Arts &Crafts, How-To's, Upcycling & Repurposing

Whether you’re entertaining or relaxing under the stars at night, they’ll get you. Mosquitoes… The annoying insects that we all despise.

Besides the up keep of the yard, not leaving stagnant water around and the basic citronella candles, there are other ways to help deter or repel them.

I hate having to spray mosquito spray on me. It smells and you’re stuck with that smell till you shower. There are some sprays that give reactions such as itching, rashes and respiratory problems also that we need to be careful of.

I won’t give the history lesson today 😉, if you’d like more info, look up pyrethroid. It is an organic compound used in insecticides that is extremely harmful to pets.

Today, I’m sharing with you a mosquito spray I found. So far it’s worked well for me.

Supplies & ingredients needed:

• 4 oz spray bottle (darker color is best, will help preserve the potency of the essential oils)

• Approximately 4 oz distilled or filtered water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (100% pure, not imitation- imitation has other ingredients in it that will not repel the mosquitoes)

• 2-3 drops lavender essential oil

• 2-3 drops citronella essential oil

• funnel

• paper towels

Optional:

• 2-3 drops of lemon essential oil

• 2-3 drops of citrus essential oil

Step 1:

In your spray bottle, add 4 oz of distilled or filtered water.

Step 2:

Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and then add your essential oils.

Replace lid and then shake the bottle to mix the ingredients.

Mosquitoes can’t stand the smell of Lavender and citronella.

Vanilla will deter the pests for a little while. Used alone the mosquitoes will come back. Vanilla covers up the scent our bodies give off that attracts the mosquitoes. The strong smell of vanilla, will make it harder for mosquitoes to be attracted to you. Adding the other scents in the spray, (lavender, citronella) will help to repel them.

** There are other ways to keep the mosquitoes at bay as well.

• Laying your used coffee grounds around your garden, Veggie and flower beds. The smell of coffee grounds smells bad to mosquitoes.

• Planting marigolds will help repel the mosquitoes . Mosquitoes hate the smell of marigolds . The fragrance marigolds omit , is toxic to them.

• Garlic – now no one wants to wear a necklace of garlic but you can place some garlic cloves on your patio table if you plan to be outside. The smell is another one mosquitoes hate.

• Scented geraniums- Peppermint and any type of citrus smelling plant will help keep the mosquitoes away.

• Citronella – candles or the scented plant, will both repel the mosquitoes. The lemony smell citronella has the mosquitoes hate.

I hope this helps some of you.

~ Mel