How to Keep Bugs Away This Summer
Ahhh, the joys of summertime picnics with friends and family! But sometimes, uninvited guests sneak into your outdoor feast. To keep insects from biting, stinging or annoying you – and just as importantly, to keep them away from your food – follow these surefire, all-natural tips:
Turn your body into a bug Repellant
By eating certain foods, you can repel many insects. For example, munch on a clove of garlic every day for three days before a picnic. As you sweat out the garlic odor, it repels many insects. You can also take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar three times a day for three days before the picnic, too.
Use the power of produce
Rubbing a slice of onion over your skin can be a good way to keep away mosquitoes and other biting insects. Fresh orange or lemon peels also work. And another time-honored approach to keep gnats and mosquitoes at bay is to moisten a cloth or cotton ball with white vinegar and rub it over your exposed skin. All these work on your picnic table as well; wipe it with vinegar or onion, for example, and bugs will stay away.
Use Vanilla
Turns out that bugs don’t like the smell of vanilla. Dilute 1 tablespoon vanilla extract with 1 cup water and wipe the mixture on your exposed skin (and if you wish, your picnic tablecloth) to discourage mosquitoes, blackflies, and ticks.
Spray some natural mint Mouthwash
Insects do not like the smell of mint in any form. Transfer your favorite natural mint mouthwash into a spray container and spray it on yourself and the area around you while outdoors.
Turn on a Fan
Set up a portable fan facing your outdoor food and eating areas, and turn it on to a calm breeze while you serve and entertain. The wind from the fan will make it difficult for bugs to fly in and pester you and your guests.
Leave sticky sweets at Home
Insects are particularly drawn to foods like melon, grapes, peaches, fruit juices, and soda – to them, they’re like flower nectar. They can easily detect these foods, and will be persistent in their pursuit. While they may be terrific summer foods, avoid them at outdoor meals, or keep in well-sealed containers that you open only when everyone is ready to have some.
Set up separate food tables for Bugs
One clever bug-battling tactic is to put plates of sweet foods (things like watermelon rinds, overripe peaches, or a large bowl of colored sugar water) several meters away from your serving and eating areas, so the bugs feast separately from you and your guests. Keep your garbage cans far away as well, as bugs will flock to them for your leftovers.
Light some Candles
Smoke repels mosquitoes and flies. Tiki torches and citronella candles add ambiance to outdoor entertaining, anyway. Plus, they’re affordable, effective and have a pleasant scent.
There are hundreds of expensive bug repellent sprays, lotions and potions on the market full of questionable chemicals and ingredients you can’t even pronounce. Instead, try these all natural, just as effective ways to keep bugs away – including mosquitoes, flies, fleas, spiders and more!
