Now that we are all getting outdoors more (hooray summertime!), most of us (some more than others!) are having to deal with pesky mosquitoes that love to try and ruin our outdoor fun. :-) I have to admit, here in this semi-arid desert state, we don’t have to deal with mosquitoes NEARLY as much as those of you in the midwest or back east. But ANY mosquito is an unwelcome mosquito!
I don’t know about you….but I will avoid spraying on mosquito repellent at all costs! I hate that stuff! I mean I will USE it if I HAVE to….but it’s just so unpleasant! Well not anymore! I made up a homemade version that Amy at Positively Splendid shared and found it VERY PLEASANT! :-)
What’s not to like about cooling witch hazel mixed with fragrant esssential oils!? And it’s SO easy to mix up at batch. I didn’t have some of the oils I needed in my doTERRA stash…so I dropped by the local health food store and they had everything I needed. (If you don’t have the lavender and peppermint oil on hand, you can substitute 5 more drops of citronella and lemongrass…but I love the smell of having all 4 oils in the mix!)
In a spray bottle, mix and shake well to blend:
- 2 cups witch hazel
- 15 drops citronella essential oil
- 15 drops lemongrass essential oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
Do not spray directly on faces. Instead, spray in your hands and then rub onto your face, avoiding your eyes and mouth.
The best protection against mosquito-borne illness is avoidance. If you can, remain indoors during their peak hours (dawn and dusk).
This spray is not waterproof/sweat-proof, so you will need to apply again hourly to ensure continued protection.
Also, it will not protect against ticks, I would recommend a store-bought product that contains DEET if tick exposure is likely.
My bottle of homemade bug spray at the ready on the back patio! Take THAT you little bloodsuckers! :-)
Geranium oil also works! I just dab a couple of drops around my ankles and elbows..and it works for hours! An entire day near the lake at a cookout..and not one bite! The downside is that it also attracts bees because they think you’re a flower. They checked me out for a few seconds and then moved on though. =) I’ll have to try this too!
Oldest DS and I are some of the skeeters favorite dishes! Looking forward to trying this. As for ticks though, the best repellant is Avon Skin So Soft, works great!
I agree. Skin So Soft is wonderful and it smells nice, unlike other repellents.
Skin so soft works well most places, but not in the tropics or semi. We need Deep Woods off or better.
I have read a few different places that if you just take an unused dryer sheet and put it in your pocket or tie it to your belt loop that it will keep the mosquitoes away. Haven’t tried this yet, but I plan to soon as they are out and about here. I have 2 very allergic children and anything to not have to douse them with chemicals.
I hate to burst your bubble, Ashley, but dryer sheets are one of the most common ‘problem’ items for people who have chemical sensitivity. Moving from one set of chemicals to another isn’t going to help as much as you’d hope. Essential oils, like this recipe, are a much better choice.
~Kali
Have tried very strongly scented drier sheets and even they did not repel mosquitoes. We got bit almost immediately. I’d try this citronella recipe, should work and it’s natural.
I heard since we had such a mild winter bugs are going to be a big problem this year! thanks for an alternate solution!
definately trying this! love that it is natural and from the looks of the ingredients should also smell nice:). hadn’t been here in a while….love the new look of your blog!
Thanks for noticing our new “look” Kim. :-) Glad you like!
Where can you get the witch hazel and the oils at?
Kenda….I bought mine at our local health food store. But they are also available online lots of places…including Amazon.com. I updated the post to include some links in case people were interested.
If you have a Walgreens near you they have it on sale right now. You get a cash coupon back so it ends up being free!
We grind up garlic and water in the blender and then “paint” it around the deck and porch. We don’t have as problem with bugs and you can use it on the dogs too. We just add a “stripe” down their backs and they don’t get bothered with the bugs as well. We just reapply every couple months when the buggers start to reappear.
How much garlic do you use?
Do you paint the entire deck and porch or just a few spots and how much garlic and water? Thank you.
Plain old-fashioned “Listerine” – can even use the generic PLAIN stuff (no flavorings added) Put it in a spray bottle and spritz it in the air around the perimeter of where you’re going to and it keeps away all bugs. Gnats, no-see-ums, mosquitoes, etc. works if you spray it on your clothes, too.
I also second the Bounce dryer sheet idea. Friend of mine uses it and says it works great!
Witch hazel can be found in any drug store or grocery store usually around the alcohol and peroxide shelve(s). It costs about $1.00 around here.
I had to do some weeding over the weekend, so I sprayed myself liberally with generic Listerine. Didn’t seem to be working as I heard the little buggers buzzing around my ears and landing on my neck. So I went in the house and grabbed a dryer sheet, rubbed it on my arms and neck and tucked it in my waistband. Don’t think that worked either. I have several welts on my arms. :(
Becky I have tried both of those and they have never worked. We live in a state that has tons of mosquitoes. They are already out in full force. I have tried just about every natural remedy that I have heard of. Nothing has ever worked like Off Deep Woods. We have spent days camping and no bites or ticks. I am sure it isn’t good for us or the kiddos but the alternative is Tick fever and lyme disease, one of which my husband got and we spent lots of money on hospital bills because he was so sick.
I am leery to try this one too because it looks somewhat expensive initially. I hope if someone tries it they will let us know if it works good. Especially if they live in the midwest.
Wow, so sorry neither worked for you!
Most of these suggestions were for MOSQUITO repellant, not tick repellant. The only things that I know of that are not commercial that will keep ticks away are Sulfur (an element) powder (not Sulfa- a class of antibiotics) or Skin-so-soft.
I live in GA – a place with LOTS of mosquitoes and I am a mosquito magnet. The Listerine worked wonderfully well 2 summers ago when I went with 8 girls from my church to camp for a week. We were in a boggy area and it was hot outside. We didn’t have any mosquito, no-see-ums, nor chigger bites nor problems with ticks, though it it possible that there weren’t a lot of ticks in the area.
I’ve also used Skin-So-Soft with great results. It’s just a lot more expensive for me than Listerine. I’m wondering if any oil would work like the Avon product for ticks as it’s probably more to do with the slickness than the smell, though infusing/adding some of the above herbs to it wouldn’t be a bad idea.
My friend personally used the dryer sheets for mosquitoes and it worked for him.
HOWEVER, I’m wondering if whether or not an alternative works has to do with different people’s body chemistry. That would explain why things work well for some people and not at all for others, as well as why some people in a family get eaten alive and others are barely bothered by bites.
Hope that for those that these things don’t work well will be able to find an alternative to the pesticides in the commercial stuff. However, it’s better to use the chemicals than to get Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or an anaphalactic reaction to being bitten!
I’ve used the Skin-so-soft for years with much success. My budget stretcher was that I had bought the bath oil and never used it, so I just mixed a small amount (an ounce or two) with my favorite (or less used) skin lotion. The large bottles can be bought as a BOGO, so they’ll last for years!
I tried the yellow plain Listerine…did nothing for us. :( I really wanted it to work!
I did read somewhere about a mosquito trap. Putting yeast in it causes a reaction creating carbon dioxide so the mosquitoes are attracted to it and then drown. Sounds like a winner for an outdoor gathering. Placing a jar of the stuff in a close but hidden spot would draw the mosquitoes away from your friends.
I am pretty sure I saw that on Pinterest site…..I plan to try it next time we have an outdoor gathering.
I wonder if tea tree oil would be a good deterrent?
Can you steep citronella leaves instead of using oils? Or do you know where to buy the oils? I have citronella in our patio garden to help keep mosquitoes away.
Oh, Jillee ~ Thanks SO much for this post! We’re raising our 9-yr-old grandson (our 5 children are now grown) and the time spent at Little League games has become almost unbearable due to mosquitoes. My husband is his coach, so I’m at Every.Single.Game. I can’t make myself spray products with DEET on my grandson, or his friends, to keep the little blood suckers at bay. This will make their lives ~ and mine ~ much more pleasant on game nights!
You’re welcome Helen! It really does smell nice! I’m thinking of using it as a cologne! ;-) lol
Can’t wait to try this! I’ve been doing yoga outdoors and the skeeters are driving me craaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy!
I’m so glad you posted this, Jillee! I am highly allergic to mosquitos. If I get bit, the bite will turn into a rock-hard purple welt and trigger an asthma attack if I’m bit multiple times. I usually have to avoid the outdoors during the summer unless I want to douse myself with stinky, expensive repellents or be stuck beside a citronella candle. That’s not fun. This post is a god send! Thanks so much!!!
Walgreens sells witch hazel for $4, and I believe this week Walgreens is giving a $4 register reward coupon good on your next purchase when you buy witch hazel. Also, witch hazel has many other uses…can’t wait to try this!
Vanilla is my natural bug repellent of choice. I love the smell of vanilla and bugs hate it, so I just spray on vanilla body spray before I go out in the summer (Bath & Body Works works great). I smell fantastic, and I don’t have the gross feeling that comes from other bug sprays. This even got my through several summers as a camp counselor in the Midwest! Thou, I upped the ante and used vanilla shampoo, conditioner, and body wash (all just cheapo stuff from suave) and I probably only had 5 bites that whole summer. I know some people who don’t like vanilla as mush as me just dab some extract behind their ears, on their wrists, and their ankles.
ooohh! i’m gonna try the vanilla idea! i love the smell and if it keeps the skeeters away, i’m all for it! i just ordered some skin so soft too. maybe they should start making vanilla scented SSS?? thanks, jen!!
Neem works well for all sorts of propblems,prevents or treats!
Never heard that one! I’d really rather smell of vanilla than deet.
Love your recipe. I use Diptera oils and love them. Where do get your witch hazel? Looked at CVS but all alcohol there. Is there something else?
Julie….I actually picked mine up at Walmart.
I like this idea — no chems. I have little grandkids here often and I’d rather spray them down with this than DEET stuff. Thanks for the recipe!
I have also heard about using the dryer sheet in your pocket. This also sounds like a better solution! I love this blog, I read it every day at work! haha
I’m so happy to see this natural alternative for mosquito spray. I keep a potted Citronella Geranium “Mosquito Plant” on my front porch in the summer to keep the pests away. I just brush up against the plant, stirring up its scent when I go outside and the mosquitos flee. I sometimes pick a leaf off of the plant and rub it on my arms and legs if I’m getting away from the porch, but it has a very strong citronella scent. I’m thinking the blended oils in your recipe would tone down the smell of the citronella some.
Hey everyone! You can also make your yard insect repelling! Here is a site with 5 plants that sqeeters avoid!
Lavender, mint, garlic, basil, rosemary and lemongrass are all herbs that the buzzing blood suckers don’t like!
I plan on making borders of theses around my house and porch….we shall see how well it works!
@ Demaroge
Be careful planting mint in garden beds–it can be very invasive. I keep mine potted.
Thanks….I had no luck with the mint! Can you believe it?!? It DIED! LOL!
On one (that died anyway!) I cut the bottom of the pot out so the roots could grow but the plant would stay more contained. I don’t know if it would have worked or not because all the mint plants I planted died.
Sad…. but true. LOL!
I have seen a lot of plants that we can plant to help keep bugs away. Basically any of the essential oils named come from a plant … and the bugs don’t like the smell of the plants! SO, lavender, eucalyptus, lemon grass, mint, geraniums …. any and all of the oils mentioned would help. So, ladies and gentlemen plant the plants in your yard if you can! I am going to try again next year!
Buy the cheap Listerine, put in spray bottle and spray … Works great!!
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After last years record monsoons, the pesky misquitos were so bad, that the walls turned black from them covering it. You actually had to be careful and not to breath them up into your nose or in your mouth. Eww! Yep, it was bad, and we are expecting the same this year. I will be trying out each and every suggestion in hopes of keeping them ‘monsters’ at bay.
Came across a nice solution by accident (mother of all inventions was accident prone)
Hubby and I were camping and had taken those citronella oil torches for the site. Oil spilled onto some clothing in the back of the car. The clothes were shoved into another bag as they had oil on them. Needed the hoodie in that bag as it was cold. The mozzies avoided me…and I had no repellant on. I fly-fish and, being in the water and in rain, out at dawn and dusk, I become a bug-magnet. Not any more!
Now I have a dryer sheet with citronella oil on it in the bottom of the plastic bag I store my outdoor clothes in, and I swab the oil on the inner surface of hat brims. I have been known to swipe a lightly-soaked dryer sheet on the exposed surfaces of all-weather coats, and keep a ziplock baggie with soaked dryer sheets in my flygear backpack for quick swipes as needed.
I have used this recipe and it works well but I was curious to see if we could tweak it at all to keep the fire ants at bay. Instead of the witch hazel we used the original formula of “Listerine” (but we bought ours at the Dollar Tree) and it worked BEAUTIFULLY!!! Not a bug bite to be found! :)
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Lemon eucalyptus is a proven tick repellent as effective as deet. You may add this to your recipe..not suitable for kids under three though.
HOT weather (100s) broke tonight, so we spent some time outdoors and tried this recipe with no success, even after repeatedly spraying head to toe, all 5 of us got bit by Mosquitos. I’m hoping for some tweaks to the recipe to make it worth the $20+/- I spent on ingredients. I had high hopes of avoiding deet products. Any ideas?
If you can find Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil, it is said to work as well or better than DEET. Also Catnip EO.
Lavender is a natural repellant for all blood suckers, mosquitoes, ticks, bed bugs, etc. I take a small spray bottle with me when travelling for hotel beds. I used a lavender soap last time I was out hunting, I didn’t get a single tick and people sitting next to me did. Have a lavender body wash I take camping, and haven’t had a mosquito bite all summer.
I love you’re site!!! I can’t wait to try all of your homemade solutions!! I have a repellent idea that has worked wonders for me… I’m a mosquito magnet! I recently moved to Japan, and I guess I was fresh meat for the mosquitos here, because the had a feast with me! So, in an attempt to find a remedy that was natural (I was babysitting a new born and didn’t want any chemicals rubbing off on her) I stumbled upon this: Simply add a few drops of vanilla extract to a small spray bottle of water! I use about 6 drops of vanilla extract per 8 ounces of water, then spray all over my body. I have a small bottle I carry in my purse and reapply when I feel like it! :D
You can add tea tree oil and neem oil to this mixture to help with ticks. It doesn’t smell as great, but it’s still much better than OFF! I’ve used this mixture, but with citronella leaves instead of oil, all summer, and it worked really up until about two weeks ago. The mosquitoes have come out in full force, so I start with this stuff but eventually have to switch to Deep Woods OFF.
*really well
I am a magnet for mosquitos! I’ve tried EVERY remedy, including the ones mentioned in these posts but nothing works for me. (I think the chemical make up is different in everyone so, what might work great for one has no effect on another.) What DOES seem to be working, quite by accident….. I started taking 1/4 aspirin every day for my heart. Since I started this regimen, I haven’t been bothered much with mosquitos! Mosquitos buzz around me but won’t land! Is it a coincidence or do they not like the aspirin permeating through my skin??? Worth a try for others to experiement!
The lemongrass and lavendar may attract honeybees. I’m a beekeeper. Lemongrass is used in bait boxes to catch swarms. Bees make a natural lemon scent in their hives to welcome the bees to the hive. Bees also work lavendar. So, if you find them coming to check you out, that is why.
how do I subscribe–did this do it? thanks!
glenda