Homemade Natural Mosquito Repellent

07/10/2014

As much as I LOVE the summer months, I do not love the mosquitoes!

It seems my children don’t even notice the little blood suckers landing on them for a little feast! And when it comes to bed time we are now adding in itchy little bites as another excuse not to go to sleep.

So far the best thing I have found to stop them from itching is toothpaste! While my daughter does not like toothpaste on her legs, she does love bandaids – so I just smear a little in there and put the bandaid on. Works like a charm!

We are now trying out some homemade natural mosquito repellents to avoid the whole thing together! Here are a couple of great recipes to make your own bug spray:

Essential Oil Spray

• Fill 8 oz spray bottle 1/2 full with distilled or boiled water
• Add witch hazel to fill almost to the top
• Add 1/2 tsp vegetable glycerin if using
• Add 30-50 drops of essential oils to desired scent. The more oils you use, the stronger the spray will be. (Choose from: Citronella, Clove, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Cajeput, Eucalyptus, Cedar, Catnip, Lavender or Mint)

Dried Herbs Spray

• Boil 1 cup of water and add 3-4 TBSP of dried herbs total in any combination (peppermint, spearmint, citronella, lemongrass, catnip, lavender, etc).
• Mix well, cover and let cool.
• Strain herbs out and mix water with 1 cup of witch hazel or rubbing alcohol. Store in a spray bottle in a cool place (like the fridge).
• Use as needed. Added bonus: it smells great and is very refreshing to the skin!

Comment and tell me what your favorite combinations are!