations of DEET left on your skin for long periods of time can be damaging. You can be at risk of experiencing rashes, irritation or redness if left on your skin for too long. So, why not create your own homemade natural mosquito repellent to defend yourself against dengue fever in Singapore!
1. Essential oil repellent
Not a fan of the overpowering smell that lingers when using synthetic insect repellents? Essential oils are a great way to ward off mosquitoes while giving off a pleasant scent. Here are some of the best essential oils that will prevent cheeky mosquitoes from coming near you:
- Lemon eucalyptus essential oil (available on Ollie Official Store)
- Lemongrass essential oil (available on HiQiLi Essential Oil Museum)
- Lavender essential oil (available on HYSSES Official Store)
- Cedarwood essential oil (available on NOW Foods Official Store)
- Citronella essential oil (available on Sensoli Aromatherapy Official Store)
There are several ways essential oils can be used to keep dengue fever in Singapore at bay. One way is to use the essential oils with an oil burner (available on allinone.sg). Simply squeeze a few drops of essential oil into the burner. Then let the oil burner do its job in freshening up the air around you and keeping your house mosquito-free.
If you prefer to put the insect repellent directly onto your skin, you can make your own essential oil mosquito repellent spray. Grab your empty spray bottle (available on BIOAQUAS Shopping Mall.sg) and fill it up about three-quarters of the way with distilled water. Add 15 drops of essential oil of your choice, give it a good shake and there you have it — your own natural mosquito repellent! Remember to always shake it well before spraying all over your skin.
2. Lemongrass mosquito repellent
Lemongrass is a powerful natural ingredient that repels mosquitoes. Pure lemongrass has a strong lemon-like citrus smell that overpowers a mosquito’s sense and prevents them from attacking you.
Here’s how to prevent dengue fever using pure lemongrass as a natural mosquito repellent. Get your hands on some fresh lemongrass stalks (available on GrocerKing Official Store) and give them a good rinse. Cut them into small pieces and pound the leaves using a pounder (available on SimpleLove). Pound them till a good amount of pure lemongrass oil is collected. Store the oil in a small drip bottle (available on BIOAQUAS Shopping Mall.sg)! Before you leave the house, apply this pure lemongrass oil directly onto your skin. Don’t worry if your skin feels oily and sticky initially because it dries quickly to a smooth finish. Reapply this natural lemongrass insect repellent throughout the day to ensure that the mosquitoes keep a safe distance from you!
3. Peppermint and coconut oil mosquito repellent
Peppermint essential oil (available on Ollie Official Store) contains ingredients like limonene and menthol which are effective at making pesky mosquitoes think twice about attacking you. Additionally, coconut oil (available on Nature’s Superfoods Official Store) has unsaturated fatty acids and emulsifiers. This helps to slow down the evaporation of the peppermint essential oil. When you combine these two together into a bottle, you get a fragrant smelling yet extremely effective homemade natural mosquito repellent.
To get started, mix 30ml of coconut oil with 12 drops of peppermint oil in a bottle. Give it a good stir and rub this mixture directly onto your hands and legs. Pop this mosquito repellent spray in your bag when you head out so that you can reapply it every few hours!
4. Garlic and lemon natural insect repellent spray
Ever heard about how powerful garlic is as an ingredient? Garlic contains allicin, a compound that has the power to strongly repel mosquitoes. That, accompanied by the strong aroma of raw garlic will defend you from any mosquito bites. To enhance the repelling properties of raw garlic, add lemon (available on LHH Vegetable) juice. The acidic nature of lemon juice makes a strong natural mosquito repellent concoction — an effective solution to how to prevent dengue fever in Singapore.
Mince four to five cloves of garlic (available on LHH Vegetable) and add one tablespoon of mineral oil (available on Johnson and Johnson Official Store). Leave it to soak overnight before straining this mixture. Then, collect the strained infused oil and add one teaspoon of lemon juice together with two cups of water. Mix thoroughly and transfer the insect repellent solution into a spray bottle and spray directly on your exposed skin multiple times throughout the day. This solution can be used to spray on your indoor plants at home so that mosquitoes will not breed there. For this, ensure that you store this solution into a garden sprayer (available on STEVE & LEIF Official Store).
5. Lavender, vanilla and lemon juice repellent
Want a nice smelling mosquito repellent? Make this lavender, vanilla and lemon juice repellent at home! Lavender essential oil (available on BioFinest Official Store) has a calming effect. Moreover, it contains limonene, eucalyptol, linalool and camphor, which are effective in warding off the mozzies. When added with vanilla extract and lemon juice, a strong natural mosquito repellent is created. The vanilla extract not only has repelling properties but also gives a sweet and fragrant smell to the repellent spray.
In a bottle, mix 10 – 12 drops of lavender essential oil with three tablespoons of vanilla extract (available on Sensoli Aromatherapy Official Store) and three tablespoons of lemon juice. Then add in two cups of distilled water and mix well. Shake this solution well before applying it all over your body as a layer of protection.
6. Parsley and apple cider vinegar insect repellent spray
How to prevent dengue fever in Singapore? Try out this easy 2-ingredient recipe that uses ingredients you can probably find in your kitchen! Apple cider vinegar (available on JAWStore Official Store) is an effective base that can be used to lure mosquitoes away thanks to its acidic properties. Combined with parsley, this repellent creates an unappealing smell to the mosquitoes, keeping them away.
Grab about one teaspoon of fresh parsley (available on GrocerKing Official Store) from your own herb garden. Add the fresh parsley into a pounder (available on SimpleLove) together with 120 ml of apple cider vinegar (available on JAWStore Official Store). Then, macerate the parsley into the liquid and let it sit for half an hour or overnight. Strain the mixture with a strainer (available on gooditem) to remove any parsley residue. Transfer the repellent into a glass spray bottle (available on BIOAQUAS Shopping Mall.sg) and your natural mosquito repellent is ready for use!
7. Bonus: Citronella houseplant
Besides applying insect repellent, take your preventive measures up a notch by keeping your surroundings mosquito-free. Don’t give the mozzies any chance to get near you or your loved ones. Place several citronella plants (available on ztmy.sg) around your house. This scent of this plant can offend a mosquito and effectively keeps them away. What’s best is that citronella is a low maintenance plant. This means that you’ll be able to deter mosquitoes from coming near you with little to no effort at all — a win-win situation!
Prevent dengue fever in Singapore from rising with natural mosquito repellents!
There isn’t always a surefire solution to how to prevent dengue fever in Singapore. But we hope these natural mosquito repellents will go some way in repelling mozzies. Worried your skin will flare up after using a natural mosquito spray? Don’t fret! Just be sure to calm your skin and moisturise it well with the best CeraVe products. To stop the mozzies from coming near you, why not invest in some of the best air coolers in Singapore? The cool air will keep mosquitoes away while you get to beat the heat at the same time — what’s there not to love!
