Natural, homemade mosquito repellents have a reputation for not working, but that’s just not true. You’ll be amazed at how well our Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent works (and how cheap it is!)!

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE spring a summer…longer days, warm weather, blooming flowers, gardens, and SO MUCH MORE. I love taking long walks and being outside with my family and my dog.

But you know what I HATE? Mosquitoes! With a passion. While I really try not to hate anything or anyone, mosquitoes fall into that category. Because…really? What benefit do mosquitoes provide? They spread diseases and feast on people and pets. If you know of a redeeming quality of mosquitoes, please share, because I’d love to hear it.

Mosquitoes Begone! The Need For Repelling Mosquitoes

Here’s the problem for me and mosquitoes. They LOVE me. I mean moth-to-a-flame love me. If you have ever wondered if it’s really true that mosquitoes prefer some people over others, I’m here to tell you it is 1,000% true. I am living proof!

I have 5 people in my family. When all 5 of us are outside at the same time during the evening, 3 of us are left alone, but my middle son and I are total buffet material. I have SEEN mosquitoes fly over my husband and come land on me! It’s so annoying!

Goodbye Deet; Hello, Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent

I may hate mosquitoes but the truth is that I don’t have any love affair going on with mosquito repellents that contain DEET. They DO work to keep mosquitoes at bay (remember, I’m proof?!), but I like to avoid exposing my family and myself to any unneeded chemicals.

Not to mention that Mohamed Abou-Donia, a pharmacologist at Duke University, found that frequent and prolonged DEET exposure can result in brain cell death and changes sensory and motor functions, eventually concluding that humans should try to avoid using DEET.

And with the natural options that are available for repelling mosquitoes, DEET just isn’t necessary.

Essential oils, herbs and more do a wonderful job of keeping deterring mosquitoes. Wanna know how to use them so they REALLY work? Keep reading

Essential Oils For Mosquitoes – These Really Work To Deter

Mosquitoes don’t like strong aroma, so they avoid herbs like mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and lavender. Even just growing these herbs in your yard near where you like to entertain or hang out helps keep them away!

Essential oils are chemical compounds extracted either through distillation or cold process from plants. The oils capture the plant’s scent, flavor, and beneficial properties. The catch? Essential oils are STRONG. Much stronger than just using the plant itself. A little goes a LONG way.

But that’s also what makes them so effective in the battle against mosquitoes. Here are the oils that work the best:

• Citronella
• Lavender
• Peppermint
• Eucalyptus   
• Lemongrass
• Geranium
• Clove
• Lemon  
• Basil  
• Thyme

Our Natural Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent

My family has been using this recipe for a couple of years now with great success! Check it out and see for yourself!

• 4 drops citronella essential oil 
• 4 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 4 drops rosemary essential oil
• 4 drops eucalyptus essential oil
• 4 drops mint essential oil
• 1/4 cup pure witch hazel
• 2 oz glass spray bottle (amber or blue, NOT clear)

**Don’t forget to grab funnels to make it EASY!**

How to Make Our Essential Oil Mosquito Repellent

This mixture is super simple to make! Here’s how:

• Add all essential oils to a colored 2oz glass spray bottle (to prevent UV rays from destroying the strength of the essential oils, don’t use clear bottles, but DO use glass spray bottles)
• Add witch hazel to the spray bottle and fill it to the top. If you are using a larger size spray bottle, use about ¼ cup witch hazel.
• Shake well for several seconds. 
• Apply liberally. Reapply if you notice it’s starting to wear off.

Additional Essential Oils For Mosquitoes

What if you have don’t have certain essential oils but you have other mosquito-repelling essential oils? The great news is that this recipe is adaptable! This is a combination we have found that works best for us.

However, if you have lavender or geranium essential oils but don’t have mint essential poil, feel free to substitute what you have!

Don’t Want Chemicals OR to DIY?

I know there are plenty of people who don’t want to DIY their own bug spray but also don’t want to expose their families to DEET. If that’s you, try these top DEET-free sprays:

• REPEL (plant-based lemon eucalyptus bug repellent)
• Babyganics (DEET-free and safe for babies and kids)
• Wondercide (DEET-free spray and they also have wipes, if you prefer that)

I hope you love this homemade Essential Oil Mosquito repellent as much as we do! I love that I can use a natural product that actually works which means I don’t need to expose my family to harmful chemicals. Plus, think of all the money you save by making your own homemade mosquito repellent spray (I love that part too!)!

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