Homemade Natural Insect Repellents

It's Spring!! Time to get ready for Mosquito invasions.  Don't let fear of bugs (or repellents) mess with your enjoyment of nature. By learning new, healthier ways to avoid insects, you can be outside as much as you want. Lifestyle changes combined with Herbal repellents are crucial to coexisting with bugs without coming to harm.









Here are a few easy & pleasant repellent recipes you can make at home:

Combine in a 16 oz bottle:
15 drops lavender oil
3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract
1/4 Cup lemon juice.
Fill bottle with water.
Shake.










Homemade Mosquito Repellent

1/4 cup vegetable oil mixed with these essential oils (mix and store in a spray bottle):
8 drops cedar
5 drops eucalyptus
4 drops lavender
2 drops rosemary
2 drops juniper
1 drop peppermint
1 drop cinnamon
1 drop clove



Vanilla Mosquito Repellent

Ingredients: Vanilla extract
Cost: Less than $5 at grocery store
Directions:
Apply some vanilla extract or vanilla essence to your pulse points.


Lavender Mosquito Repellent

Ingredients: Fresh lavender (the flower)
Cost: Free (if you have lavender growing in your yard); otherwise Home Depot sells the plant for about $12
Directions:
Rub a lavender flower behind your ears, wrists and neck. Not only will you smell great but mosquitoes will leave you alone.


Lemon Eucalyptus Mosquito Repellent

Ingredients: Lemon eucalyptus oil and sunflower oil or witch hazel
Cost: $9.50 for 8 oz. of lemon eucalyptus oil (can be purchased on Amazon.com)
Directions: Mix 1 part lemon eucalyptus oil for every 10 parts of sunflower oil/witch hazel. Rub or spray on skin.


Garlic Mosquito Repellent

Ingredients: Minced garlic, mineral oil, and lemon juice
Cost: Less than $5
Directions:
Mince a few cloves of garlic then cover with mineral oil. Allow it to sit for at least 24 hours. Next you take a teaspoon of *just the oil* and mix it with 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Strain through a cheesecloth if you have any floaties then pour into a spray bottle. Shake before each use.