Cedar oil is used in natural bug repellent sprays.
The wood and oil of the cedar tree, cedrus deodora, have long been used as a natural bug repellent. Cedar wood oil is derived from cedar wood chips using steam distillation, and then sold as pure essential oils for blending custom organic bug repellents or sold to companies that make bug repellents and insecticides. Cedar oil is also sometimes known as cedarwood oil in certain products and retailers.
Mosquito Sprays
Scientists have found that even in concentrations as low as 0.445 percent, cedar oil can knock down 50 percent of mosquitoes in the air. Consequently, many commercial mosquito repellent and killer sprays include cedar oil or chemicals including cedar oil. There are also natural products containing cedar oil that can be dropped into standing water to kill mosquitoes and prevent them from landing in the water and laying eggs.
Commercial Bug Repellent Sprays
Many commercial bug repellent sprays for human, pet or outdoor use contain cedar oil, along with other natural essential oils such as chrysanthemum flower oil, pennyroyal, citronella and tansy. Commercial bug repellent sprays with cedar oil may also contain chemicals to increase the power of cedar oil or to kill bugs. Many commercial sprays will have "cedar," "knock down" or "organic" in the name.
Homemade Sprays
You can also make a homemade bug repellent by mixing essential oils with perfumer's or grain alcohol or a carrier oil such as almond. To make a general bug repellent, mix 4 ounces of almond oil with 10 drops each of cedar, pennyroyal and eucalyptus oils and 30 drops of citronella oil. You can also make a flea repellent for carpet using these essential oils and baking soda; pour 1 pound baking soda into a plastic bag and add 3 drops each of cedar, pennyroyal and eucalyptus oils and 9 drops of citronella oil. Shake the bag to distribute the oils and then sprinkle over carpets.
Cedar Wood Chips
Even cedar wood has enough concentrated oils in it to repel bugs. Cedar wood is often chipped or shredded and used as garden mulch, which can repel bugs from plants and from the home if spread around foundations. Cedar shavings can also be used to fill pet beds to repel fleas. Powdered cedar wood can be burned like incense to repel mosquitoes and other flying insects, or used in bug-repelling potpourris.
Tags: essential oils, also make, baking soda, cedar knock, cedar knock down, cedar pennyroyal