If you would like to learn how to make a mosquito repellent, you’ve come to the right place. Mosquito season is upon us once again and it’s time to put those mosquito plants to work! Don’t reach for those dangerous sprays or even expensive store-bought lotions, make your own natural mosquito spray or lotion that is essential oil-free. Hated by many, loved by some — mosquitoes are transporters of many terrifying diseases. It doesn’t make sense that we don’t do more to get rid of them. But we don’t and I’m here today to help you make your own mosquito spray repellent. It can be used both indoors and outdoors. And it seems they’ve finally found a strategy to fight Zika in pregnant women: Zika-carrying mosquitoes hate the smell of DEET, which is found in most commercial bug sprays! Now, if you’re ready to take down those pesky bugs yourself, let’s get started! Heads up, this mosquito repellent only works for making you smell nicer to mosquitoes. It won’t kill them or keep the mosquitoes away from you. The best way to keep mosquitoes away is to use a fan, wear long sleeves and pants, and keep the lights turned off in your house.

How To Make A Mosquito Repellent

Introduction

Mosquitoes are small but mighty. They’re experts at hunting down their human prey and are equipped with a proboscis that can pierce the skin and suck blood before you even know what happened. Then, there’s the itchiness that follows the bite, which can be more annoying than even a mosquito in your home. Plus, mosquitoes carry some pretty nasty diseases—like West Nile virus and yellow fever—which they transmit to humans via their bites (1). So how do you make sure these pests stay out of your yard? According to entomologist Donald Lewis from Iowa State University in Ames, a “mosquito-free zone” is one where mosquitoes don’t want to be (2). That means no standing water for breeding, no piles of leaves or wood for hiding places during daylight hours, and no shade where they can take refuge. It also means covering up exposed skin when possible and using repellent with DEET or picaridin on any uncovered areas (2). I’ve compiled all of my favorite homemade recipes for mosquito repellents here so you can start enjoying your outdoor spaces again!

Get a glass bottle to store your repellent.

• Get a glass bottle to store your repellent. Glass bottles are better than plastic because they won’t degrade as quickly, and you may not be able to find them at your local grocery store. However, if your grocery store doesn’t have any available, don’t worry! You can purchase one at a home goods store (like Target) or online.
• Make sure it’s clean before putting it away in storage so that nothing gets into the container while it sits around unused for months on end. Use hot water and soap from time-to-time when you’re using the repellent to give yourself peace of mind that everything is sanitary before each application.

Pour some apple cider vinegar in the glass bottle.

Next, pour about 1/4 of the bottle full of apple cider vinegar.

Using a funnel is helpful here if you have one handy.

If you don’t have a funnel, don’t worry! A glass bottle is easy to clean and use again in this case because we’re going to be pouring boiling water into it later. Just dump out any excess liquid when you’re done with it 🙂

When your bottles are filled up with their respective liquids (apple cider vinegar and water), screw on the lids tightly and shake them up for about five minutes to mix them together well. Don’t worry about shaking too much: The most important thing is that everything gets mixed evenly together so no matter where the mosquitoes land when they get attracted by your repellent, they’ll get hit with both ingredients at once!

Add a little amount of neem oil into the bottle.

Add a little amount of neem oil into the bottle. Neem oil is an essential ingredient in mosquito repellents, which can be found in most commercial products. It has been widely used worldwide as an effective pesticide to control mosquitoes and other insects. Add just enough so that you get a strong smell but not overpowering, or else people may avoid using your repellent. You want it to be a pleasant aroma that keeps anyone from complaining about having to put up with it when they are outdoors enjoying their time with friends or family!

The amount of neem oil that should be added depends on how big the bottle is—so this will require some trial and error before getting it just right for each size container.

Add a few drops of fragrant mint or rosemary essential oils.

Try adding a few drops of fragrant mint or rosemary essential oils. While there are many essential oils that can help deter mosquitoes, some work better than others. Essential oils are highly personal because they have unique scent profiles and aromas that appeal to some people but not others. While lavender and citronella are often recommended as effective mosquito repellents, they may not be the best option for you depending on your preferences (or if you’re allergic). If you’re looking for something more specific to your taste, try peppermint or eucalyptus oil—they both smell great when blended with other ingredients!

Put about 10 drops of geranium oil and lemongrass oil in your solution.

Now, add about 10 drops of geranium oil and lemongrass oil to your bottle. Geranium oil is said to repel mosquitoes, as well as other insects. Lemongrass also repels mosquitoes, but it may be more effective against flies than geraniums are. Add more or less drops depending on how large your container is; you want enough that the oils can be fully diluted in water with no problem (this will vary by the size of your container).

Follow these steps to make a mosquito repellent out of everyday household items

To make a mosquito repellent, you’ll need:

• A glass bottle – glass is important because it will not react with the ingredients and alter their properties. If you don’t have any glass bottles on hand, you can use an old plastic bottle as long as you are careful not to let the essential oils seep into it.
• Apple cider vinegar – This ingredient helps to cleanse and moisturize your skin while also helping to balance out pH levels in the body. It also has antibacterial properties that can help prevent acne breakouts and heal blemishes more quickly when they do occur.
• Neem oil – This ingredient is great for treating dry skin because of its moisturizing properties; however, it also has anti-inflammatory properties that may help soothe irritation from mosquito bites too!

Conclusion

Now that you know some common ways to make mosquito repellent, you can keep yourself and your family safe from those pesky bugs all summer long. Don’t forget that there are other ways to protect yourself from mosquitos, like wearing insect repellant clothing or keeping a bug zapper on your porch. If you find mosquitoes are still bothering you despite your best efforts at repelling them, it might be time to contact a professional pest control service.