It’s summertime which means an infest of pesky bugs while we are outdoors trying to enjoy the sun. I loved finding a way to protect little ones from bug bites while also not dousing them in toxic ingredients. I wanted to share an easy and very effective DIY insect repellent without the harsh chemicals.

There are a lot of things sold on the store shelf that I know I don’t want to be using on our skin. Especially when some even direct you to wash the repellent off your skin after returning indoors. While too much of anything can be bad, I love that this recipe also is majorly diluted so I can safely apply to everyone in the family.

What you will need for your DIY insect repellent

First, you will want to make sure you have a spray bottle. I purchase these amber glass ones on Amazon, but you can use anything that is going to get the job done. I love these smaller bottles for on-the-go, but a larger spray bottle is super helpful as well. 

Next, you will want to use Citronella, Purification, and Geranium essential oil. I can only speak to the effectiveness and safety of Young Living oils, but these oils are so helpful in making sure we aren’t covered in bug bites after being outside.

GERANIUM

Geranium is one that has been proven effective against repelling ticks which is something we now deal with here in Tennessee. It also helps with flies, ants, fleas, and gnats.

CITRONELLA

This is widely used in insect repellents on the market because of its ability to repel bugs. I also love the smell of it in the summer!

PURIFICATION

This is another great ingredient to include, but also helps with actual bug bites in cleaning and stopping the itch that comes from them.

The amount of drops is your discretion and also depends on your bottle size. For this 3.4-ounce spray bottle, I do 20 drops of each oil.

Then you will simply want to add a splash of witch hazel and then top your bottle off with water. The witch hazel will help the oils and water mix together while the water helps to dilute the oils. The one I like to use is Thayer’s, but no matter which one you use just make sure you get UNSCENTED. We don’t want to be adding synthetic fragrance to anything! You can read more about my thoughts on the problem with fragrance right here.

I spray this insect repellent on everyone head to toe whenever we go outside on our hikes or to play. You can also add these same oils to a diffuser for your patio table and enjoy keeping the bugs away for your summer get-togethers and when dining al fresco!

How we got started with essential oils and clean products

When I share about how we are using oils to reduce our toxin load in our home, I always get asked what the best way to get started is. And, of course, I would love to have everyone join me because clean products have made such a difference in our life.

You can read more about our journey with Young Living essential oils and cleaner products here. 

Our family started with a Premium Starter Bundle in the fall of 2019. It’s a great way to get a wide reach into everything Young Living oils and clean products can do.

But grabbing a $25 starter bundle and then shopping Young Living products at a 24% discount (comes with the starter bundle) is a great way to get started with what YOU need and the areas you want to find support in. 

Of course, if you have any questions reach out! I am always happy to chat about how our family is utilizing Young Living.

Free label download

You know my need to make things pretty so I wanted to make sure and share the label I created for this one. Simply click right here and you can download it for yourself. For this particular one, I just use kraft sticker paper and print them at home. Easy and done!

I hope this DIY insect repellent recipe is helpful and here’s to all the summer adventures to be had!