If you love spending time outdoors with your friends and family but are sick of being bitten by pesky gnats, mosquitoes, and no see-ums, than we’ve got the perfect remedy for you! This awesome mosquito repellent works and is dirt cheap to make.
It’s hard to believe that such a simple dirt-cheap, highly effective remedy exists given the fact that pesticide companies are constantly barraging us with their expensive products containing potentially toxic ingredients such as Deet.
When taken in large dose, it appears on the skin along with perspiration in sufficient amount to be effective as mosquito repellent.15) In a U.S. patent assigned to Roentsch et al. researchers were directed to use it topically at concentration range from 0.01 to 30% (w/v).16) SOURCE
Awesome Mosquito Repellent
You’ll Need:
Vitamin B1 Tablets
a Spray Bottle
Crush up 5 vitamin B1 tablets (Thiamine) and pour the powder into a spray bottle of warm water (about 1 1/2 cups). Cap the bottle off, shake gently to ensure they’re fully dissolved.
Spritz your skin with the mixture. Voila, you have just created a completely safe, non-toxic homemade bug spray that actually works!
If you want to create a travel size bug spray, simply use a 2 oz travel size bottle, and use 1-2 crushed tablets.
Regarding Internal Use
Some studies suggest that taking Thiamine 25 to 50 mg three times per day is effective in reducing mosquito bites. A large intake of thiamine produces a skin odor that is not detectable by humans but is disagreeable to female mosquitoes. Incidentally, females are the only ones that bite, males do not bite.
Thiamine takes more than 2 weeks before the odor fully saturates the skin, so it is considerably easier to apply it topically for rapid effect.
References:
Kline, D. L. 1994. Olfactory attractants for mosquito surveillance and control: 1-octen-3 ol. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 10:280–287. PubMed
Kodkani, N., J. M. Jenkins, and C. F. Hatz. 1999. Travel advice given by pharmacists. J Travel Med 6:87–93. Crossref, PubMed
Lindsay, S. W., J. H. Adiamah, J. E. Miller, R. J. Pleass, and J. R. M. Armstrong. 1993. Variation in attractiveness of human subjects to malaria mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Gambia. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 30:368–373.
Maasch, H. J. 1973. Investigations on the repellent effect of vitamin B1. Z Tropen Med Parasit 4:119–122.
Marks MB. Stinging insects: allergy implications. Pediatr. Clin. North Am., 16, 177–191 (1969).
Roentsch E, Buderer M, Ford P. U.S. Patent Application Publication 20050181001A1 (2008) [Topical formulation for insect repellents].
Disclaimer
Disclaimer for people who’d rather sue for a living than work for one: You are responsible for yourself, we’re not doctors, lawyers, etc, this is just what we use on our own family. Please understand that you are solely responsible for the use of any information given on this site and the use of any information will be at your own risk.
We made this a few days ago and I was shocked that it actually works! Thank you, I got the cheapest vitamins I could find at Dollar General and a little spritz bottle. I like that it’s safe to use on my kids and dogs.
You didn’t mention what strength the B1 tablets should be. The formula works out to be approx. 1 tablet for every 2 oz of water, but I would have to believe that the strength of the B1 tablet would have a variable in the potency and the result of success. Can you comment on this? New to your site and loving it! Thank you