Homemade Vanilla Mosquito Spray
Every summer, the mosquitoes come out and you find yourself in the middle of the swarm. Mosquito repellents prevent the pests from pestering, but they contain chemicals you might not want soaking into your skin on a regular basis. Homemade mosquito sprays with vanilla not only smell great, but they are a more natural way to avoid becoming a mass of bites. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Measuring cup
- Grain alcohol
- Glass jar
- Measuring spoons
- Essential oils
- Vanilla oil
- Plastic spray bottle
Instructions
-
-
1
Pour a cup of grain alcohol into a glass jar. Grain alcohol is available at your local package liquor store.
-
2
Add 2 1/2 tsp. of essential oils to the alcohol. Essential oils are those derived from plants; the scent of the oils is unpleasant to the mosquitos and drives the bugs away. Oils from the lemon eucalyptus or citronella plants are ideal repellents; basil, rosemary, pine or cedarwood oils are also mosquito dectractors. Use one or several oils combined for the entire 2 1/2-tsp. measure.
-
-
3
Place a few drops of vanilla oil in the jar. Sniff the homemade mosquito spray to determine how strong of a vanilla smell you want, and add more oil if desired. If you do not have or cannot find vanilla oil, use vanilla abstract.
-
4
Cover the jar tightly and shake the contents until all ingredients are well-incorporated.
-
5
Pour the homemade vanilla mosquito spray into a plastic spray jar and spritz yourself as needed. Dab some of the repellent onto your hands and apply it to your face instead of spraying, to avoid eye irritation.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Dilute the mosquito spray with small amounts of water if you experience skin irritation due to the high alcohol content.
References
- University of Florida IFAS Extension; Mosquito Repellents; C. Roxanne Rutledge and Jonathan F. Day; July 2002
- University of Nebraska NebGuide; Residential Mosquito Control; Barbara P. Ogg, Frederick P. Baxendale and James A. Kalisch; September 2010
- WECT News: Homemade Mosquito Spray; June 22, 2005
- Mother Earth News; Natural Mosquito Repellent; Barbara Pleasant; May 1, 2006
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
