My Absolutely Natural and Homemade Mosquito Repellent

The two things I am very particular about when I get my kids ready for school are:

• Sunblock
• Mosquito repellent

For sunblock, I use the storebought versions which just frankly makes life easier for me, plus it works wonders, but for mosquito repellents, I’ve discovered lately that I do have other options besides buying them.  Initially I used the sticker type of repellents, but eventually I found that they tend to leave a sticky residue on the kids’ attire, something which I detest.

I then chose the spray-on type, making sure that I read and reread all the ingredients on the bottle first.  I wanted to be absolutely sure they did not contain harmful ingredients, like DEET.

Well one day, I came across some sites that had recipes for making homemade mosquito repellents or bug repellents, if you may.  The ingredients looked simple enough and you know me, if they are all-natural and they are easily obtainable, nothing can stop me.

So I finally did it…and succeeded in making my own Homemade Mosquito Repellent.  It smells AMAZING (probably because of the essential oils) and most importantly, it’s completely homemade, natural and it WORKS A TREAT!

…so say my kids anyway.

Here’s my easy recipe for Homemade Mosquito Repellent:

You will need:

• 6oz Witch Hazel
• 6 drops of Citronella essential oil
• 6 drops of Lemongrass essential oil
• 5 drops of Lavender essential oil
• 1 clean mixing bottle (I cleaned out an empty bottle of my Dr Bronner’s Magic All-One Liquid Castille Soap, and used that)
• 1 (or more) spray bottles (You can easily get these from drugstores or pharmacies.  I got mine from Daiso though)
• Funnel for pouring (useful but not compulsory)

What you need to do:

1. Pour the witch hazel in the mixing bottle.
2. Add the essential oils.
3. Give the bottle a good shake.  At this point the mixture should look cloudy.
4. Pour into your spray bottle(s).
5. Spray onto skin or clothing to repel bugs and mosquitoes!

By the way, just in case you were wondering, I bought my ingredients (witch hazel and essential oils) from iHerb.com. 🙂

Frankly, I can find everything there!  Let me know if you try this out and it works for you! 😀

(Recipe adapted from I Can Teach My Child)