Find out the secret to keeping bugs away naturally with all-natural homemade bug spray recipes, made without essential oils! Every recipe can be made with just a few ingredients you have in the kitchen! Try my homemade bug spray that uses essential oils and DIY citronella candles.
In California, my homemade bug spray that uses essential oils worked for our bug repellent needs.
But we’re in Georgia now and temperatures are warming up – fast – and I’d like to have several all-natural bug spray recipes in my back pocket that don’t rely ONLY on essential oils, just in case we run out at the last minute!
I wanted these recipes to be super easy, and use ingredients that I normally have on hand OR ingredients I could easily get from the grocery store.
I’d much rather make my own all natural bug spray, using ingredients I have on hand, and not only save money but protect my family from unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals.
Why should we make our own homemade bug spray?
Most commercial bug sprays contain a chemical called N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, also known as DEET. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approves DEET, a pharmacologist from Duke University who has spent 30 years researching the effects of pesticide claims (with many other sources), that:
- With heavy exposure to DEET and other insecticides, humans may experience memory loss, headache, weakness, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, tremors, and shortness of breath. These symptoms may not be evident until months or even years after exposure.
- Children are more susceptible to subtle brain changes caused by chemicals in their environment because their skin more readily absorbs them. Also, their still-developing nervous systems are more potently affected.
- Plus store-bought all-natural bug spray without DEET is expensive! Small 4oz bottles cost upwards of $10 to $15 each, and that little bottle won’t even get our family through a single weekend of camping!
Reduce Costs
- When you buy fresh herbs for a recipe, freeze extras. Finely dice 1 Tbsp worth of a fresh herb, place it in one spot of an ice cube tray, fill the spot with water, and freeze. when the cube has frozen, store it in a freezer-safe container and make homemade bug spray when you have enough herbs.
- Buy fresh herbs when they’re in season. Many herbs are available year-round, but basil, in particular, thrives in warm weather, meaning it’s more affordable in the spring and summer.
- Better yet, grow your own fresh herbs to save on buying them!
- Buy non-perishable ingredients in bulk whenever possible. I use vodka when I make homemade hand sanitizer, plus in my original bug spray recipe, so I buy the big container of cheap vodka from Costco to save money.
- Buy store-brand ingredients to save money. While it’s important to use real extract (imitation extract can irritate the skin), it doesn’t have to be a brand name. If it saves money, buy the store-brand!
Homemade Bug Spray Using Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp fresh mint – spearmint, peppermint, etc. – finely chopped
- 6 Tbsp any of the following fresh herbs – catnip, citronella, lavender, and/or cloves – finely chopped
- 1 cup distilled water, or water that has been boiled and cooled
- 1 cup witch hazel, rubbing alcohol, or vodka
- spray bottle (I recommend using glass)
Instructions
Step 1. In a small saucepan, bring one cup of water to a boil.
Step 2. Add fresh herbs, cover, and cool completely.
Step 3. When the mixture has cooled, strain the herbs out and squeeze excess water from the herbs into the saucepan.
Step 4. Mix infused water with 1 cup of witch hazel, rubbing alcohol, or vodka. Store the mixture in the fridge. Use as needed.
Adapted slightly from Wellness Mama.
Homemade Bug Spray with Vanilla Extract
Ingredients
- 5 oz baby oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or homemade (note about artificial irritating skin)
- 5 Tbsp distilled water, or water that has been boiled and cooled
- glass jar or a squeezable tube
Instructions
Step 1. Combine ingredients in a glass jar and mix well.
Tip: This mixture will be thick and it rubs on like a lotion, but if you want a thinner bug spray, add 1 Tbsp water and 1 tsp vanilla and mix well.
Step 2. Repeat until you reach the desired consistency. Store the mixture in a glass jar and if desired, fill a squeezable tube to take it on the go.
Homemade Bug Spray With Vanilla Extract and Peppermint Extract
Ingredients
- 1 cup vodka
- 1 Tbsp each of cloves + vanilla extract + peppermint extract
- spray bottle (I recommend using glass)
Instructions
Step 1. Combine all ingredients in a glass spray bottle and allow the mixture to steep at least overnight. Shake well and spray as needed.
Note: If the cloves clog the tube of the spray nozzle, strain them out after steeping for at least 8 hours.
Homemade Bug Spray With Basil
Ingredients
- ½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
- ½ cup each of distilled water (or water that has been boiled and cooled) + vodka
- spray bottle (I recommend using glass)
Instructions
Step 1. In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil.
Step 2. Add fresh basil, cover, and let it steep for 4 hours.
Step 3. Strain the herbs out and squeeze excess water from the herbs into the saucepan.
Step 4. Pour the water into a glass spray bottle and add vodka.
Step 5. Shake well and spray on the skin as thoroughly, as needed.
Adapted slightly from Accidentally Green.
Homemade Bug Spray With Castille Soap
Ingredients
- 1 tsp neem oil
- 10 tsp liquid castile soap (peppermint scent would add the bug-repelling effect of mint!)
- 4 cups distilled water, or water that has been boiled and cooled
- spray bottle (I recommend using glass)
Instructions
Step 1. Combine ingredients in a glass jar and shake gently to mix. Use as needed.
Homemade Bug Spray With Listerine
Ingredients
- Listerine (classic scent)
- spray bottle (I recommend using glass)
Instructions
Step 1. Add Listerine to a glass spray bottle and spray on the skin as needed.
Tip: If the scent is too strong, you can add water to dilute.
I stopped buying Listerine when we started making our own homemade mouthwash, but who knew it could be re-purposed for homemade bug spray!
FAQs
Is vinegar a good bug repellent?
Vinegar is another great bug repellent! It will repel fruit flies, mosquitoes, ants, etc. It’s also considered safe for pets and humans.
What scent keeps bugs away?
Some of the scents that bugs dislike are peppermint, catnap oil, citronella oil, clove oil, patchouli, eucalyptus oil
How does apple cider vinegar repel mosquitoes?
When you add equal parts of apple cider vinegar and water into a spray bottle and spray in areas where you want to repel mosquitoes, it will work! Some experts say if you consume apple cider vinegar, you will have a natural scent that will make bugs go the other way.
More Simple Ways to Repel Insects
- Plant insect-repelling plants around the home. Catnip is 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, so plant catnip or any of these other plants around your outside gathering places to help repel insects: basil, citronella, lemongrass, marigolds, mums, and rosemary.
- Add bug repelling essential oils to a homemade diffuser necklace and wear it outside. Choose from citronella, clove, rosemary, lavender, peppermint, and/or tea tree.
- Rose geranium essential oil is said to help deter ticks, so add that to your homemade bug sprays to increase the insect repellent power.
- Take 3 strings of paracord and braid them together. Soak the braid in a mix of bug-repelling essential oils (see #2 above) and wear them on your wrists/ankles to keep the bugs away.
More Natural DIY Recipes
- DIY Citronella Candles
- Homemade Herbal Shampoo Bar
- Simple Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Elixir
- Homemade Toothpaste (That’s Just Like Earthpaste)
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