Cedarwood oil has become a popular “anti-bug” recommendation, but often without safety, quality, and the addition of questionable ingredients being considered in popular products. Evict is a cedarwood based blend – and a wonderful addition to our anti-bug, anti-odor, and animal safe line up!
There are three main “bug blends” created by Dr. Shelton and animalEO. Away, Evict, and Oust. Each can work equally well – but you may find a variation in which bugs respond best to one blend versus another, and you may also find a regional difference with where you live as well. Flies in Minnesota may hate Evict, but in Florida may find Away more revolting. It is well worth a bit of a trial with all of the blends and application methods and layers – to see which blend works best for your individual situation.
Description
So many people ask for alternatives to traditional chemical flea, tick, and insect control. Cedarwood is such a popular recommendation within animal communities and essential oil world…but often I am completely unhappy with the popular products on the market. One popular brand does not even list the species of Cedarwood contained within their product, and other ingredients include Soybean Oil, Mineral Oil, and Isopropyl Myristate. I guess as a holistic veterinarian – I feel we can do better with the ingredients and selections we choose to spray on our animals! The other most popular Cedarwood based product also does not list the species of Cedarwood used, while also containing ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Polyglyceryl Oleate, Ethyl Lactate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, and Vitamin E. While some of those ingredients are “fine” to use – there are a few that make my hairs stand up on end. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – whether derived from coconuts or not – is just NOT an ingredient I would select for animals to be exposed to. And – other ingredients just don’t pass the “pronunciation test”… If a kid can’t pronounce them easily – don’t use them!
So… I set out to “build a better mouse trap”. Okay – I would actually never trap a mouse! I love mice! And all rodents…but you know…it is a figure of speech! Anyway – when I see a need or a problem within the animal world – especially when it involves essential oils – I feel it is my duty to offer a safer alternative. Apparently – everyone was super attached to having a Cedarwood product to use on animals and in their yards. But Cedarwood alone, is really not all that great. Blends are just so superior to a single oil – and also help to lend safety into the use of essential oils. (Remember…There’s Safety in Numbers!) My mission to create the perfect “Cedarwood Dominant” blend began early in 2018. After almost a year of testing, monitoring, and evaluating – Evict is now available!
Ingredients
Essential Oils of Cedarwood (Juniperus mexicana), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), Eucalyptus citriodora, Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), Rosemary-Cineole (Rosmarinus officinalis), Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Directions for Use
For the most part, if you are familiar with our Away blend – you can use Evict in similar ways. Evict is a NEAT blend – which means it is undiluted. It can be used for diffusion – however with the Oregano present within it – you could find situations where this “hot” oil is a bit too intense for delicate species or noses. The concentration of the Oregano within this blend, is such that it can be diffused. However, I still would just urge you to initially be present, and monitor closely that everyone within your household is fine with diffusion of Evict (even the humans). Evict is a strong blend – and so you are unlikely to need many drops for diffusion. I would recommend 1 drop per approximately 200mL of water to start. See more on Diffusion HERE.
For Birds & Exotics: Diffusion of Evict within a water-based diffuser may be appropriate in some circumstances. Please read the above paragraph regarding diffusion and the monitoring of diffusion. When odor elimination or insect control is desired via diffusion – we recommend to start with the use of the blend Away. Evict is not recommended for direct topical (undiluted) use in these species at this time, and we recommend the use of Evict RTU Drops when topical applications are desired. Evict can be added to shampoos – generally in an approximately 1% concentration for animals such as ferrets and other exotics who would be bathed. Adding about 5-6 drops or less to a Tablespoon of shampoo is a good starting point. Evict is still being evaluated with many exotic animal species, and our results so far are really excellent for a variety of insects including flies, fleas, mosquitoes, lice, gnats, and more. However, for these delicate species – we have a longer experience base and understanding of the Away blend – and will typically suggest Away as the preferred blend to start with.
Cats: Again, follow the instructions for careful diffusion of Evict (always within a water-based diffuser) if you select to diffuse it near cats. It has been used within many feline households to date, however it is a strong blend, also containing Oregano (see above) – so we do recommend caution and careful monitoring when you diffuse this blend for the first time. This would be true for all species – not just cats. And honestly, we recommend monitoring the first time you diffuse something new of any blend. For most cat situations, I would suggest starting with the Away blend when insect repellent actions are needed beyond the basic KittyBoost recommendations. If topical applications of Evict are desired, dilution is required. Evict RTU Drops are recommended for topical applications for most cats. Evict could be added to shampoos for cats (if they are accepting of bathing) – please see the Shampoo Instructions page for more information. The 1.5% concentration should be used for most feline needs. Evict is a wonderful blend that also helps to eliminate pet odors from the household, and litter box areas. Evict can be considered for use within Litteroma recipes, and some cats are more attracted to the litter box due to the Catnip essential oil contained within this blend. Please read more about Litteroma HERE.
Although it would be safe to mist a cat with a water mist of the Evict blend – we find that most cats just don’t appreciate that form of application. We always attempt to make the applications of essential oils as happy and well accepted as possible. You can certainly use your discretion on if your cat would be accepting of a spray, if you find yourself in need of it – but most of the time, we attempt to select other “cat friendly” products and methods instead. I suggest applications of KittyBoost when general insect repellency is needed. Away RTU Drops will be another excellent option for you to explore, along with the various ways we can use Away.
Evict RTU Drops are being evaluated for use for feline ear mites at this time (end of 2018) – and while this is undergoing clinical evaluations – I suggest the use of Away RTU Drops for any ear mite concerns.
Dogs: Diffusion of Evict within a water based diffuser should be fine for most dog households – however, please read the above paragraphs and cautions due to the small amount of Oregano present within this blend. I suggest careful monitoring the first time any blend is used. Evict is a blend that carries that wonderful Cedar scent with it. Just like Cedar chips are placed into dog beds to make them smell nice – the Evict blend can provide a gorgeous Cedarwood smell to the home. Evict is excellent at eliminating odors on the dog, or on dog bedding, couches, etc… Evict can be mixed with distilled water contained within a glass spray bottle as a water mist for both odors and insect repellency.
For odor elimination on the dog – place between 4-20 drops of Evict into 4 ounces (120 mL) of distilled water. Shake the spray bottle before each use, and mist onto the dog directly where the odor is a problem. For skunk sprays, we recommend the use of the Away blend – which is also very safe to be misted near and onto the face. Away has a long track record of great use with Skunk issues.
Regular diffusion of Evict around your dog, will also permeate their coat, and will provide not only odor eliminating benefits, but will impart small servings of the therapeutic benefits of the essential oils contained within Evict, on a regular and sustained basis!
The Evict water mist can also be used on dogs as an insect repellent. For insects, a stronger solution of the Evict mist may be needed (more drops added to the water) – but it is still best to start with a few drops, make sure your dog tolerates it well, then gradually increase how many drops are in your spray bottle every few days. In most cases, we find we will use approximated 40-60 drops of Evict in a 4 ounce glass spray bottle.
See more information on Water Misting HERE.
Evict RTU Drops are recommended when topical applications directly from a bottle are desired. Please see that product page for more information. Evict can be added to shampoo for dogs – as described on the Shampoo information page. Evict can be diluted for a variety of needs and uses – including within water, salves (to repel flies from ear tips and noses), ointments, shampoos, added to laundry soap, or within a carrier oil such as Fractionated Coconut Oil or even Raw Coconut Oil. In some cases, it may be appropriate to apply Evict through a petting application (but in general we recommend use of Evict RTU Drops for petting applications). To “pet” Evict onto a dog – place 1-3 drops into your hands, rub them together until a light coating remains, then pet onto areas of need. For insect repellent; rubbing down the legs, neck, shoulders, and back are good locations to concentrate on. I especially focus on the “ankle” area of my dogs, since ticks will often contact this area first, as they start to climb up the legs.
Horses & Large Animals: These animals can use Evict in all of the ways described for dogs, although generally they can use it in higher concentrations and use more of it. For my horses and cow, prefer to add Evict to Fractionated Coconut Oil (FCO) – in up to a 20% concentration – and then mist it onto them. Our Accessories Sales Page includes the 4oz Glass Trigger Spray Bottles, which work very well for spraying essential oils contained in FCO. For convenience, Evict RTU Drops are perfect for direct from the bottle petting applications or spot care of the inside of ears or other areas affected by insect bites.
With large animals – I will also “pet” Evict directly on if there are severe bug issues that Evict RTU Drops or a mist cannot handle. For “Petting Techniques” – I will put approximately 5-10 drops into my hands, rub my hands together, then rub down the legs or wherever bugs are bothering them. For each location, I may repeat placing 5-10 drops into my hands. For gnats and little bugs that bite inside ears, and on chests, adding a “whole bunch” of Evict to Raw Coconut Oil (the kind that is solid below room temperature) or to another natural ointment or salve, and using this to coat the inside of the ears or chest area is highly effective. When I say “a whole bunch” – I will often decide how much I add to the Coconut Oil based on how much Coconut Oil I have, and how much Evict I have on hand. I know – not very scientific!!! But, truthful! In about 1/4 cup of Coconut Oil I will often add 30 or more drops. When the gnats have been really intense, I may apply Evict neat to the location of attack as well. For most cases however – I prefer to use Evict within an FCO mist up to a 20% concentration, or to use the Evict RTU Drops for “spot treatment” of areas such as the chest or inside of ears.
Water Misting applications can be used to apply Evict to a larger surface area, but again, we have found for large animals that spraying it within the Fractionated Coconut Oil creates a bit more of a lasting result. As with the blend Away, I will add “a whole bunch” of the Evict to the Fractionated (liquid) Coconut Oil when I am using it as a spray – and this may mean 60 or more drops in a 4 ounce glass spray bottle. The glass spray bottles mentioned above, do a great job of spraying the thin liquid Coconut Oil. When bugs are really bad, I will add more drops into the mixture. For a 20% concentration of Evict in Fractionated Coconut Oil one part Evict can be added to 4 parts of Coconut Oil. 20% is often the maximal concentration needed for severe situations. As an example – a 30mL bottle of Evict (1oz) could be added to an additional 4oz of FCO. This means you will end up with 5oz of liquid total in the end (which does not fit into the 4oz spray bottle!)
General Comments About Evict:
In general – if you have used the Away blend – you can most likely use Evict in all of the similar ways in which you have become accustomed to using Away. The main factor that I consider with Evict – is the additional presence of Oregano within the blend. If you were planning on misting near the face of an animal (as with Away for Skunk smell) – I would still suggest the use of Away instead. For horses and other large animals around the face – I either wipe on Evict RTU Drops or spray the Evict FCO mist (that I made myself) onto my hands, then wipe around my horses face and eyes. I think you will fall in love with the scent of Evict as I have, and you will easily recognize that the presence of Oregano is greatly hidden due to the fact that it is present in proper amounts. Just enough to be effective, but not too much to be very detectable or “hot” in nature. However, I will always urge you to error on the side of caution first – as this will always remain the absolute best option for animals. I have personally diffused Evict around my own Canaries and exotic pets – and have great confidence in its safety. I hope you enjoy this blend as I do – I have never witnessed a more effective blend against the flies that plague my horses and cow! And the smell is absolutely captivating to me – I love to give my horses tons of hugs after they are sprayed down with an Evict SPRAY! Mmmm – horse smell crossed with Cedarwood – now THAT is a perfume for me!