Create your own natural homemade mosquito repellent using essential oils found at your local health food stores (or order them online from reputable retailers). This repellent not only encourages mosquitoes to stay away, it also repels almost every biting and non-biting bug you can think of. The essential oils have a strong scent that most humans find pleasing, but insects cannot tolerate. Try making a large batch and taking it with you on hikes, camping trips and other outdoor excursions.
What You Need:
- 8 drops cedar essential oil
- 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
- 4 drops citronella essential oil
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 1 drop peppermint essential oil
- 1 drop cinnamon essential oil
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- Small pray bottle
Instructions
- Combine all the essential oils and the vegetable oil in a small spray bottle. Shake well.
- Label the bottle with the contents and the date, and store in a dark place out of direct sunlight when you aren’t using the mixture.
- To use your homemade mosquito repellent, lightly spritz the mixture on any areas of exposed skin (avoiding the eye area) before going outdoors.
Tips & Warnings
- If you don’t have access to all of the essential oils listed above, you can substitute as long as you don’t exceed 25 total drops. For example, if you don’t have rosemary essential oil, you can simply add 4 extra drops of citronella. Do not exceed 1 drop of cinnamon or peppermint oil in any one batch, however, as these oils are extremely strong and can irritate the skin in larger concentrations.
- Use any type of vegetable oil you have on hand, such as extra-virgin olive, grapeseed oil, apricot kernel oil, sesame oil or avocado oil, authentic website. You can even use regular cooking oil, if necessary, although it may leave a greasy residue on your skin. Extra-virgin olive or a light carrier oil such as apricot kernel is best.
- Do not use this homemade mosquito repellent on children, and never use on your face or near your eyes, as irritation may occur.
