Two Ways to Prevent Bed Bugs & Mosquitoes

FROM THE  GRRRL SWISS ARMY TOOLKIT…
by Christine Ka’aloa

I’m very excited. Just had an appointment with my travel doctor this week to catch up on my travel vaccinations & flu shots, when I got an “off-the-record” tip for dealing with everything in travel-bug scary.  Last year when my girlfriend, Margaret and her travel posse, returned from Costa Rica with a souvenir case of “bed bugs”, it threw my hypochondria into a state of “what ifs…” tizzy. I was nearing my Thailand launch and my budget agenda entailed hostels, guesthouses and trekking in the mountains (Mosquitoes, bed bugs, head lice, oh my! ) Knowing that a fellow travel buddy had fallen in the line of action- despite her own safety precautions- warranted a call to my travel doctor for possible bed bug solutions. Until then,  I carried little “prayer”- sized bottles of Febreze (one travel friend I know would pack a Lysol can), knowing that while it might not kill anything more than bacterial odor and germs, it would definitely lend some piece of mind to my slumber.

Here are 2 travel doctor recommendations:

Sawyer’s Permethrin
This comes as either a spray-pump, spray bottle or aerosol that lets you administer water-proof bug repellent to your clothing,  sleeping liner, bags, etc… to keep away mosquitos and travel bugs. It does something similar to mosquito repellent and sunscreen-treated outdoor clothing and lasts up to 6 washes. Unfortunately, Permethrin is a toxic agent, so try not to get it on your skin. It’s definitely not a “spray on your bed and immediately roll around in” type of thing; and it’s not good for people like me, who want to Permethrin everything (which I did!)… This only treats clothing material and it is advised to apply Deet repellent to your skin in addition.

Sol-U-Mel
This is an exciting “off-the-record” medical tip I received from both, my travel doctor and nurse (on separate occasions). Sol-U-Mel is not sold in stores (it’s sold a bit like Amway, but occasionally you can find some sellers onlline),  but nurses and moms swear by it as an effective all-purpose (‘problem-solving’) agent. Not only can it “kill bugs dead” but does so gently and without hurting you. You can apply its spray to your skin, clothing or surrounding areas. The concentrated cleaner is eco-friendly, made from Melaleuca (or tree oil) and can be diluted for use as a spray. It can cut through the toughest stains, kill germs and odors, be used as a laundry detergent and it is rumored to be able to remove Sharpie pen marks from a scribbled photo, without damaging the photo itself. But most of all for my traveling needs, it repels or kills almost any bug- from ticks, head lice, bed bugs, dust mites, mosquitoes, etc…   Pretty brilliant, eh?

Currently it’s on my order list, so if anyone has used it, let me know what you think of it!

Here’s a wonderful post on  Sol-U-Mel ‘s effectiveness:
101 Uses for Sol-U-Mel

Happy and safe travel wings ,

Christine