Mosquitoes and other small insects, including ticks, don't like essential oil. These two recipes for insect spray and oil contain over 100 drops of 5 different essential oils for maximum effect. If you're missing one or more of these oils, you can still make a potent insect spray – just exclude the essential oils you don't have and use more of the other oils. The following essential oils have the greatest effect, and you can combine them as you wish: lemongrass, lemon, eucalyptus, rosemary, tea tree, eucalyptus, cedar, geranium, lavender and peppermint.
Ticks are said to dislike geranium and cedar most while mosquitoes really don't like lavender, peppermint and citrus scents.
Insect spray recipe:
30 drops geranium essential oil
30 drops lemongrass essential oil
20 drops eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops rosemary essential oil
1 tbsp vodka
1/2 cup witch hazel
1/2 cup water
How do I make it?
Drop the essential oils into a glass spray bottle.
Add vodka and shake well to combine.
Pour in the witch hazel and shake.
Add water and shake again. Shake before each use as the oils and water will separate over time.
Usage:
Spray on skin, clothes, tent fabric and other surfaces you want to keep free from small insects. Shake the bottle before each use.
Insect oil recipe: An approximate measurement is:
– 5 drops essential oil to 1 tbsp oil.
– So if you make 1 cup of oil, you should have about 30 drops of essential oil.
Example:
1 cup oil, e.g. jojoba oil, argan oil, coconut oil, camellia oil or apricot kernel oil.
10 drops lavender
10 drops lemongrass
10 drops rosemary
You can also choose e.g. geranium, eucalyptus or the potent lemon eucalyptus depending on which scent you appreciate.
Usage:
Make the oil in a small glass bottle and apply to exposed skin as soon as you're going outside.
We hope you have a wonderful time without bites! Do not bug me!
