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Every year as warmer weather approaches, I make several homemade products for summer including my homemade sunscreen and these homemade bug spray recipes.
I don’t use sunscreen often because it limits vitamin D production and I prefer to eat my sunscreen instead. This homemade insect repellent spray recipe, on the other hand, gets daily use where we live. (Unfortunately!)
Why Homemade Bug Spray?
At my house, we joke about mosquitoes being the size of birds, and they certainly do seem to come in flocks! Keeping bugs away with a good mosquito repellent is a top priority, especially with small children who are prone to scratching mosquito bites.
What’s the Deal with DEET?
While I am serious about avoiding bug bites, I don’t want to use nasty chemicals like DEET to do it. DEET is present in many commercial insect repellents and has mixed results when it comes to safety.
The EPA weighed in on DEET in 1998 and again in 2014, saying “it does not present a health concern to the general population, including children.” Looking at their long list of warnings and precautions, I’ll stick with my natural bug spray.
As Heather of Mommypotamus explains:
“N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is the usual go-to for commercial bug spray. It’s incredibly controversial, and for good reason…. Dr. Abou Donia, a Duke University pharmacologist, found that “rats treated with an average human dose of DEET (40 mg/kg body weight) performed far worse than control rats when challenged with physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength and coordination.”
In the same study, Dr. Abou Donia found that DEET caused “neurons to die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory and concentration.” The pharmacologist says that children are at a higher risk for brain changes after DEET exposure because their skin absorbs it more readily.
It’s also interesting to note that as of 2018 the EPA has yet to complete an endocrine disruptor screening on DEET, so that data is still unknown.
Natural Alternatives to DEET
As with practically every household item, you can make natural bug spray inexpensively and naturally at home. (Some of our other favorites to make instead of buying are deodorant and toothpaste.)
This recipe takes just seconds to mix up and can be varied based on what you have available. I’ve included several variations so you can try whichever one you have the ingredients for.
5-Minute Essential Oil Bug Spray Recipe
If you have the ingredients to make it, this is the best bug spray recipe I’ve found. This recipe uses essential oils, which are highly effective for natural bug protection.
There are some concerns about putting these directly on the skin, especially on children. I prefer to use this recipe on clothing or gear instead of directly on the skin.
Any combination of these essential oils will work: citronella, clove, lemongrass, rosemary, tea tree, cajeput, eucalyptus, cedar, catnip, geranium, lavender, mint.
All of those have insect and mosquito-repelling properties, and I’ve included the mixture I use below. For this recipe I use 100 drops of essential oil total with a mixture of various oils. If you don’t have one, you can leave it out or use a mixture of the others in its place.
To save time, I’ve also just used a pre-mixed kid-safe essential oil blend formulated to repel insects in place of the other oils in the recipe below. If you’d rather not DIY, Badger also makes a great natural bug spray with essential oils.
Homemade Bug Spray Ingredients
- 30 drops geranium essential oil
- 30 drops citronella essential oil
- 20 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
- 20 drops lavender essential oil
- 10 drops rosemary essential oil
- 1 TBSP vodka or rubbing alcohol
- ½ cup natural witch hazel
- ½ cup water (or vinegar)
- 1 tsp vegetable glycerin (optional)
Homemade Bug Spray Instructions
- Place essential oils in a glass spray bottle. Add vodka or alcohol and shake well to combine.
- Pour in witch hazel and shake to combine.
- Add ½ tsp vegetable glycerin if using. This is not necessary but helps everything stay combined.
- Add water and shake again. Shake before each use as the oils and water will naturally separate some over time.
How to Use
I keep a bottle by the back door for easy application, and also in our first aid kit when camping or hiking. I also carry this homemade anti-itch cream in case of the random bug bite!
DIY Bug Spray Recipe Variations
Natural bug sprays can also be made without essential oil using dried herbs and witch hazel or vinegar. This recipe is typically considerably less expensive, though it is also not as potent as the recipe above.
Fresh or Dried Herbs Bug Spray Ingredients
- Distilled water
- Witch hazel or rubbing alcohol
- Dried herbs: peppermint, spearmint, citronella, lemongrass, catnip, lavender, etc. I recommend using at least one herb from the mint family.
Fresh or Dried Herbs Bug Spray Instructions
- Boil 1 cup of water and add 3-4 tablespoons of dried herbs total in any combination from the above. I use 1 tablespoon each of peppermint, spearmint, catnip and lavender, and also throw in a couple of dried cloves.
- Mix well, cover and let cool (covering is important to keep the volatile oils in!)
- Strain herbs out and mix water with 1 cup of witch hazel or rubbing alcohol. Store in a spray bottle in a cool place. We often keep ours in the fridge for an extra cooling spray.
- Use as needed. Added bonus: it smells great and is very refreshing to the skin.
TIP: If you have the time and want to make a stronger version of this recipe, prepare the herbs in an alcohol mixture as a tincture instead, and use this directly as a spray after straining out the herbs.
Vinegar Tick and Insect Repellent Recipe
Fair warning: this stuff stinks when it is wet, though the smell disappears as it dries. It works incredibly well though, and this is the one I use when I’m going to be in the deep woods or other tick-infested areas.
It is based on a recipe that was supposedly used by thieves during the Black Plague to keep from getting sick. They used it internally and externally to avoid catching the disease and to keep the flies and other pests away. According to legend, it worked and they survived… but it definitely makes a great insect repellent these days!
This recipe is also very inexpensive to make and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen.
Vinegar of the Four Thieves Insect Repellent Ingredients
- 1 32-oz bottle of apple cider vinegar
- 2 TBSP each of dried sage, rosemary, lavender, thyme, and mint
- Quart-size or larger glass jar with airtight lid
Vinegar of the Four Thieves Insect Repellent Instructions
- Put the vinegar and dried herbs into large glass jar.
- Seal tightly and store on counter or place you will see it daily. Shake well each day for 2-3 weeks.
- After 2-3 weeks, strain the herbs out and store in spray bottles or tincture bottles, preferably in fridge.
- To use on skin, dilute to half with water in a spray bottle and use as needed.
- Use whenever you need serious bug control!
Note: This mixture is very strong and has antiviral and antibacterial properties. It can also be used as a tincture for any illness. For adults, dose is 1 tablespoon in water several times a day. For kids over two, the dose is 1 teaspoon in water several times a day.
Other Simple Insect-Repelling Ideas
- Use a non-toxic, plastic-free insect-repelling band like these, which is easier to use on children and very effective.
- Add vanilla extract to either of the above recipes, or just rub on the skin. You can also mix vanilla with witch hazel and water for a spray version.
- Plant insect-repelling herbs in your yard. I grow lavender, thyme, mint, and citronella near our patio and we use these fresh plants as bug repellent in a pinch.
- Rub lavender flowers or lavender oil on your skin, especially on hot parts of body (neck, underarms, behind ears, etc.) to repel insects.
- Rub fresh or dried leaves of anything in the mint family all over skin to repel insects (peppermint, spearmint, catnip, pennyroyal, etc. or citronella, lemongrass, etc.). Basil is also said to repel mosquitoes and I’ve used fresh basil leaves in the garden with great success before.
Store-Bought Natural Insect Repellent Options
There are now also some good natural insect repellent options available to purchase if you don’t have all of the ingredients on hand or want a simpler solution. Some of the ones that I have personally tried and liked are:
I definitely recommend spot-testing for allergic reactions anytime you’re using a new product on skin, whether it’s natural or not.
This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
What are your tricks for keeping bugs at bay? Which do you think is worse… the insects or the chemicals in most repellents?
Healthy Homemade French Onion Dip
Should you dilute for children or while breast feeding? I know I dilute my at home sprays. What about the essential oil bug spray?
These oils should be safe externally even for children or while nursing though you could half the amounts and it would still work pretty well
rubbing alcohol is toxic because manufacturers added toxins to keep people from drinking it. I would not use lavender or tea tree oil on young prepubescent boys since recent studies have shown a possible correlation between gynecomastia (breast development) and their use. the herbs act as hormone disruptors. When the deodorant that had these oils in them were stopped-the boys returned to normal
Even if you halve the amount-no dose has been deemed safe at this juncture.
can I mix witch hazel, water and acv? i’d like to soak some herbs in small amount of acv and then later also add some essential oils. is this a good idea? or is it a good idea to soak the herbs in witch hazel instead? i’ve made some flower water before, but no matter how much i strain it through coffee filters, still some tiny pieces are left in the water and go bad really soon. how to prevent this? does some alcohol do the trick?
Hydrosol’s are how you’ll want to make flower water that doesn’t spoil quickly thigh you will still want to refrigerate it. You need a big stock pot, heat proof bowl, a lot of ice, lid and your chosen flowers. Something to keep the bowl above the water is also needed. You can use a stone or something similar.
Put the stone in the pot, put in your flowers then cover them with water to just around the top of the stone. Put your bowl on top of that where it will catch your flower water. You will put the lid on upside down with the handle inside. You will put ice cubes on top of the pot. The will cause the stream, which is what you want to catch, to condense on the lid, roll to the center and drip into the bowl.
You will want to bring the water up to a simmer during this process, make sure it doesn’t boil or the water in the pot will mix with your flower water. Try not to take the lid off much during the process. Can take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes depending how much you want to make and you may have to replace you ice. Be careful not to spill it into your center bowl.
What brand and where do you purchase witch hazel? Thanks 🙂
Walmart and most drug stores carry it. It is usually near the rubbing alcohol, peroxide type stuff. It’s used as an astringent.
I get mine from Mountain Rose Herbs (in my resources section) but many local stores should carry it too…
I noticed that you recommended using pennyroyal to rub on your skin. Please note that Pennyroyal is a known abortifact (can induce mis-carriages) and shouldn’t be used by women of child-bearing years.
Pennyroyal is toxic to horses, they say…
How long will the dried herb bug spray keep in the fridge?
Mine has lasted since last summer and still looks/smells good in the fridge.
In my area of Pennsylvania, the abundance of ticks is alarming. An herbalist friend told me that Geranium essential oil is more protective than tea tree or mint., and is a much more tolerable scent than citronella. It’s safe for animals, also.
Great to know!
On the farm my mother kept a bottle of diluted pinesol to sprinkle on our legs before going into the pasture–very effective tick repellent, don’t know about for mosquitoes.
Thank you for this tip! I’ve had Geranium sitting in my essential oils drawer for a while but never thought of it. Been trawling the net for a natural tick repellent for my dogs and my tea tree bug spray doesn’t seem to be working. Recently added geraniums in my garden.
Citronella is a member of the Geranium family.
How would you use the Geranium Oil? sounds interesting. thanks, -con
How would you apply the geranium oil, ie directly on the dog’s coat or diluted and sprayed on? Thanks!
I think it’s actually “rose geranium” essential oil that is used for ticks.
oh, and if you want an all natural gel recipe google “flax seed hair gel”. I haven’t tried it yet but it is suppost to be great.
It is, with a hold comparable to most regular hold store brands. It’s very cheap to make!
I don’t like to use tea tree on my skin, it makes my skin very oily. Just something to consider if anyone uses TT and notices skin changes like that.
You asked about natural hair products. I do a variation on the baking soda/apple cider vinegar (BS/ACV) method. I don’t like the smell of acv and I am blonde so I use lemon juice instead. It works great on my wavy hair.
My medicince woman told me that Tea Tree can be used homeopathically to remove skin tags… no wonder everyone notices skin changes and/or have a reaction to it on the skin..
I have difficulties finding witch hazel here. Is there anything I can replace it with?
technically, vodka or another hard alcohol would work…
so then rubbing alcohol would work as well?
what if you can’t use alcohol of any kind… would distilled white vinegar work?
I got it at Walmart.. most drug stores carry it. It’s very inexpensive. Find it along with their alcohol and cotton swabs and bandages, etc..
Witch Hazel COLD on cotton is also good for hemhroids. If you are lazy about this, Tufts is the same and obtainable in Walmart and any drug store
TUCKS, not TUFTS
WitchHazel, and most organic, pure essential oils are available through Amazon, and Mountain Rose Herbs, and several other sites. Locally, you can look for a natural/holistic grocery store, or a local herbalist in your area. There are many of us around now . **Also most herbs are fine for children , you will be using them in a mild carrier oil, an=s well as a semi dilution with water, or vinegar. try a small spot on the first. When using essential oils, be sure they 100% pure essential from an Organic source, or you defeat the purpose of a “natural” remedy . these will also be diluted and used in a carrier oil,or vinegar,or water for children.
Herbal / Natural cures and remedies are specific to the person, f it does not work for you , try another combination. Herbals target your specific body systems needs… it’s not 1 size fits all. *** Please never give up finding your synergistic herbal matches !!!***
Do you have an essential oil brand that you recommend? Aura Cacia is available at most the places near me, and I was wondering if their oils would be sufficient for something like this? And do you have a favorite bug repellent recipe? 🙂 Thanks!
I get mine here: https://wellnessmama.com/go/essential-oils/
Hello, I was wondering does this bug spray help against ticks too? We have them a lot here in the parks.
It will deter them but won’t completely protect like a tick spray would.
Well, do you have tick spray too? 🙂