Homemade Bug Spray Recipe {& DIY Bug Repellents}

Did you know essential oils are amazing for repelling bugs and insects? I’ll admit I was skeptical, until my friend Beth whipped up a homemade bug spray for us while in Florida and it WORKED. And if it works on those ginormous Florida bugs, I know it’ll work on just about anything! Which also proves that DIY bloggers can and will try to DIY just about anything, bug repellent included.

Just chillin’, BUG FREE!

I mentioned another version of this DIY bug spray recipe in my essential oils for summer video and got several requests to post the recipe (what, you don’t want to watch the 16 minute video to find out how to make it?!) I’ll be honest, I never thought a homemade bug repellent would work, let alone work WELL, so color me impressed when this stuff performed as well as the chemical laden versions. It’s all I’ve used on myself and the kids this summer, and I fell great knowing it’s natural and I’m not spraying chemicals all over my family.

Plus, there’s a ton of ways to doctor it up to repel different types of bugs or work best with your particular body chemistry. I’ve posted the basic recipe with some add-ons listed below to tweak it to your needs! The more drops of essential oil you use, the better it will work. I love how you can add more of what you need according to the type of bug(s) you’re trying to repel.

I use a small sized glass spray bottle and fill it with 2/3 distilled water and 1/3 witch hazel as the dispersant. Then 15-20 drops of Purification oil. From there, you can add whatever you’d like such a peppermint and/or lavender. Here’s the basic recipe:

It’s perfect for taking along on hikes, day trips, to playgrounds, amusement parks, and while traveling (spray your luggage, because, EEK, bedbugs!) Yup, I’ve even used it on myself in hotels just in case. You can also use it on school bags and backpacks, especially if you add some Rosemary Essential Oil or Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil, both of which repel lice. ISN’T THIS A LOVELY TOPIC TODAY? Yeesh. Many of these oils will also work in your home to keep bugs and rodents away– spray the area to be treated and/or leave cottonballs with the oils in areas where they enter the home. {AND NOW I WANT TO STATE THAT I PROMISE NEVER TO USE THE WORDS LICE AND BED BUGS ON MY BLOG EVER AGAIN.}

You can even use some essential oils on your pets, though the dilution is much different than for humans so if you do so please make sure to find a trusted resource for that information. I’ve heard they can work wonders for repelling ticks and fleas when used correctly.

I also like to diffuse Citronella Oil on the deck. Keeps the bugs away and the glowing diffuser is even slightly romantic. True story.

My favorite bug repelling essential oils (those marked with a * are available in the Young Living Premium Starter Kit):

• *Purification (my favorite for repelling all kinds of bugs, including ticks)
• Citronella (good for all bugs, especially ants, fleas and mosquitoes)
• Lemongrass (good for all bugs, especially mosquitoes)
• *Peppermint (good for all bugs including mosquitoes, ants and other crawlers, moths and mice)
• *Lavender (great as an all-around bug repellent, I found it listed all over the place for just about every type of bug including lice and moths)
• Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree Oil) (repels and KILLS lice)
• Rosemary (good for repelling lice)
• Patchouli (good for flying and crawling insects, and cockroaches hate it)
• Geranium (good for repelling ticks)

Plus if you forgot to put on your bug spray and DID get a bug bite, a little Purification oil or Lavender oil on the bite should take that sting away.

These guys are too precious not to protect, and to do so naturally makes my heart sing. Yup, we’re rocking the pajamas in the Pamlico Sound here. And our essential oils. LIFE IS GOOD.

All these oils (and way more) are available through my Young Living page. In fact, Purification, Peppermint, and Lavender oils are all in the Premium Starter Kit so you can make this spray with the oils in just that one kit. Adding in Citronella, Lemongrass, or any of the other essential oils listed above only ups the bug-repelling power! Here’s how to get started with Young Living Oils, and if you have any questions, just ask!

Now go forth and repel bugs, my friends! Plus, did I tell you that you smell amazing? ‘Cause essential oils smell WAY better than that other brand of chemical-filled bug spray, so there’s that, too. Happy Summer!

Information and statements regarding health claims on this blog have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.