Insect repellent compositions

The present invention details compositions for use in repelling insects that are inexpensive to manufacture, easily applied and/or integrated and non-injurious to plant and animal life, including citronella oil, geranium oil, rosemary oil, peppermint oil, D-limonene, aldehyde C-14 and aldehyde C-18. Preferred compositions additionally contain lavender oil, piperitone, and eucalyptus oil. Additionally, the present invention details methods for repelling insects from a person, animal or physical structure by applying or integrating a composition described herein. The present invention further details articles that have been impregnated with insect repelling compositions described herein such as, for example, candles, tablecloths, inks, textiles and personal care products.

EXAMPLE 1 To a standard laboratory beaker (500 ml) equipped with a magnetic stirring bar was introduced powdered vanillin (1.40 g), heliotropine (0.29 g) and anethole (0.29 g) were added to orange terpines (41.93 g) and stirred until the powders were completely dissolved. The remaining components from Table I were then added to the stirring solution to prepare the desired oil soluble composition. The relative percentages of the components of the composition are represented by weight in Table I. 1 TABLE I Component Weight Percent citronella oil 3.25 d-limonene 4.54 aldehyde C-14 0.40 aldehyde C-18 0.39 lavender oil 4.17 spearmint oil 3.47 peppermint oil 1.16 iso-bornyl acetate 0.95 geranium oil 4.16 vanillin 1.40 anethole 0.29 heliotropine 0.29 pine needle oil 2.24 aldehyde C-b 0.59 lynalool 2.68 rosemary oil 0.76 citral 1.13 piperitone 0.10 lemon oil 4.39 grapefruit oil 4.46 N-amyl alcohol 0.06 lavandin oil 8.58 spike lavander 2.19 oil petitgrain mandarin 1.50 eucalyptus oil 0.31 orange terpines 41.93 terpineol 4.41 neroli oil 0.20 The resulting oil soluble composition had a pale yellow color and a specific gravity at 25° C. of 0.8580 g/ml. Additionally, the refractive index of the composition at 20° C. was 1.4720 and it exhibited a peak absorbance of 0.420 at 345 nm. The flash point of the composition was determined to be 130° F. 
 EXAMPLE 2 The cationic water soluble composition corresponding to the composition of Example 1 was prepared using the same weight percentages of the components with the exception that the amount of orange terpines was reduced to 39.93 weight percent. The remaining 2.00 weight percent was made up by the addition of Tween 80 (polysorbate 80) solution. The resulting cationic water soluble composition had a pale yellow color and a specific gravity at 25° C. of 0.8523 g/ml. Additionally, the refractive index of the composition at 20° C. was 1.4713 and it exhibited a peak absorbance of 0.375 at 345 nm. The flash point of the composition was determined to be 115° F. 
 EXAMPLE 3 The anionic water soluble composition corresponding to the composition of Example 1 was prepared using the same weight percentages of the components with the exception that the amount of orange terpines was reduced to 39.93 weight percent. The remaining 2.00 weight percent was made up by the addition of sodium lauryl sulfate. To a standard laboratory beaker (500 ml) equipped with a magnetic stirring bar was introduced powdered vanillin (1.40 g), heliotropine (0.29 g) and anethole (0.29 g) were added to orange terpines (39.93 g) and stirred until the powders were completely dissolved. The remaining components, with the exception of the sodium lauryl sulfate, were then added to the stirring solution. A portion of the resulting mixture, approximately 25% by volume, was removed and the powdered sodium lauryl sulfate was added to this portion with stirring. After the sodium lauryl sulfate was completely dissolved the portion containing the sodium lauryl sulfate was added back into the composition and mixed to yield the anionic water soluble composition. The resulting anionic water soluble composition had a pale yellow color and a specific gravity at 25° C. of 0.8523 g/ml. Additionally, the refractive index of the composition at 20° C. was 1.4713 and it exhibited a peak absorbance of 0.375 at 345 nm. The flash point of the composition was determined to be 115° F. 
 EXAMPLE 4 The composition of Example 1 was applied to the exposed forearm of a human subject and the forearm placed inside an enclosed space filled with ordinary house flies. The number of landings by flies upon the forearm was recorded and this number was compared to the number or flies that landed upon another subject's forearm that had been treated with a similar concentration of N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (“DEET”). Fewer flies landed on the forearm treated with the composition of Example 1 than landed on the forearm treated with DEET for the same period of time. 
 EXAMPLE5 The composition of Example 1 was tested against a similar concentration of DEET as described in Example 4 with the exception that mosquitoes were in the enclosed space instead of house flies. Fewer mosquitoes landed on the forearm treated with the composition of Example 1 than landed on the forearm treated with the DEET for the same period of time. 
 EXAMPLE 6 The composition of Example 1 was homogenously mixed with molten paraffin wax in an amount equal to 3% by weight and poured into a mold containing a standard candle wick. When burned the candle was found to repel insects for the entire life of the candle. 
 EXAMPLE 7 The composition of Example 3 was homogenously mixed into a paper slurry in an amount equal to 6% by weight before the slurry was pressed into sheets. The resulting sheets were formed into disposable, paper tablecloths. The tablecloths were found to repel insects for a period of 24 hours. The tablecloths were found to have an extended shelf life if stored in standard plastic packaging until the time of use. 
 EXAMPLE 8 The composition of Example 2 was homogenously mixed into a screen printing ink in an amount equal to 6% by weight. The insect repellent ink was then used to make screen printed T-shirts. The T-shirts were found to repel insects for an extended period of time and after several washings. The T-shirts were found to have an extended shelf life if stored in standard plastic packaging until the time of use. From the foregoing description, one of ordinary skill in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from its spirit or scope, can make various changes and modifications in the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.