How To

How to Easily Make Natural Bug Repellent

Member
By HealthCoach100
User-Submitted Article
(4 Ratings)

Have you ever read the ingredients and warnings on your favorite commercial bug spray? Scary stuff! Here is a simple recipe to make a natural repellent using essentials oils. Safe, non-toxic and smells a lot better.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • soybean oil
  • essential oils of: lemongrass, geranium, catnip, & eucalyptus
  • storage container for end product
  1. Step 1

    Purchase some soybean oil to use as the carrier oil for this repellent. I recommend getting this from a health food store and getting oil specifically labeled to be used as a carrier oil. Soybean oil for cooking is not going to be of the same quality. The benefit of soybean oil is that it inherently has natural repellent properties!

  2. Step 2

    Mix 1/2 cup of soybean base oil with the following:

    15 drops each of lemongrass, geranium and catnip essential oils
    10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil (you can use basil essential oil in its place if you prefer)

  3. Step 3

    After shaking it up, allow it to set for at least one hour prior to using it. It can be placed in a spritzer, spray or squeeze bottle. I prefer to keep my essential oil mixtures in a glass bottle that is tinted blue or amber to limit sunlight exposure and breakdown. Use within 6 to 12 months for maximum potency.

Tips & Warnings
  • Shake prior to each use.
  • Spread lightly over palms and then apply to the rest of your body. It's a great moisturizer too!
  • Other essential oils are good repellents also such as: cedar, thyme, rosemary, neem and citronella.
  • Check out additional articles under Resources for more easy and natural ways to avoid bug bites!
  • Please test a patch of your skin for sensitivities before applying all over you or a child's body.
  • Most essential oils are too strong to be applied directly to the skin and need to be mixed with a carrier or base oil. So research before applying any oil to your skin in its full concentration.

Comments  

mzvocal said

Flag This Comment

on 8/13/2009 Thanks - I sure needed this article!

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