How to Make Your Own Insect Repellent

Don't like the smell of Deet? You can make your own insect repellent that smells excellent!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Eucalyptus essential oil
• Peppermint essential oil
• Carrier oil
• Citronella oil

1. 
    
   Citronella candles also repell insects

   The essential oils of eucalyptus and peppermint have pleasant smells and have also been found to be natural insect repellents. Be sure to get ESSENTIAL oils; if you get a oil-blend or perfume blend you will have a very diluted and maybe artificial scented oil. You want the actual essential oils of all three ingredients- eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, and citronella oil for the insect repellent properties.

2. The following ingredients need to be combined in a non-metallic container:
   Six drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
   Six drops Peppermint Essential Oil
   Six drops Citronella Essential Oil
   1 ounce Carrier Oil

3. You can also use an ounce of unscented lotion in the place of the carrier oil, but you must be sure that it is unscented lotion. When you buy a small vial of the essential oils, you can pick up both the carrier oil and unscented lotion to make an oil and lotion.

Tips & Warnings

• Try mixing a dab of peppermint oil with a dab of carrier oil if you have extra- you'll smell nice and it will work as an insect repellent.
• Do not apply the essential oils directly onto sensitive skin.

[ManyMusings]

on 2/11/2009 Great information. Note though that Eucalyptus essential oil have about 8 different chemotypes. The one needed for insect repellent properties is the lemon eucalyptus. Also if using Eucalyptus Globulus (the most common form) know that it considered to be a strong convulsant and should not be used by people that have epilepsy. Also peppermint essential oil carries with it the warnings of use with high blood pressure.
I have found that using a peppermint hydrosol as a carrier base with the essential oils of catnip (80 to 90% nepectalictone) and peppermint are far more effective and have fewer safety precautions. 5*

[staysik]

on 1/26/2009 Health food stores are a great place to get all these oils.... in Salt Lake City there's a place that custom-blends their own oils, and sells very top quality oils; they're called Scentsations, and since its a local store, it may be hard to find it in other places. But I'm sure you can find a similar one.

I wouldn't recommend mineral oil as a carrier oil. Almond Oil is usually standard, but olive oil may work too.

[derbyka]

on 1/22/2009 This sounds like a great natural way to repel bugs. Where can you get essential oils? A health food store?

[hlruther]

on 1/17/2009 With the temperatures rising I'm getting so excited about the bug season, minus the bugs. This repellent sounds a LOT better than that other smelly stuff.