{"id":118312,"date":"2020-08-28T08:59:20","date_gmt":"2020-08-28T13:59:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=118312"},"modified":"2021-06-01T17:40:23","modified_gmt":"2021-06-01T22:40:23","slug":"how-to-make-your-own-natural-bug-spray","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/skills\/how-to-make-your-own-natural-bug-spray\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Your Own Natural Bug Spray"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-118323 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bugspray.jpg\" alt=\"Bug spray in a spray bottle. \" width=\"650\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bugspray.jpg 650w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bugspray-372x230.jpg 372w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bugspray-320x197.jpg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bugspray-640x394.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s infuriating how a tiny little vampiric insect can ruin one\u2019s experiences in the outdoors &#8212; whether a hike through the woods or a backyard BBQ. To ward off \u2018squitos and other annoying bugs, folks typically reach for a store-bought can of repellent and spray themselves in a cloud of it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That can certainly do the trick, but you can also avail yourself to more organic alternatives. Homemade insect repellents drawn from the environment have existed for thousands of years, and can be whipped up easily by the modern man as well. Here\u2019s how to fight nature with nature.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>A Few Benefits of Natural Bug Spray (And Does It Actually Work?)<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few reasons you might consider concocting your own natural insect repellent:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Smells better. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DEET-filled spray has a distinct chemically smell that may be a little nostalgic, but certainly isn\u2019t pleasant. The natural oils used in the DIY variety smell far better.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Isn\u2019t full of chemicals. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DEET is the chemical in bug spray that you\u2019ve most likely heard of, and there may be other harmful chemicals present as well, especially in aerosol form. In general, do you want chemicals lingering on your skin, and more than that, absorbing into your body (which some of these chemicals are shown to do)?&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Feels better.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Commercial bug sprays always leave me feeling like I\u2019ve been coated in a light film of chemical yuckiness which requires a shower at the end of the night. I hate it. The natural stuff feels much better on the skin; you don\u2019t even notice it after a few minutes. To me, this is actually one of the primary benefits of the DIY route.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, all the advantages in the world are meaningless if something doesn\u2019t work. So is natural DIY bug spray actually effective?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Believe it or not, this stuff really does keep bugs away. All the ingredients listed below have been proven to be effective in warding off mosquitoes and other biting bugs, especially lemon eucalyptus oil, which works 95% as well as DEET. DIY spray isn\u2019t perfect, and requires re-spraying every 1-2 hours, but it\u2019s certainly effective enough &#8212; along with those other benefits &#8212; to make it worth it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One final note: If you\u2019re worried about disease-carrying insects, using DEET is in fact your best bet. If your primary concern is avoiding itchy and annoying bug bites, go all natural.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Gathering Your Ingredients + Starting Costs<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-118316 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ingredients.jpg\" alt=\"Natural bug spray ingredients on a table. \" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ingredients.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ingredients-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ingredients-320x240.jpg 320w, https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/ingredients-640x480.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Given the fact that DIY bug spray is made with things like essential oils and apple cider vinegar, you might think you\u2019re delving into the world of kookie tinctures and earthy granola types. Well, you are. It\u2019s okay \u2014&nbsp;accept it and move on. You can get the ingredients at most natural grocers and\/or pharmacies, or Amazon. You might assume Amazon is cheaper, but my local Sprouts was comparable or even less expensive for most of this stuff.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starter costs should be around $25, but you\u2019re using small portions of everything, meaning you\u2019ll likely get a handful of bug seasons from each item. For an 8 oz bottle of the final product, I\u2019d estimate the total cost to be less than $5.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Water. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many recipes call for distilled water, which has impurities and minerals removed. If you have it, use it, but it\u2019s not strictly necessary.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Essential Oils.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These scent-bomb oils are super concentrated extracts of various flowers, plants, and seeds. Essential oils are extremely potent and almost always paired with a carrier oil or liquid. While there are dozens of varieties available, there are some that are proven to have natural insect-repelling properties, including:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lemon Eucalyptus (definitely use this one, if nothing else)&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geranium (for ticks)&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rosemary&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clove&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cedarwood (for ticks)&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lavender&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Citronella&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll use 50-100 drops of a combo of essential oils for an 8 oz bottle. You can use any combination of the above and whatever you have on hand to create a scent that you like. Below, I list out exactly what I used, but don\u2019t consider those to be strict recipes; I figured I\u2019d use a few that have known insect-repelling properties and a couple others that just have a nice smell. You could use just 1-2 oils to make it cheaper or if it\u2019s what you already have on hand. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/articles\/diy-beard-oil\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Read my article on DIY beard oils<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for more on essential oils and carriers.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Witch Hazel. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This clear liquid is a distilled extract of the witch hazel plant. It\u2019s not something I\u2019d heard of before diving into the subject of DIY bug repellent, but it\u2019s pretty common in facial products due to its skin-soothing and inflammation-easing properties. It\u2019s also the most common carrier liquid for natural bug sprays because of its inoffensive scent and small amount of alcohol (which bugs don\u2019t like). Other common carriers are apple cider vinegar and vodka.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Vegetable Glycerin.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This additive is optional and provides a small amount of moisturizer to the bug spray so that it doesn\u2019t just dry you out. It also helps bind the ingredients together \u2014&nbsp;we are in fact mixing oil and water here. While it\u2019s not perfect, the end product doesn\u2019t separate as much when the glycerin is used.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Spray Bottle.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> While you could get away with using this homemade product as a rub-on, it\u2019s far more convenient to put it into a spray bottle. They\u2019re cheap, so there\u2019s really no reason not to.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>2 Recipes for DIY Natural Bug Spray<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-118317\" src=\"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/pouring3-e1598372876536.jpg\" alt=\"Essential oil being poured into spray bottle. \" width=\"558\" height=\"628\"\/><\/p>\n<p><b>Witch Hazel Spray<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup water&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup witch hazel&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp vegetable glycerin&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20 drops geranium oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20 drops lemon eucalyptus oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 drops cedarwood oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 drops vanilla oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 drops rosemary oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add all ingredients to the spray bottle and shake well to combine. It will separate some, so give it a good shake every time you use it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Apple Cider Vinegar Spray&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the apple cider vinegar is a strong-smelling base ingredient, you don\u2019t need as much essential oil added in. You also have to be a little more careful with your combinations; not everything goes well with the potent scent of apple cider vinegar.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reason you\u2019d use vinegar over witch hazel is simply a matter of convenience and\/or preference. It\u2019s a more common household item, for sure, but also may offend its wearer more than the witch hazel.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup water&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00bd cup apple cider vinegar&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1 tsp vegetable glycerin&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">20 drops lemon eucalyptus oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 drops cedarwood oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10 drops rosemary oil&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Add all ingredients to the spray bottle and shake well to combine. It will separate some, so give it a good shake every time you use it.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s infuriating how a tiny little vampiric insect can ruin one\u2019s experiences in the outdoors &#8212; whether a hike through the woods or a backyard BBQ. To ward off \u2018squitos and other annoying bugs, folks typically reach for a store-bought can of repellent and spray themselves in a cloud of it. That can certainly do [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":118324,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42259],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-118312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-skills"],"featured_image_urls":{"large":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bug-feat-538x280.png","medium_large":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bug-feat-768x570.png","aom":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bug-feat-372x230.png","reactor-320":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bug-feat-320x238.png","reactor-640":"https:\/\/content.artofmanliness.com\/uploads\/2020\/08\/bug-feat-640x475.png"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118312"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118312\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":119714,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118312\/revisions\/119714"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118312"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/app-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=118312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}