Insect Repellents
Essential Oils for DIY Projects
Do-it-yourself projects can be both fun and beneficial. Where insect repellents are concerned, they are also simple and require very few ingredients. The same oils can be used in sprays, diffusers, and in making candles.
To make a four ounce spray, you can use purified or distilled water, 100 ml., with a tablespoon of pure alcohol (vodka or higher proof alcohol), and roughly 30 drops of essential oil. You can attach a spray to the essential oil bottle or use a metal container.
Exact proportions are not necessary, but it goes without saying that more essential oil makes a stronger spray. This may be irritating to the user which is why I strongly recommend spraying clothing rather than the skin because in a worst case scenario, one can change clothes. Keep in mind, a repellent is not an insecticide, but merely an odor that repels, and this odor may not be pleasant to some humans or pets.
Anything sprayed on the skin will be absorbed to some extent so it would be very easy to exceed recommended doses unless sprayed on the clothing. Also, as seen in the short video on use of a candle with oils the volatile aromas are what is important, meaning sprays may have to be used every 15-30 minutes since the oils evaporate and only a trace of the original scent remains after some time has elapsed.
Insect Repellent Essential Oils
Citronella
Lemongrass
Gingergrass
Basil
Rosemary
Thyme
Lavender
Geranium (sweet)
Tea Tree
Eucalyptus
Clary Sage
Clove Bud (very strong)
How to Use Essential Oils
Diffusers come in many styles with different technology, anything from a simple bowl of water on a warm surface with a few drops of oil to a very sophisticated programmable ultrasonic device. With the battery-operated or plugin devices, some are designed to use with water and some are intended to be used with full-strength essential oils. Which is best depends on the use: aesthetic as perhaps in the bathroom or dank basement or perhaps a spa. Therapeutic uses may involve an atomizer or timer so that the beneficial exposure is not exceeded.
Where the goal is to deter insects, every situation will probably vary so finding the right mixture and ratio of oils to carriers may take some trial and error. You want to be sure that you like the blend you have created so this means choosing oils that please your olfactory system. For me, a couple of the oils on this list fail my personal biases, but there are numerous options so it is not really a problem.
The bottles and oils needed can be found on Bioethika Oils.
Copyright by Dr. Ingrid Naiman 2023 || All Rights Reserved
For permission to quote, please contact the author. Sharing via e-mail and posting links are welcome so long as the author and source are properly cited. Reprinting is strictly prohibited.
Image Credit:
Mosquito Repellent: Helinloik | Dreamstime.com