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Recipe for Homemade Bug Spray

Recipe for Homemade Bug Spray

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Recipe for Homemade Bug Spray

“Mosquitoes are stupid” is a phrase that my children say on a regular basis. And our farm is surrounded by them. I’m not entirely sure why, since we live in a rather dry part of the province. Perhaps it is due to the irrigation dugouts. Or maybe the giant sprinkler system running in the field right next to the house. Either way, they came out in droves last summer and I am anticipating the same thing this summer. The kids spend about 8-10 hours per day outside when the weather is nice so, in addition to ridiculous amounts of dirt, I deal with ridiculous amounts of mosquitoes. Thankfully, I am fully prepared with my trusty recipe for homemade bug spray.

Recipe for Homemade Bug Spray

I have been using this recipe for several years and, though it isn’t quite as effective as some store-bought brands, it is great to know that I’m not spraying poison onto my children. Not only does this spray repel bugs, it has the added benefit of helping heal any bug bites they do get.

Ingredients:
1 cup witch hazel
1 cup distilled water
25 drops citronella essential oil
25 drops lemongrass essential oil
10 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops peppermint essential oil

Mix it all into a spray bottle and apply liberally every couple of hours. Give it a couple of good shakes before using it.

My boys often like to rub it right into their arms and legs because it smells so good and feels soft on their skin. I purchase Aura Cacia essential oils and have had great success with them . They are an excellent quality essential oil (read more about third party testing of essential oils) and are available at a great price on Amazon, some even with free shipping. That means this recipe for homemade bug spray is so affordable you’ll be able to spray all the neighborhood kids!

If you don’t feel like smelling like bug spray, you can add 3-5 drops each of citronella and lemongrass essential oil to a candle for a more localized bug repellent. (Safety precaution: Put the oil on the candle before you light it and don’t put it too close to the wick.) I love doing this in the evenings after the kids have gone to bed and I just want to sit on the back deck with a good book and not get eaten alive. It creates a nice ambiance on a warm summer’s evening.

Now I’m dreaming about warmer weather…

One day all this snow will melt… right?

How do you deal with the bugs throughout the summer?
Have you hit bug season yet? Wait, don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.

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About The Author

Tessa
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Tessa is the wife of a dairy farmer, homeschooling mother of three boys, and a homebody at heart. She enjoys spending her days relaxing with her family, reading anything she can get her hands on, and pursuing her lifelong hobby of writing. She blogs about Enjoying Motherhood and volunteers with local mothers with the hope that they gain confidence in their role and can be encouraged to continue putting one foot in front of the other.

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24 Comments

  1. Catherine Clutchey

    This is wonderful, We have quite a few mosquitoes around here and I would love to stop paying for spray!

    Reply
  2. Donna

    I love this… I’m trying to use toxin-free all-natural products in my home and on my and my family’s body.

    Reply
  3. Robin {Mom Foodie}

    This will be great teamed with the big patch of Marigolds I am going to plant near the gazebo.

    Reply
  4. Dorothy Boucher

    definitely something i will be needing soon, around here were there is water there are bugs loll 🙂 thanks for share and will give this a try..

    Reply
  5. Rebecca Wilson

    This is a fantastic recipe. Much better than poisons like DEET no matter what others say. I am allergic to Citronella though, do you have any idea what I could use instead? Or just omit it, I know it is important in the process, but allergies are allergies. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Tessa W

      You could eliminate it and then increase the lemongrass and lavender a bit.

      Reply
      • Tessa W

        It also just occured to me that you can replace the lemongrass with eucalyptus essential oil.

        Reply
        • Tessa W

          I meant replace the citronella with eucalyptus. Oops!

          Reply
  6. Sandra Beeman

    I tend to get spiders and bees more than any other bugs. I cannot stand spiders and bees hurt a lot when they sting. I really only deal with bugs by removing standing water, keeping all garbage tightly sealed and hiding in the house when necessary. I have tulips getting taller and only around 45v degrees today, Boy, spring is slow.

    Reply
  7. Paula Ball

    here in south Mississippi skeeters are more than just stupid, they can be deadly. many evenings we are driven inside by them. I will try your spray as soon as I can collect all the oils.

    Reply
  8. [email protected]

    This is a great idea, I’m all for natural remedies, who wants to put chemical on their body?

    Reply
  9. Sweta Sonulkar

    thanks for the tips

    Reply
  10. Lynn C

    Oh, but I hope this works! I’m allergic to mosquitoes and dread even going out to get the mail in warm weather because I end up with welts all over that itch for about a week. I’m also going to try carrying a fabric softener drying sheet with me because the smell is supposed to repel the little vampires.

    Reply
  11. brett

    awesome. we need this here in CT for sure!!

    Reply
  12. Cheryl Grandy

    This seems so much safer and better smelling than the repellants I’ve been buying. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  13. Sandy VanHoey

    I really enjoyed this article and your recipe for bug spray as I have two little grandkids who like to play outside and often end up with some sort of bite

    Reply
  14. Lai

    wow, thanks so much, this is very helpful, would really try doing this.

    Reply
  15. Dan

    Have you tried a propane mosquito trap? They are a little more expensive than bug spray but work wonders. You can check them out on my website. But for a less costly solution, you’ve offered a great one. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Tessa W

      Interesting idea. I have never heard of that. Thanks for the tip.

      Reply
  16. Shannon

    Thank you very much, this is much better than putting pesticides on your skin!

    Reply
  17. Kelly

    Cannot wait to try this. Bugs are already starting to get awful in FL

    Reply
  18. Bridget - The Recipe Wench

    This is SO helpful for so many readers! Thanks for sharing this recipe at the Inspire Me Mondays Link-Up!

    Reply
  19. k4

    I toujours utilisĂ© pour lire morceau de l’Ă©criture dans des papiers journaux, mais maintenant que je
    suis un utilisateur de net donc Ă  partir
    de maintenant, je me sers net pour articles ou commentaires, grâce à Internet.

    Reply
  20. Samsun

    Great idea, I will try it and give you the feedback.

    Reply

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