Mosquitoes can quickly ruin a pleasant summer evening, but you don’t necessarily have to resort to chemicals like DEET to repel the pesky bugs. Today we are going to share 2 essential oil mosquito repellent sprays, including a baby-safe bug spray recipe that repels bugs naturally. So read on and find out which essential oils are particularly effective against insects and how you can make a mosquito spray yourself…
So you can make a completely natural mosquito spray yourself
Essential oils help in the fight against annoying insects
Why should you use a mosquito repellent with essential oils?
Essential oils work very effectively and keep insects away in a natural way. A homemade mosquito repellent with essential oils is very quick and easy to prepare and is by no means expensive compared to other natural mosquito repellents found at the organic store. This is because the ingredients for preparing a homemade bug spray are comparatively cheaper.
However, keep in mind that natural mosquito repellents may not last as long as their chemical versions.
Citronella oil is very effective against mosquitoes
Mix the citronella oil with other essential oils
Which essential oils keep mosquitoes away?
Have you ever wondered why there are so many different recommendations for all-natural mosquito repellents? Why would an essential oil mosquito repellent recipe work so well for one person while another would be happy with a completely different mixture?
Different essential oils help against different mosquito species
However, there are over hundreds of different species of mosquitoes in Germany alone and over 3,000 in the whole world! Different oils repel different insects. Therefore, it’s best to use a combination of multiple essential oils to effectively repel multiple types of walkers.
If you’ve used an all-natural insect repellent in the past with no success, that doesn’t mean natural insect repellents will never work for you. It just means that you should try different types of essential oils.
Natural mosquito repellent
Make mosquito spray yourself – recipe
Mosquito spray with essential oils – recipe
Ingredients for homemade mosquito spray:
- Spray bottle 60ml
- 30 ml witch hazel or apple cider vinegar
- 30 ml distilled water (or well water)
- 15 drops of catnip essential oil
- 8 drops of Litsea essential oil or Lemon Eucalyptus
- 15 drops of citronella essential oil
- 10-15 drops of Lemongrass or Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil
- 6-10 drops Arborvitae or Patchouli
Preparation of the homemade mosquito spray:
- Add essential oils to the spray bottle.
- Add witch hazel.
- Add distilled water.
- Shake the bottle well and describe.
Mix essential oils and add witch hazel and distilled water
For children under 6, try the following mix instead:
- 5 drops of catnip
- 3-5 drops of lemon eucalyptus
- 5 drops of citronella oil
- 4 drops of patchouli
…mix with about 30 ml of water and 30 ml of witch hazel or apple cider vinegar. This solution is diluted to about 1%, which is the traditional safety recommendation for children.
Natural mosquito spray for children under 6 years old
Yet another DIY bug spray recipe using essential oils
Ingredients:
- Spray bottle 60 ml
- 25-30 ml witch hazel or apple cider vinegar
- 30ml distilled water or well water
- 10-15 drops of lemon eucalyptus
- 8-15 drops of rosemary essential oil
- 15 drops of Tea Tree or Melaleuca essential oil
- 10 to 15 drops of Cedarwood essential oil
- 8-15 drops of thyme essential oil
Preparation:
- Add essential oils to the spray bottle.
- Add witch hazel.
- Add distilled water.
- Shake the bottle well and describe.
Natural protection against mosquitoes
For 2-6 year olds try the mix below instead:
- 4-5 drops of tea tree or melaleuca
- 5 drops of cedar wood
- 4-5 drops of citronella oil
- 5-6 drops of lemon eucalyptus
…mix with about 30 ml of water and 30 ml of witch hazel or apple cider vinegar. This mosquito spray is diluted to about 1%, which is in line with the safety recommendation for children.
Natural bug sprays last about 1 to 2 hours
Combination of different essential oils
Make mosquito spray yourself for babies:
These essential oils are usually considered safe for use in children under the age of 2.
- 3 drops of catnip
- 2-3 drops of cedar wood
- 3 drops of citronella
- 4-5 drops of geranium (also excellent for natural tick repellent)
- 3 drops of lemon eucalyptus
- 30ml of water
- 30 ml witch hazel or apple cider vinegar
Natural mosquito repellent for babies and toddlers
Preparation:
- Add essential oils to the spray bottle.
- Add witch hazel.
- Add distilled water.
- Shake the bottle well and describe.
Annotation:
0-3 months – do not use
3-12 Months – Spray over clothing with particular care, not directly on skin
12-24 Months – Spray lightly onto skin
Mom and baby protected from mosquito bites