Bugs hate the smell of certain types of essential oils. That’s why citronella oil is often used for natural pest control. You’ll find candles, creams and sprays that contain this scent, which appears to be noxious to mosquitoes.

In recent years, as more people have become aware of the potential hazards of chemical insecticides, a new wave of natural pest control products has come onto the market. A number of these natural bug sprays have hit the shelves.

These plant-based sprays are perfectly good. But it’s also easy to make your own bug spray with just a few ingredients, potentially saving money.

Generally, anything you make yourself is less expensive than a comparable product that’s ready made.

How to Make All Natural Bug Repellent

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In our house, we’ve gotten rid of a lot of chemicals. This includes sunscreen as well as bug spray. For me, plant-based ingredients work just as well, and maybe even a little better.

I now use essential oils for all of my insect control needs. Although I can never promise that anyone else will see the same results, I do like to share my own positive experience of using natural remedies.

Also, I can’t give advice on whether or not a DIY bug spray made with essential oils would be sufficient during a mosquito-borne outbreak. Under the circumstances, you’d have to check with your doctor.

For instance, during the spring and summer, I like to put a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil my kitchen sponge. Then I wipe down the counters. Last year, my husband noticed we no longer had an ant problem, as we’ve had in previous years. While I can’t prove this was because of the peppermint oil, something was definitely keeping the ants away.

Bug Spray With Essential Oils

But citronella is generally a “go to” remedy for mosquitoes. So, if you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, it’s easy to make your own bug spray with citronella essential oil.

Or, you can buy a special aromatic blend designed to keep the bugs away. This might be a better bet, especially if you don’t already have a collection of essential oils.

Many of the larger and more established essential oil companies sell special bug off formulas, such as the Nature Shield blend that you can see below. This is sold by Plant Therapy, a main contender in the aromatherapy arena.

Plant Therapy is one of the aromatherapy suppliers I recommend on this site. I’ve used a number of Plant Therapy oils for years. The quality of these oils is excellent, and I say that after having tried numerous brands, including MLM oils.

I now trust this company enough to use Plant Therapy essential oils on my family. If you’re looking for a good brand of non MLM oils, this is definitely one to consider.

Nature’s Fusions Nature Shield

Plant Therapy is not an MLM company. It’s an excellent alternative to the higher-priced MLM networks. Personally, I haven’t been using MLM oils for years. That’s because I realize I can save so much money shopping outside of these networks.

Nature Shield Synergy Blend contains citronella oil, as well as a number of other aromatics selected for their bug repelling properties. I like the idea of using multiple ingredients, as it’s believed they can work in synergy.

Essential Oils for Mosquitoes

Anyway, it’s really easy to make your own bug spray with citronella essential oil. All you need is a clean spray bottle. Preferably, you should use a glass spray bottle instead of plastic. That’s because essential oils are volatile. So they can potentially eat away at the plastic. This is why essential oils are sold in dark glass bottles, or at least they should be.

Another ingredient is alcohol-free witch hazel. You may not be able to find this at your local drugstore. But this type of more natural witch hazel is available online.

Drugstore witch hazel generally contains isopropyl alcohol. I don’t use isopropyl alcohol, otherwise known as “rubbing alcohol” at all. It can be irritating and potentially toxic in large quantities. So I’d much rather use natural plant-based alternatives, such as alcohol-free witch hazel.

DIY Natural Bug Spray

So really, all you need to make bug spray is a clean glass spray bottle, alcohol free witch hazel and the essential oils of your choice, such as citronella essential oil or a special aromatic blend designed to keep the bugs away.

If you already own an essential oil collection, you can mix citronella with other aromatics, such as lemon/eucalyptus or peppermint oil. A number of different kinds of essential oils are often used for deterring pests.

However, the information in this post should be used for keeping backyard mosquitoes at bay. if you’re worried about mosquito born diseases, I urge you to talk to your doctor. He or she may advise chemical repellents instead. Like anything, always work with your doctor to arrive at the proper risk/benefit ratio.

(I’ve even used peppermint essential oil in an attempt to keep mice out of the food bin in my basement.)

How to Make Bug Spray Using Essential Oils

Here is a really easy recipe for all natural bug spray with citronella essential oil. It’s so easy. Just mix the following ingredients together and store in a glass spray bottle, away from heat and light. Make sure not to spray it in or around the eyes.

4 ounce spray bottle (It’s available here)

2 ounces of distilled water. If you don’t have this, pure spring water will also work.

2 ounces of alcohol free witch hazel (It’s available here)

15 drops of citronella essential oil, combined with 3 drops of vanilla essential oil

Or, if you prefer to use a blend, Nature Shield essential oil formula.

Disclaimer

These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use essential oils unless they are working with a licensed healthcare provider.