Make Your Own Natural Bug Spray

We've got a great recipe for you to create your own natural bug spray!

When pesky es swarm around you every time you try to leave the house on a summer night, you’re left itchy and frustrated on the return home. Instead of relying on bug spray from the store that smells bad, feels gross, and also releases potential pesticide toxins with every pull of the trigger, there are so many natural solutions that get rid of mosquitoes just as effectively.

Before you even get to the repellents, try and follow a few preventative measures to ensure that mosquitoes will not be nibbling at you immediately.

Take Caution and Plan Ahead

• Cover up! This can be hard when we’re all trying to beat the heat, but if you can, long sleeves and long pants can only help. Don't think this will completely stop them, however. Sometimes, they find their way through fabric... even jeans!
• Be wary of nature. If you know you’re going to be out in grassy and wooded areas, prepare for the worst, especially if water is nearby. Areas along or even out on the water become a feeding frenzy zone.

Now that you know to be cautious, what are you going to use to repel mosquitoes? Just look around your kitchen and in the depths of your cabinets! There are endless combinations of ingredients you could use for a homemade bug spray, but here are a few to get you started.

Quick and Easy Recipes for DIY Bugspray

1. Combine 20-30 drops of an essential oil (anything from peppermint to citronella to lavender!) with about ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. How simple is that?
2. Mix together 1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and add in the essential oil of your choice. This recipe pays more attention to soothing your skin instead of making it sticky!

Over time, you can experiment and discover your preferences in scents, textures and amounts that will help keep mosquitoes away.

Mosquito Bite Treatment

But, if they somehow get in a bite or two, remember that apple cider vinegar on its own can help calm down the itching. Lemon slices and minty toothpaste also act as mosquito bite treatments.