2 Hopeful EO Bug-Off Blends

[mrsserena]

Any suggestions for an alternative to Everclear? We can't buy it in MN.

Witch hazel works too.

 

[IrishLass]

Any suggestions for an alternative to Everclear? We can't buy it in MN.

If you can't get Everclear, use the strongest alcohol you can buy and adjust the level so that your mixture has a total alcohol content of at least 25%....or you can use one of the other preservatives out there instead........or you can plan on making small batches at a time to be used up within a few weeks and store in the fridge between uses. Actually, storing in the fridge is a good thing to do either way. I store my bug-off soaked towelettes in the fridge even with the alcohol in it because it's the coolest, darkest place in my house. I store my EOs in there as well.

Witch hazel works too.

As wonderful a thing as witch hazel is, it just doesn't have enough alcohol content in it to make my formula self-preserving, unfortunately. Everclear 190-proof, on the other hand, is perfect for the task.


IrishLass

 

[dibbles]

Thank you IrishLass. I'm now thinking that witch hazel with a preservative might be the way to go.

 

[NsMar42111]

Does the catnip really work? I'm having visions of being left alone by mosquitoes but surrounded by meowing cats.....

 

[Dahila]

U have vodka in Costco?

 

[Saranac]

Does the catnip really work? I'm having visions of being left alone by mosquitoes but surrounded by meowing cats.....

I've yet to find out, but some research suggests that it repels mosquitoes (and attracts bees). I bought some EO, but it didn't smell quite like I thought it would and my cats won't come anywhere near it (even when diluted in a carrier oil). So I'm trying out a lotion made with sunflower oil that has been infused with catnip (my cats do respond to the infused oil--and surprisingly, the dog, too!). I didn't get around to it yesterday, but I'm headed in that direction now. . . .

 

[IrishLass]

I Just want to let y'all know that I edited/revised my Everclear and FCO amounts in the dilution formula with the vasnilla, PS80, etc.. that I posted earlier. It turns out I had calculated the total alcohol content by volume instead of by weight. Doh! DeeAnna graciously pointed out to me yesterday that for self-preserving purposes, the total alcohol content must be at least 25% by weight (ABW), not by volume (ABV). When I originally figured my calculations, I used the ABV mathematical equation instead of the ABW equation, which turns out gave me a total ABW of only about 21%. My edited/revised amounts of FCO and Everclear remedy the deficiency.

Does the catnip really work? I'm having visions of being left alone by mosquitoes but surrounded by meowing cats.....

According to research done at Iowa State University it does: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/010828075659.htm


IrishLass

 

[Saranac]

25% by weight (ABV), not by volume (ABW).

Oops! I think you reversed your abbreviations!

 

[0115d8cf]

I've been looking for something to use up the rest of my citronella on! mosquitoes absolutely destroy me.

 

[IrishLass]

Oops! I think you reversed your abbreviations!

Yes, indeed I did! Thanks for pointing that out. I shall go in forthwith and edit it.


IrishLass

 

[Sharryn]

On the subject of vanilla, I made my own for baking. Buy some vanilla beans and some cheap vodka. You cut the beans up into small pieces and let them soak in a jar with the vodka for a period of time. Much cheaper than store-bought and you know what's in it. I made a quart of vanilla and have enough beans to make another. I'm not sure of the details but I found it online, so I'm sure you could too.

 

[dixiedragon]

On the subject of vanilla, I made my own for baking. Buy some vanilla beans and some cheap vodka. You cut the beans up into small pieces and let them soak in a jar with the vodka for a period of time. Much cheaper than store-bought and you know what's in it. I made a quart of vanilla and have enough beans to make another. I'm not sure of the details but I found it online, so I'm sure you could too.

But I think for bug repelling purposes, the recipe calls for ARTIFICIAL vanillin?

 

[IrishLass]

On the subject of vanilla, I made my own for baking. Buy some vanilla beans and some cheap vodka. You cut the beans up into small pieces and let them soak in a jar with the vodka for a period of time. Much cheaper than store-bought and you know what's in it. I made a quart of vanilla and have enough beans to make another. I'm not sure of the details but I found it online, so I'm sure you could too.

Hi Sharryn- I regularly make my own vanilla extract, too (double-fold and also triple-fold), but it is so dark that it stains clothing, wouldn't you know it (I tried some of it out in one of my bug-off dilutions). You can see how I make it and also a pic of my finished double-fold extract here (it's very dark).

Unfortunately, vanilla beans have become obscenely expensive over the past 2 years due to the severe worldwide shortage of vanilla beans. I used to be able buy bulk Grade B Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans for $49.95 per pound, but nowadays one can't even find them in stock in many places, and even when one can, the price is enough to make one faint in shock (over $300.00 per lb.). Thankfully, I still have enough of some of my homemade triple-fold to last me (hopefully) until the shortage is over.

But I think for bug repelling purposes, the recipe calls for ARTIFICIAL vanillin?

Yes. From what I understand, the study conducted on the success of vanillin in bug-off research was done with lab-created vanillin. The lab-created vanillin is reported to be of the same chemical makeup of the vanillin component present in real vanilla.


IrishLass