Citronella oil is an essential oil that’s made from the distillation of the Asian grass plant in the Cymbopogon genus.This oil can bring down a fever when it is beginning to reach dangerous levels especially in Dengue. Citronella Oil: Citronella oil is one of the essential oils obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon. Cymbopogon comes from the family of lemongrass. It is a natural insect repellent.

Natural mosquito repellents that can prevent dengue

1. Citronella

One of the most popular mosquito repellents is citronella. Citronella oil tends to evaporate quickly and is helpful for a short time. In high concentrations, citronella oil can cause irritation on skin. You can dilute it with a carrier oil like coconut oil or jojoba oil to make it less concentrated and avoid skin irritation. Citronella offers protection from mosquitoes for up to 2 hours. You can also buy citronella candles or essential oil and use it as a diffuser at home.

What are the benefits of citronella oil?

For centuries, citronella has been used for a variety of purposes, including:

• as an insect repellent
• as an mosquito Repellent
• to treat parasitic infections
• to promote wound healing
• to lift mood or fight fatigue
• in perfumes or as a flavor additive in food

How to use

You can use citronella oil in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions.

Spray

A spray application may be good for freshening up a room or applying to your skin as an insect repellent. To make a citronella oil spray:

1. Add citronella oil to water in a glass spray bottle. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) recommends 10 to 15 drops per ounce of water.
2. Optional step: Essential oils don’t dissolve in water. Consider adding a dispersing agent such as solubol to your solution.
3. Shake the bottle well before spraying.

Because citronella oil has a shorter time span of effectiveness than repellents like DEET, you will need to reapply more often if you’re using it as an insect repellent.

Diffuser

A diffuser can be used to disperse a scent through a room. Like the spray application, you may want to use this method to repel insects or add a pleasant fragrance to a room.

Diffusers typically come with a specific set of instructions. To use citronella oil safely in a diffuser, be sure to follow the product instructions carefully.

Massage oils and creams

Citronella oil can also be added to oils and creams for topical applications. Using citronella oil in this way may help kill germs and fungi on the skin and also promote wound healing.

Always dilute essential oils in a carrier oil before being applying to the skin.

Here’s how to make a citronella massage oil or lotion.

To make a massage oil:

• Dilute citronella oil in a carrier oil, like jojoba oil or coconut oil.
• The NAHA recommends adding 15 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil for a 2.5 percent dilution.
• For sensitive skin, you may want to use a one percent solution (6 drops per ounce of carrier oil).