Last Updated on June 20, 2024 by Michelle
I always prefer homemade; so I figured why not homemade bug spray as well? If you’d like to keep unwanted creepy crawlies at bay, read on!
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. ♥
We’ve discovered countless, fascinating insects since moving to our new farm.
Some familiar. Some brilliantly unfamiliar. Some that are common, but seen through new eyes.
We’ve also discovered mosquitos, and black flies, which we’d rather not come across more than we have to.
So we’ve concocted some homemade bug spray that is all-natural and works wonderfully.
Homemade Bug Spray
When you encounter some unwanted creepy crawlies, this simple recipe offers a pleasant smell, compared to the chemical-laden store-bought ones.
Combine the following in a small spray bottle:
2 oz. witch hazel
2 oz. water
30 drops of any combination you’d like of these essential oils: lavender, cedar, cinnamon, eucalyptus, lemon grass, peppermint, or cloves.
If you have fresh lavender, simply dry the flowers then steep a handful in a pint of boiling water for an hour or more. Sieve, allow to cool, combine with witch hazel and water, and store in fridge when not in use.
Of course, you can also cultivate fresh lavender (along with citronella grass, marigolds, and chrysanthemums) in the garden or yard to help keep the bugs at bay. Or group small bouquets of cut or dried lavender by your doors and windows to keep mosquitos out of your home. In closets and dresser drawers, dried lavender repels moths and keeps your clothes smelling fresh. A sachet of dried lavender under your pillow helps you relax and enjoy restful sleep.
If you give it a try, let me know your favorite combination of scents in the comments!
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man.
Psalm 104:14
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I don’t know which I dislike more, the mosquitoes or the deer flies. They do make it difficult to be outside. I love your recipe for natural bug spray and will definitely give it a try. I buy a locally made natural bug spray that has essential oils of catnip, cedar, wintergreen and lemongrass that really seems to work pretty well – and I love the way it smells.