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How to Make Natural Bug Spray

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Looking for a DIY natural bug spray recipe? This recipe only uses two blends of Young Living essential oils (here’s how to get Young Living oils). It’s so simple to make!

I used to avoid spraying bug repellent on my kids at all costs. But then, last year, after all the rains that we had in the Midwest, I realized that I had to do something. We had such a wet spring that my kids were getting bitten by mosquitos even on sunny days.

My kids have sensitive skin (and eczema, asthma, and allergies), so I was afraid to use traditional bug sprays on them. But I still wanted to take them outside.

I finally broke down and made my own natural bug spray. It worked really well, although it does need to be reapplied more frequently than the “traditional” bug repellent that I had always used on myself.

I tried to make this bug repellent with as few ingredients as possible. However, if you’re missing some of the ingredients or if you’d rather just buy ready-made bug repellant, I’ve also had success using Off! Family Care Insect Repellent, although it contains DEET, as well as Calgon body mist in a pinch.

How to Make Homemade Bug Spray Using Essential Oils

I wanted to make a natural bug repellent using ingredients that I already had in my home. I also wanted something that worked but didn’t harm my kids’ baby-soft skin.

This bug spray is simple to make and works, although I typically reapply it every 1-2 hours.

Natural Bug Spray Ingredients:

How to Make Your Own DIY Bug Repellant:

Combine ingredients in a glass spray bottle and shake before using. Once I made this, I poured it into several small bottles. Apply liberally and reapply every couple of hours.

Note: I used Young Living essential oils to make this bug spray. Both the Purification and Thieves oils come in the YL Starter Kit. If you’re interested in trying them, I shared some tips for buying YL oils at a discount here.

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Jennifer

Tuesday 20th of June 2017

I make a natural bug spray too. I prefer it over the DEET filled sprays. There are a variety of oil combos that the bugs detest!

Thanks for sharing!

Alexis @FITnancials

Wednesday 10th of May 2017

This sounds like a good recipe! I'm not a fan of what the average bug spray smells like, so I'll have to give this a try. :)