Summer is almost winding down but there has been a massive influx of bugs these past couple of weeks so I'm inspired to share a DIY Bug Spray recipe. My stance on bugs is that I don't want to kill them, but I don't really want them around me. So there has to be a happy medium, right?
Why do DIY for Bug Spray? Well, it cuts down on plastic usage and just as important, you know what is going into the product that you'll be spraying around your home, onto your skin and onto the skin of your loved ones.
Conventional Bug Sprays usually contain DEET. DEET, a chemical designed in 1946 for the U.S. Army, has been studied often. The EPA assures that it is safe here but even in this report, the EPA calls DEET what it is: a pesticide.
This very thorough report by the EPA presents many 90-day tests it conducted on various animals. The results aren't great for the various groups (although I suppose they could have been much worse), and while reading it, I was reminded about how I really don't like animal testing. The report goes on and outlines its "Incident Data" on page 22. In humans, 46 seizures and four deaths were potentially linked to DEET exposure.
We learned in basic chemistry that chemicals respond differently when they come into contact with one another. These reports don't mention what happens when DEET is exposed to other chemical properties. Personally, I'm at a point in my life where I feel like I'm surrounded by chemicals and pollution all the time, so any opportunity to cut down on all that is one I want to take.
Both this report and this report mention that Lemon Eucalyptus is almost as effective as DEET. Why? Well, Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil contains PMD (p-menthane 3,8-diol) and PMD is a mosquito repellent. Other top essential oils for repelling bugs include:
Peppermint: Aphids, Beetles, Roaches
Lavender: Spiders, Moths, Mosquitos,
Lemongrass: Mosquitos, Fruit Flies,
Citronella: Ticks, Spiders, Fleas
Cinnamon: Ants, Bedbugs, Earwigs, Wasps, Spiders,
Tea Tree: Ants, Bedbugs, Flies
Rosemary: Lice, Moths, Mosquitoes, Sliver fish
To make your own DIY Bug Spray, in a spray bottle, combine your favorite essential oils from the list above that also addresses your particular bug program with Organic Vodka and a Carrier Oil (such as Almond Oil or Olive Oil) if you're using this spray topically or just water and Organic Vodka if you're only spraying around your home. To be on the safe side, aim for about 2-3% essential oil in your mixture and the rest carrier oil and Organic Vodka if you're using this spray topically and always do a skin test first just in case. For use around my home, I usually do about 50-50 essential oil and water/Organic Vodka. It smells nice and I usually spray just once a week, focusing on windows, doorways, and other nooks that little buggies could use to infiltrate.
In addition, you can plant these plants, such as peppermint, lavender and rosemary, in your garden or keep them in your home. Not only will they clean the air, be beautiful and edible, but they'll help you keep the bugs away.
Remember that Cedarwood hangers help repel bugs in your closet and sprinkling Cinnamon Powder around wherever the ants are entering into your home is a natural and effective way to deter them.
As always, thanks for reading!