Summer is upon us. Rather than buying commercial sprays, why not try making your own blend to discourage those annoying bugs? Here’s a blend recipe we have found helpful. We use it when working in the garden and going on hikes. We feel it’s a huge improvement over commercial bug sprays, which often contain chemicals like DEET and smell bad, repelling humans as well. This blend smells amazing and contains essential oils reported to discourage bugs. Use these recipes for adults and children over ten years of age.

Ingredients

• Rose Geranium essential oil – 4 drops
• Lavender essential oil – 4 drops
• Eucalyptus citriodora essential oil – 2 drops

Instructions

To make a topical blend: Blend the essential oils together in the specified amounts and add to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, like Fractionated Coconut Oil. Put the mixture in a bottle and shake well: this will produce a scented vegetable oil that you can rub on your arms, neck, and other exposed areas (avoid applying to face). Make sure to use the correct ratios when making this topical blend, as essential oils can be harmful to the skin when applied undiluted. Read more about proper dilution for topical use in this article by Dr. Joie Power.

To make a bug spray: Add 70 drops of this blend to a 4oz bottle of distilled water, plus 2 drops of Turkey Red oil (as a dispersant – you can also use a few drops of natural liquid soap). Shake well before each use and spray lightly on exposed skin, avoiding face, eyes and sensitive or damaged skin areas. I spray this directly on many articles of clothing, such as denim, twill and other cotton clothing but spray lightly and do not apply to silk or other fine fabrics which could be damaged. Our spray bottles are non-reactive to essential oils.