How To Make Your Own Natural Mosquito Repellent
84Crazy Mosquite song. It's really cute! You will relate, if mosquitoes bother you! If not you'll dance anyway!
Only the female mosquito bites - singing for her dinner! Send her elsewhere! All the other bugs too! Naturally!
My recipe for a great natural bug and mosquito repellent.
I first made this natural repellent when my grandchildren were small and we were going to 'park out' on blankets to watch Fourth of July fireworks. None of our family was bitten, and everyone around us was slapping and whirring their hands all evening. Well, we did finally share our secret gel with the ones close around us.
Recipe for natural bug repellent:
Buy a natural aloe vera gel product from your local store. I like the uncolored type, a clear gel that comes in wide clear plastic bottles. For the recipe we will use two cups of the aloe vera, and this goes a long way.
Mix in a glass bowl or large glass jar. I prefer mixing with a wooden spoon or handle, but it will absorb some of the essential oil odor, which is fresh and clean smelling. This is not harmful.
2 cups clear aloe vera gel *vital component
2 teaspoons tea tree oil *vital component
2 teaspoons citronella essential oil *vital component
1/2 teaspoon rosemary essential oil *optional component
1 teaspoon lemonbalm or lemongrass essential oil *optional helpful component and adds to the light fresh scent.
1/2 teaspoon honey. **Very optional. Honey is a healing agent and also gives a creamy moisture ability to the repellent gel. It does not make gel sticky.
Pour aloe vera gel into bowl or jar. Add the essential oils --I do not actually measure them out, just approximate amounts if you wish. Stir in oils thoroughly, and as you do, the mixture will turn translucent rather than clear.
For use, just slather it on arms, legs, neck, face and ears, even clothing if you make sure it will not be affected by the oils. It would probably irritate the eyes although it is actually a healing gel too.
May pour into jars like baby food jars for storage. It will last a long time. I have some that is two years old and still viable, thought slightly faded in scent.
These flying critters live over most of our globe.
Why use poison to protect your children from bug and mosquito bites? There are GREAT alternatives!
The common commercial repellent, DEET is actually a diluted poison in a lotion or creme base. It works well as a bug repellent. It is still a poison, and its effects particularly on the vulnerable small child is maximized in their small bodies as it absorbes into the bodily systems through the skin.
Hubpages has excellent writings published on natural mosquito protection, tips to control mosquito reproduction, life cycle and alternative repellent suggestions. Take a while to read them and adjust your natural repellent recipe here to what you prefer. It really works!
Ms. Mosquito needs nutrients in blood to form her eggs to maturity. She seems to prefer some humans over others, but any mammal will do for food.
Mosquitos transmit viral illness, possibly mycoplasms and prions, other negative ingredients in their deadening pre-bite solution. Malaria is probably the best known classic illness bourne by mosquitos, but West Nile is the more recent commmon one.
Some researchers believe flu viruses are spread specifically by mosquitos whatever other means the flu virus expands. Perhaps we should investigate the making of vaccines from mosquitos?
Here are some great hubpages you can explore for other good information.
- Home Mosquito Control
Home mosquito control may seem like an impossible dream. You against the entire (and constantly reproducing) mosquito population is an unfair fight to say the least. But there are things you can do to make a... - Mosquito Repellents: How to repel mosquitoes
Avoiding those bloodthirsty mosquitoes when outdoors can be a challenging task. If you don't protect yourself, you can be a very inviting meal for these critters. There are ways to avoid having all of those... - Mosquito Diseases: Mosquito-Borne Disease Facts
Mosquito diseases have become more of a growing concern over the past decade or so. Every year there seem to be new areas, new strains, and new types of people being infected. Here is everything you need to... - How To Repel Mosquitoes Naturally
Mosquitoes are one of the most annoying insect pests alive. If you live in an area with a lot of mosquitoes, it can completely destroy your summer, and prevent you from enjoying outdoor activities in the...
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I don't have any of those essential oils but this certainly sounds like a reasonable and healthier approach to protecting oneself from being bitten. Mosquitoes LOVE me!
Peggy W. (Loved by mosquitoes!) :-) Either the tea tree or citronella oils are workable by themselves and both these are normally safe for full strength on skin, so should be fine in the aloe vera if you would want to try them first - both are inexpensive. There are several other essential oils I did not mention here and I especially like the lavender scent . Rose geranium is another one I like using. But I do prefer the combination oils for protection.
As a sidepost, many who are especially 'attractive to mosquitoes' may benefit from taking additional B vitamins.
There actually is a veternarian product for dogs and cats that has B vitamins and brewers yeast and garlic for the purpose of helping eliminate fleas, tick, and bug bites. I wouldn't recommend THIS for YOU :-), but goes to show there actually is some validity to the B vitamin result. GOOD LUCK and thanks for commenting!
I am an absolute magnet for mosquitoes, and surprisingly with age it became even worse. I actually tried many different repellents: bracelets, sprays and etc. Most of the time they don't work. I don't like put chemicals on my skin, but oils I don't mind. If I find all of them from your recipe, I will definitely try it this summer! Thanks. And an interesting comment about B vitamin. Cute song too :)
Wanderlust, the aloe/oils are actually soothing to the skin anyway. I have one friend who uses my recipe with lesser amounts of oil as a general lotion for her arms and legs. Hope you have fantastic results when you use it too! We've got to get you 'de-magnetized' from those mosquitoes! Thank you for commenting, and best wishes!
I think I'll try your mixture. We have so many mosquitoes around. Thank you for sharing!
jill of alltrades, delighted you want to try the natural repellent - it really works and you just slather it on - no poisons! Let me know how you like it - you can slightly adjust the amounts of different oils, but it does have a fresh clean scent to it. Thanks for comment!
Sounds great frogyfish. There are a lot of mosquitoes where I live.
This is so great! Thanks!
Great recipe and something I will brew up...here in in the North (Canada) they have been noted to carry people away...smiles...Great stuff...keep hubbin
Quill, delighted to see you - and glad to know that you will be chasing away those mosquitoes without poison. They must be 'Texas' sized ones! :-)
THAT'S A GREAT IDEA !I grow a lot of aloe vera plants in my garden as it has a great medicinal value .this recipe of your will be added to it's uses.thanks!
A good way to keep safe from mosquitoes is to grow neem and tulsi plant around your house or have them indoors .another way to repel mosquitoes is to burn camphor and let the smoke clean the air and keep away the mosquitoes. In India we do homes(havan)with plenty of scented herbs it keep the atmosphere clean and help to fight many viral diseases . Moreover The smoke from these havans makes our eye sight strong.
lotuslove19, I do use neem oil since I don't have the plant, but I am not familiar with your tulsi plant. I have several progeny of aloe vera from about 35 years ago - seems that is the best green thumb I have! Thank you for commenting!
((: hehe coOOLiOoo
Leptirela, I like your yellow butterfly! Thanks for a cOOl comment!
Nice hub and good information. Thanks for sharing it with us
Great info! My three year old is extremely fair and a magnet for bug bites! I ordered some organic bug spray which works great but is very expensive. I am going to try this for him!
wendypolisi, hope you find great success with this recipe. It is soothing enough to the skin as well as having the bug repulsing factors. You can half the recipe fine, though it does keep a long while in a small lidded jar. Thanks for commenting, and let us know how your son fares with this.
And Jacobkuttyta, hope you find use for the information also. No more mosquito bites for us. Just slather it on! Thank you for commenting also!
This was a really great hub! I'll try this out. We live in Michigan where it is very humid and wet so there are lots of "squitos" thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe :)
atomswifey, this recipe smells nice and clean-fresh and really works to keep the mosquitoes away. And the good thing about it is that it is good for the skin, and has NO poison! Do try it your way!
Yes! you really need that in Texas. Thanks!!
Sharon Smith
SwiftlyClean, we do talk about 'those Texas mosquitoes' here!
Glad you commented - do try the the simple-good-for-you-no-DEET stuff too. Blessings!
frogyfish: There will always be a need for mosquito repellent, and I like that this one is natural. But where do you get the essential oils?
Christopher the oils are available at health food stores, some drug stores, some Wal-marts (limited), and online - where there are bunches! Best source for variation is a good health food store, but if you know your stuff, online can be cheaper. Besides the repellent, lavender is my fav scent - put on my wrists or pillow before sleep at night - very relaxing.
I have not yet looked, but believe you may find some sources here on HubPages also. Best wishes for no buzzes flying around you!
Christopher Reilly and all, I just changed Amazon link to include several essential oils. That is just a start for you.
Great hub! I was actually looking for something like this that is safe for my kids and the rest of the family. I try and only spray their clothes with repellents. I can't stand spraying them all down with deet and other chemicals but west nile and lime disease are pretty big hazards too. We do a ton of camping spring through fall so I will definitely be using your recipe. Does it work for ticks too? Deer ticks are really bad in IL and those are the ones that carry lime disease. Sometimes the Deep Woods Off doesn't even work for those little pests!
She-rah, so glad you don't want to have to spray poison on your kids! It is supposed to keep ticks from embedding where you have the lotion ON, but they might still embed where you are not covered with it. I would use the lotion extensively and repeatedly on exposed skin, and then check for ticks on covered skin while you are camping. The problem is they get in your clothes and can find somewhere to latch on before you realize they have snuck around. The good thing about this natural lotion is that it is good for you, not a toxin! Best wishes and enjoy nature together!
I’ve had little luck with recipes like these. I'm looking for a way to reduce the mosquito population on my property, not just repel them. I've read about those advanced mosquito traps that use CO2 lures. They look like they’d do the trick.
Here's one I found online:
My experience with this repellent is wonderfully positive. However to reduce the mosquito population you might try inviting birds to your property via nesting places, seed plants, etc. Also is it possible to remove standing water items or areas where they might incubate? I have seen a product to put drops into standing water that is supposed to not allow them to grow...don't know it is organic though. Good luck! Let us know how it works.
Wonderful Hub! Loved how you introduced the video. I feel that I am always lacking in the introduction of video - you are showing me how. Excellent Hub and I learned allot. The video is a riot!
Hello from the Canadian prairies, where mosquitoes only have three months to feed and make darn good use of those months! Thanks for reminding me about Aloe vera. When my wife and I went to Mexico a local lady told us to rub some Aloe Vera lotion to keep mosquitoes and flies away. It worked great. Yesterday I rubbed aloe Vera gel on my skin and walked my dog, the mosquitoes surrounded my dog but left me alone. This is extremely unusual since I'm a mosquito magnet. I've purchased the tea tree oil and I'm now looking for the citronella oil, so I can try out your recipe.
Thanks for this information. I will bookmark this article.
4FoodSafety, glad you enjoyed it all - I occasionally punch the video just to listen again!
Flavio, I'd bet your mosquitoes are really busy like you say! Wow! Yes, try the natural repellent, it is great!
Coolmon2009, best wishes to you in chasing the bugs away too! Thanks to all you nice people - and bug off the bugs!
I did not take time to look at your video, though some of your commenters stated their enjoyment. I hate DEET and will certainly try your recipe!
Just wondering if you have used this in a spray bottle???
clarkie, it is a little too thick for a regular spray bottle. A squirt bottle would be fine to use though. I guess you could add some water to thin the gel if you wanted to try it in the spray bottle - there are no 'clumps'.
ArizonaJane, I hate DEET too and hope you like using the fresh smelling gel - naturally! :-)
You are so smart, Lu. The mosquitos have been pretty bad with the high humidity and heat. It's worth a try. Hugs, Debby
Cool, I guess I don't need to buy insect repellents since I can do it on my own now. Thanks for the informative hub.
Debby, :-) the 'smart' comes by others, sharing, and experience too - the natural repellent is nice though and works! Thank you for your comments!
nicole.reilly, hope you do make and enjoy using the repellent. Might let us know how you like it too! Thank you for your visit and comment!
Just discovered this Hub! I can believe this works and I will be sure to get this recipe done for next spring when I go gardening outside.
Thank you!
Scribenet, this 'lotion' smells so nicely clean and fresh - and then it works wonderfully against those 'skitos! On your recipe, you may add some other fragrance like lemon balm or peppermint, but I prefer this one. Tell us about your gardening, too! :-)
Well this is nice idea.
This is great! Can you use this o your pets or is it too thick. Mosquitos love my poor babies.
Baby insect repellent, it smells nice and clean - and works!
The House of Earl...The 'lotion' is thick but easily slathered on...pets may not like it around their face because of their sensitive smell. Don't know either, but it might irritate their eyes if they rubbed it in. I have used it on my daughter's small dog, but not around the face.
Thank you both for commenting.
I should have found your hub earlier this year but never is too late. I'll bookmark it and keep it for next summer.
I have one question: where do you buy all those ingredients?
cameciob, thank you for visiting.
I use REAL essential oils for the repellent as they are not harmful to the skin/body. A good health food store will have most of the ones mentioned, but all are also available many places online - and often less expensively.
I would not want anyone to use the 'aromatherapy' type. Some essential oils are available at our OK State Fair which is currently in session, but of course that is not a feasible place to be able to shop. Perhaps some craft stores in your area would also carry the real essential oils. Aloe vera is available at WalMart, drug stores.
Best wishes as you search, find, make it!
The hub is really funny and the recipe is great as personal repellent. I'm all for natural staff, but as you mentioned need to be careful with the oil being used - natural is not always safe.
I would like to recommend a homemade aerial repellent too, to create a mosquito-free zone of 2-3 meters - take a look in:
Thank you ihendal for your comment and your aerial idea. Will go look now. Thanks much!
Yeah, repel mosquito is the best solution.
Right, brennawelker! And love your avatar too! Thanks for visiting.
A Great and informative read! I have to share my recipe as well. At home, when hiking I carry a spray of 8 OZ Aloe Vera Juice, 3 droppers full or 90 drops of Lavender and 1 dropper or 30 drops Tea Tree. It’s a great sunburn spray, bug repellent, antiseptic & antibiotic for scratches and works incredible with burns. We keep one in the cooler when boating or camping. It’s very healing and soothing.
Thanks again, I look forward to reading more of your work.
Thank you Elder Spirits, for your recipe...it is a great idea to keep it cool also. You are right about the healing properties of the oils too. Glad you visited!
Great idea, frogyfish. My family is Native American and we eat lots of garlic which naturally keeps biting insects away. Not everyone likes the taste so this recipe is a good idea.
Pamela N Red, I can't handle lots of the garlic but that is a very good way to help chase the bugs. There is a pet supplement of garlic and bakers yeast that does that for them...hmm-mm. Thanks for your visit here.
Very interesting! I learned a lot here!
Hi! I too am a mosquito magnet, and worse now that I'm pregnant. Do you know if your repellent is safe to use during pregnancy? It sounds amazing!
I was wondering if i added witch hazel or maybe vodka to the mix if it would lessen the value of it. i prefer a spray to lotions for bugs. has anyone tried that?
Bec and Denise, thanks for your questions. I could only assume that the repellent is safe to use during pregnancy since it is said to be safe for small children. But check with your doctor if you have doubts, please.
If witch hazel was added to make the repellent sprayable it would be less 'drying' than the vodka...though the vodka would evaporate more rapidly. I think it would work fine. Let us know if you do use it that way!
OK I will! It is getting warm here in Buffalo and I am going to need this real soon! I will let you know how the spray turned out. :)
Denise, do you have 'much' Lyme disease in Buffalo? This lotion/spray would help keep those tiny ticks away too. We do have some increasing problem with Lyme in Oklahoma, but I do use the lotion when I walk at the lake park near home. Seems the ticks like falling on me from the trees. Yuk!
Again, keep us posted on making your spray...you may need to add additional oils, and shake it before using.
I love natural remedies and protection. Will sure try this out. voted up
Anjili, love your name! I like the natural remedies too, and this one is so nicely scented.
I love the video! Question for you Frogyfish: I have aloe vera plants, lemon trees and rosemary growing abundantly in my garden. Could I just make a concoctions by putting the ingredients in a mixer?
Sue Adams, what an intriguing question from a creative mind! Your aloe very would work wonderfully as a base but you just need the 'juice'. The lemon oil from your rinds is the 'essential oil' that might work; have never tried the lemon and it might attract some bugs...seems unlikely. Your fresh rosemary would likely be a great addition.
Further, IF you blended the aloe and lemon peel with the rosemary you could someway strain it though it might take quite a while. If you are willing, try a bit of your recipe and let us know how it all came out! Thanks for a great comment!
OK Frogyfish, I'll have a go and let you know before the mozie season starts.
Sue Adams, right on!
I just transplanted some mint (spearmint and peppermint) from my brother's yard...that is another possibility for scenting too, but don't know how distasteful it would be for bugs! ?
Hilly Chism 2 years ago
Thanks for this, I live surrounded by water and am constantly pestered by mozzies, I've got all those essential oils, so I'm going to give it a try.