It’s that time of the year when the weather is warming up, gardening and grass cutting will begin and the bugs are making their presence known to all. Bug bites can make us a little uncomfortable, a little distracted a little itchy (or a LOT depending on how sensitive you are and/or what bug feasted on you) and today we are going to send them away with some homemade alternatives that are safer, more effective and SMELL better!

~ Tanya Patterson ~

HOUSE

Using the airborne method (diffusing, steam bowl, heat source, paper strings at windows, on light bulbs, ribbons hung from trees) to keep insects out of the house, tent or other closed surroundings the general rule for essential oils is to use one of the following:

Singles

• Citronella
• Lemongrass
• Peppermint
• Idaho Tansy
• Palo Santo
• Melaleuca
• Geranium
• Lemon
• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Spearmint

Blends

• Purification (an essential oil blend consisting of citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, melaleuca, myrtle)
• Melrose (an essential oil blend consisting of rosemary, clove, Melaleuca alternifolia, neroli)
• Thieves (an essential oil blend consisting of clove, cinnamon bark, rosemary, lemon, Eucalyptus radiata)

You can add a few drops to some strips of paper and hang by the windows or from trees. You can add a few drops to cotton balls and sit around the house, in drawers, in/or by vents. You can boil a pot of water and add a couple of drops to it, this will be released into the air via the steam.  You can put a small glass of the hot water w/essential oil by the windows to keep them from entering the house.  Hot running water in the bathroom, adding the essential oil to the sink bowl works well too or you can make a homemade insect repellant spray (see below).

Homemade Insect Repellant Room Spray

You will need:

• Spray bottle
• 5 drops of one or more of the above essential oils (unless using a blend, they are already combined)
• 1 Tbsp. witch hazel
• water

Add 1 Tbsp. witch hazel to the spray bottle.  Than add to the witch hazel, 5 drops essential oil and dilute in 4 Tbsp. of water.  Fasten nozzle to bottle, shake well and spray.

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Skin

To deter insects from landing on your skin, the general rule for essential oils is:

• Lavender (apply directly, or dilute in an oil base, or follow the below recipe)

*Lavender essential oil is best but for those who cannot stand the smell of straight Lavender essential oil, try a blend still using Lavender but also mixing in citronella and lemongrass to cut down on the strength of the Lavender aroma.

Whip up a batch of the following to keep in your car for on-the-go travels to parks and such (I’ve used this the past two years and have had great results. We’ve had our mishaps in areas of our body where we have forgotten to apply or just missed completely.

Homemade Insect Repellent

• small bottle (pump bottle works well)
• Prepare 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil to which you will add 30 drops Lavender essential oil.

Rub a little of this mixture on the skin that is exposed and available to be dined on.  If you are on the go and have forgotten to make a batch of insect repellent you can apply the Lavender essential oil neat (directly) to the exposed skin.

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Insect Bites

Essential oils are ideal for treating most kinds of insect bites.  This is because of their outstanding antiseptic and oil-soluble properties.  Essential oils such as Lavender and Peppermint, reduce insect-bite-induced itching and infection.  The following are recommended essential oils for insect bites along with two recipes.

Singles

• Lavender
• Citronella
• Eucalytpus
• Melaleuca
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Copaiba
• Dorado azul
• Idaho Tansy
• Palo Santo

Blends

• PanAway (an essential oil blend consisting of wintergreen, clove, helichrysum and peppermint)
• Purification (an essential oil blend consisting of citronella, lemongrass, lavandin, rosemary, Melaleuca, myrtle)
• Melrose (an essential oil blend consisting of rosemary, clove, Melaleuca alternifolia, neroli)
• Thieves (an essential oil blend consisting of clove, cinnamon bark, rosemary, lemon, Eucalyptus radiata)

Apply to insect bite as needed or make one of the following insect bite recipes below and spray as needed onto the bite/sting.

Sting and Bite Recipe #1

• 2 drops thyme
• 10 drops lavender
• 4 drops eucalyptus (E. radiata)
• 3 drops German chamomile

Insect and Bite Recipe #2

• 20 drops palo santo
• 20 drops Idaho tansy
• 10 drops eucalytpus blue

Rub a small amount on skin or use in spray bottle.  Spray sheets and clothing to kill any insects that might be imbedded in the cloth.

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BUGS, BUGS and MORE BUGS!!!

Here are some insect specific essential oil recipes to target the following:

• Mosquito-repellent: palo santo, Idaho tansy, citronella
• Moth-repellent: Patchouli, palo santo
• Horse-fly repellent: Idaho tansy, citronella
• Aphids repellant: mix 20 drops spearmint and 15 drops orange essential oils in 2 quarts salt water, shake well, and spray on plants.
• Cockroach repellent: mix 10 drops peppermint and 5 drops cypress in 1/2 cup salt water. Shake well and spray where roaches live.
• Silverfish repellant: Eucalyptus (E. radiata), Thieves
• To repel insects: diffuse or put on cotton balls or cedar chips (for us in closets or drawers)

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Experiment with your own combination of oils and make new discoveries using any of the essential oils mentioned in this post.  Have fun with it and whatever you decide, please come back and share with the rest of us

If you are interested in ordering any of the above listed YL therapeutic grade, earth kosher certified essential oils, click here.

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit my blog and pray that each post be of a blessing to you and yours

Sincerely yours,

Scentsable Living