Natural Bug Repellent Recipes That Work!

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Every year as warmer weather approaches, I make several homemade products for summer. This includes my homemade sunscreen and these natural bug repellent recipes.

I don’t use sunscreen often because it limits vitamin D production. 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. 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.

It’s not just annoying bites that we have to worry about. Some mosquitos can transmit diseases like Zika and West Nile virus. Then there are fleas and ticks infected with Lyme disease, Bartonella, and more.

According to the CDC, about 6% of all mosquito types are known to transmit diseases. But it’s impossible to know which ones when you’re just enjoying an evening outside.

Many natural bug-repellent options from the store aren’t my first option either. The label may say all natural and plant-based but they’re full of soybean oil and undisclosed proprietary ingredients. For example, one popular brand of DEET-free natural mosquito repellent features oil of lemon eucalyptus. However, the other 70% of the ingredients list is a mystery.

What’s the Deal with DEET?

While I am serious about avoiding bug bites, I don’t want to use nasty pesticides and repellents like DEET to do it. DEET is 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, concluding it doesn’t have health concerns for most people, even for kids. Looking at their long list of warnings and precautions, I’ll stick with my natural bug spray.

Dr. Aboue Donia, a pharmacologist found that rats treated with an average human dose of DEET had some issues. They performed far worse than control rats on physical tasks requiring muscle control, strength, and coordination.

In the same study, DEET caused neurons to die in parts of the brain that control muscles, learning, memory, and concentration. Young children are more at risk because their skin absorbs things more readily.

It’s also interesting to note that so far the EPA has yet to complete an endocrine disruptor screening on DEET. So we don’t know know how it affects hormones.

Another common pest control option is picaridin, a synthetic chemical derived from piperine. Runoff from these products contaminates the water supply and is known to cause deformities in certain animals. So what is it doing to us?

Natural Alternatives to DEET

As with most household items, you can make natural bug spray cheaply and naturally at home. Lotion with coconut oil is another DIY I like to make instead of buy. This recipe takes just minutes to mix up. You can use different ingredients 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 Natural Bug Repellent

This is the best bug spray recipe I’ve found. It uses essential oils, which are really effective for natural bug protection. I prefer not to put this blend directly on skin, especially on kids. Instead, I use it on clothing or our gear.

Any combination of these essential oils will work

All of the above have insect and mosquito-repelling properties. I’ve included the mixture I use below. For this recipe, I use 100 drops of essential oil in total with a mixture of various oils. If you don’t have a certain oil you can leave it out or use a mixture of the others in its place.

Don’t Want to DIY Your Natural Bug Repellent?

Don’t feel like making your own? There are some really great pre-made bug-repellant options now.

To save time, I sometimes use a pre-mixed kid-safe essential oil blend. It’s made to repel insects and can replace the other oils in the recipe below. Here are a few premade natural bug spray options that don’t require any mixing at all.

I definitely recommend spot-testing for allergic reactions anytime you’re using a new product on your skin, whether it’s natural or not.

Natural Bug Repellent Recipes

I use this bug spray to spray my kid’s clothing on their way out the back door in the summer. I also pack one in our first aid kit when camping or hiking. This homemade anti-itch cream is also handy to carry in case of a random bug bite!

How to make natural bug spray in about five minutes
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3.96 from 136 votes

Natural Bug Repellent Recipe

Make this 5 minute simple & effective homemade bug spray recipe with essential oils and other natural ingredients to keep mosquitos and insects away.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • In a glass spray bottle, combine the essential oils.
  • Add the vodka or rubbing alcohol and shake well to combine.
  • Pour in the witch hazel and shake again to combine.
  • Add the vegetable glycerin if using. It isn’t necessary, but it does help everything stay combined.
  • Add the water and shake again.
  • Shake before each use as the oils and water will naturally separate over time.

Notes

How to Use:
I keep a bottle of this bug spray by the back door for easy application. I also pack one in our first aid kit when camping or hiking. I find it’s also handy to carry this homemade anti-itch cream in case of the random bug bite!

DIY Bug Repellent Recipe Variations

Natural bug sprays can also be made without essential oils. Just use dried herbs and witch hazel or vinegar. This recipe is less expensive, but it’s not as potent as the recipe above.

Herbal Bug Spray Ingredients

Herbal Bug Spray Instructions

  1. Boil water, then add the herbs.
  2. Mix well, cover, and turn off the stove. Let cool completely. Covering is important to keep the volatile oils in!
  3. Strain out the herbs and mix the tea with witch hazel or alcohol. Store in a spray bottle in the fridge for up to a week.
  4. Use as needed. Added bonus: it smells great and is very refreshing to the skin.

TIP: You can also use the above herbs and make an alcohol tincture instead for longer shelf life. Add 1 part tincture to 1 part water before use and spray liberally on clothing.

Vinegar Tick and Insect Repellent Recipe

Fair warning: this stuff stinks when it’s wet. Thankfully the smell disappears as it dries. It works really well though. I use this spray whenever I’m going deep into the woods or other tick-infested areas.

It’s based on a recipe that was rumored to be used by thieves during the Black Plague to prevent sickness. Legend has it that the thieves survived thanks to this bug blend. Regardless if the story is true or not, it definitely makes a great insect repellent.

This recipe is cheap and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen.

Vinegar of the Four Thieves Insect Repellent Ingredients

Vinegar of the Four Thieves Insect Repellent Instructions

  1. Put the dried herbs into the large glass jar. Pour the vinegar over the herbs until the jar is almost full.
  2. Seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place. Shake occasionally.
  3. After 2-3 weeks, strain the herbs out. Store the vinegar in spray bottles or tincture bottles, preferably in the fridge.
  4. To use on skin, dilute to half with water in a spray bottle and use as needed.
  5. Use it 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 many illnesses. For adults, I use 1 tablespoon in water several times a day. For kids over two, I use 1 teaspoon in water several times a day.

Other Simple Natural Bug Repellent Ideas

  • Use a non-toxic, plastic-free insect-repelling band like these. They’re easier to use on children and very effective.
  • Add vanilla extract to either of the above recipes or just rub it 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 diluted lavender oil on your skin to repel insects.
  • Rub fresh or dried leaves of anything in the mint family all over your skin to repel insects. Peppermint, spearmint, catnip, pennyroyal, etc., or citronella, lemongrass, etc. Basil is also said to repel mosquitoes. I’ve used fresh basil leaves in the garden with great success before.

What are your tricks for keeping bugs at bay? Which do you think is worse… the insects or the chemicals in most repellents?

Sources
  1. Swale, D. R., Sun, B., Tong, F., & Bloomquist, J. R. (2014). Neurotoxicity and mode of action of N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). PloS one9(8), e103713.
  2. Duke Today Staff. (2002, May 1). Duke pharmacologist says animal studies on DEET’s brain effects warrant further testing. Duke Today. 
  3. Centers For Disease Control. (2020, March 5). Mosquitoes in the United States.
  4. Almeida, R. et al. (2018, October 4). High mortality in aquatic predators of mosquito larvae caused by exposure to insect repellent. Biology Letters, 14: 20180526. Royal Society Publishing. 

 

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

575 responses to “Natural Bug Repellent Recipes That Work!”

  1. Durinda Avatar

    Hello,
    I love all of your recipes but I’m having a big problem here in Phoenix this week with all of our rain. I get bit every time I steep outside .How can I use basil from my garden as mentioned above?

  2. Quinta Avatar

    Are these recipes good for fleas as well as other Lice types?
    I know Tea Tree oil is good to add into shampoo (keeps lice at bay during school season), but right now we got some random rodents or something that have brought Fleas into our home and we’re all suffering.

    However (random) I found that Salting the carpets heavily and letting it stand for a few days before vacuuming has slowed their hatch rate. But They’re using us as an escape. HELP.

  3. Roger Gietzen Avatar
    Roger Gietzen

    Add epsom salt to prevent the essential oils from clogging the spray bottle. About 1 teaspoon for the 8oz recipe you describe is perfect.

  4. Cherie Olson Avatar
    Cherie Olson

    So I know vanilla extract works to repel bugs, but can vanilla essential oil be used instead? Or is it something to do with the fact that it is an extract?

  5. Alex Cavey Avatar
    Alex Cavey

    If you want soap detergent use soap nuts – boil them up and if you want combine them with essential oils of your choice e.g. lemon, lavender etc – can be used for washing up liquid too – they are amazing and I love them now =) Hope you give them a go!

  6. Sara Avatar

    Wellness Mama, I know several others have asked if these insect repellents are safe to use on babies, but I was wondering if they are safe to use on CLOTHING. I would like to use the essential oil recipe, but can’t afford a new wardrobe if it gets ruined while I stay (relatively) sane & unbitten. Please help!

  7. Ellen Marie Avatar
    Ellen Marie

    I am making the Four Thieves insect repellent as we’re speaking! Just one question: what would 1 32 ounces of Apple cider vinegar be in grams or liters? I wasn’t sure how to convert it.
    Thanks Welness Mama! Keep up what you’re doing!

  8. Becky Avatar

    Hi Wellness Mama,
    I would like to try the eo recipe for bug spray, but I don’t have vegetable glycerin. I am wondering would it work to use a small amount of olive oil instead? Maybe 1/2 tsp or less?
    Thanks!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      I’d be careful… it might attract your variety of local bugs! The glycerin is totally optional, so you might try it without.

  9. Sara Avatar

    I haven’t tried any of the recipes here yet, but I’m going to try them. Last year I had an outside kitty that was being eaten by mosquitoes. I looked for something to put on him, but really couldn’t find anything natural to use. Everyone said not to use essential oil products on a cat.

    His fur was coming off in patches and he was so miserable and lost so much weight, I was afraid I was going to lose him, so I mixed up a
    VERY strong batch of herbal peppermint tea, then soaked him in it. He took off and I didn’t see him for a day or two, I was afraid I had killed him, but then he came back and instead of being the center of a mosquito cloud, was free of them. He was acting more alert also.

    I only dosed him with it once, but it seemed to do the trick. I think that the other cats weren’t as bothered because they walk through a patch of mint to get on the porch.

    Usually, unless they were around Thor, the porch was free of bugs last year. I had a citronella candle out, but didn’t use it. This year, it is bug city out there. I think I’m going to go harvest some of the mint and mix up some of the recipes here.

    Blessings

    1. Taylor Avatar

      I don’t think that all of them are bad for cats but some of them are. I would just google what essential oils are safe for cats. That or use the spray when needed on him and just dilute the strength.

  10. Libi Avatar

    Do you have to use vegetable glycerine or could you substitute with grapeseed oil?

  11. ashley Avatar
    ashley

    Great article! So happy to see more people advocating herbal remedies over chemicals! I am an armchair herbalist, nutritionist, and healer, and am very well-versed in canine health. You may take note that all of these herbal formulas are highly effective for our canine companions, as well! (I don’t recommend the same strength formulas on cats, and some of these herbs are actually toxic to them so need to be researched by cat owners.) My dogs and I enjoy a bug-free Summer here in Florida, however, by both internal and external herbal use!

  12. Nadine Avatar
    Nadine

    Hi, can I use fresh herbs to make the Four Thieves concoction?
    Thanks!
    Nadine

  13. Blake Avatar

    So many plugs for Wal-Mart on this site. Doesn’t that go against everything NATURAL???

      1. Tracey Haynes Avatar
        Tracey Haynes

        Wellness Mama;
        Love your site!
        I’ve been making this spray with Cedar wood and Clove EO. I read so much contradictory advice regarding safety for pregnant/nursing moms.
        Do you have any advice?

  14. Sulah Avatar

    Well, I am so disappointed in my experiment with a natural mosquito repellant. I added a number of the oils listed…30 drops of each…..ones that I had, witch hazel, water, glycerine oil…….even threw in some Skin So Soft for good measure and I am almost being carried away with mosquitoes……..not sure what to do now………am perplexed.

  15. Caro Avatar

    i found on Wikipedia, that Glycerin under influence of heat and lack of oxigene becomes Aldehyd Propenal, which is also called Acrylaldehyd or Acrolein, and which is poisonous.
    might that also happen in my spraybottle inside my handbag at around 25 to 30 degrees Celsius?

  16. Susan Avatar

    One poster asked about Avon’s Skin So Soft repelling mosquitoes……did not see an answer. I would like to ask this question as well.

    1. Ally Avatar

      I remember my mom used Avon SSS exclusively and never had trouble with bites.

    2. Pie Avatar

      I have used 1 part Skin So Soft(SSS), 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water in a spray bottle and had great results repelling mosquitos, gnats, and yellow flies. You’ll need to shake and mix the water/oil ’til it’s milky. A light spraying rubbed in well is all you need. If you spray your fingers you can apply it around sensitive areas like your eyes. It will absorb into the skin and doesn’t feel oily because the water thins it out.

  17. Leah Avatar

    Try crushed yarrow leaves. Also, the resin of pine trees helps to some degree. Gets a little sticky though. I might want to add some to the witch hazel blend. Will let you know what happened.

  18. Stacy Avatar

    I would like to make a large quantity of your bug spray using your favorite blend of Rosemary, Clove, Cajeput, Lavender, Cinnamon and Eucalyptus. I will be using a 25 oz. bottle. Can you tell me the exact amounts of each oil you use? I’m making a large bottle because I have thirteen dogs and I want to use it on them and myself. Thank you! I love your site!

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