How to Make an All Natural Insect Repellent

With the arrival of warm summer days and crisp blue skies comes the inevitable influx of pesky insects to make your outdoor time uncomfortable. If you don’t want to spray on commercial insect repellents with their array of potentially harmful chemicals, why not spend a little time making your own all natural insect repellent using essential oils? Herbal insect repellents are quick and easy to make. Plus, when you use them you don’t have to worry about absorption of chemicals that can cause allergic reactions and even cancer. Here’s how to make your own all natural insect repellent as well as some ways to customize it.

A simple all natural recipe for insect repellent:

Ingredients needed
4-ounce glass container
15 drops Lemon essential oil
15 drops Cedarwood essential oil
15 drops Eucalyptus essential oil
15 drops Tea tree oil
2 ounces Jojoba oil to serve as a carrier

Mix all ingredients together and place into the four ounce container. Even though this formulation is all natural, it should be skin tested before using to make sure your skin isn’t sensitive to it. Keep it out of reach of young children and pets.

Now that you have a basic all natural insect repellent, you can replace the essential oils with other insecticidal oils to make your own custom creations. Some herbs and essential oils that are thought to repel insects include basil, bergamot, cardamom, coriander, ginger, juniper, lavender, lemon balm, nutmeg, oregano, peppermint, geranium, rosemary, sage, and savory. Try substituting one of these oils for one of the essential oils in the basic recipe to get the formulation that’s most compatible with your skin.

Another simple all natural insect repellent that can be applied without mixing is cedar oil or lavender essential oil. Simply use a cotton ball to dab lavender essential oil behind your ears, on wrists, and behind your knees before you go outside. Lavender is one scent pesky bugs like to steer clear of.

Another way to use essential oils to keep bugs away from your pets is to add these essential oils to their shampoo before bathing. It’s far safer to use essential oils to repel insects in your pets than it is to use commercial flea shampoos and repellents. Avoid using herbs or essential oils that are toxic to animals such as pennyroyal. Do an internet search for safety before adding any essential oil to products you use on your pets.

All natural insect repellent is so quick and simple to make that you’ll wonder why you ever bought those chemical laden commercial ones. Why not make the change and start using simple, all natural, homemade insect repellents?