Repel Pests with Essential Oils

Since adding essential oils into my everyday life I am always looking for ways to use them.  I have done quite a bit of research on the effectiveness of essential oils as a pest repellent.  One of the most important things to know is:

DO NOT USE ESSENTIAL OILS ON CHILDREN OR PETS UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THEY ARE SAFE!

Essential oils can be very powerful and what is safe for use on adults is not necessarily safe for children or pets.  As a matter of fact, it is always a good idea to use a carrier oil even in adult applications and to always test a small area of skin before applying topically or inhaling.

SO WHAT'S BUGGING YOU?

Now that I live in the Deep South, I can think of all kinds of things that are bugging me! (I'm speaking of pests, of course.)  Seems like at least once per year we have an invasion of ants, and the ants down here bite, so do flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and the list goes on.   The only place I have lived where the mosquitoes were more aggressive was in the Alaskan Interior.  I had to see what I could find out about how to keep the nasty bugs away.  Since research is what I do, I started reading, making databases, and testing out a few things.

There is a lot more information out there about which oils are effective against pests than what I am going to share here, but maybe this will give you some quick solutions for keeping away some of the most common pests.  In the list below I will highlight in Red the oils that I personally would not feel comfortable using on children, and will highlight in Yellow the oils that I would only use on children after serious dilution with carrier oil.

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Table of Pests and some Essential Oils that Repel them

• Ants:   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Aphids:   Cedarwood   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Beetles:   Peppermint   Thyme
• Caterpillars:   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Chiggers:   Lavender   Lemongrass   Sage   Thyme
• Fleas:   Lavender   Lemongrass   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Flies:   Basil   Cedarwood   Patchouli   Peppermint   Rosemary   Spearmint
• Gnats:   Patchouli   Spearmint
• Lice:   Cedarwood   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Mice:   Peppermint
  
• Mosquitoes:   Basil   Cedarwood   Cinnamon Bark   Citronella   Eucalyptus   Geranium   Lavender   Lemongrass   Peppermint   Rosemary   Spearmint   Tea Tree(Melaleuca)
• Moths:   Cedarwood   Lavender   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Slugs:   Cedarwood 
• Snails:   Cedarwood   Patchouli
• Spiders:   Peppermint   Spearmint
• Ticks:   Basil   Cedarwood   Cinnamon Bark   Citronella   Eucalyptus   Lavender   Lemongrass   Rosemary   Sage   Thyme
• Weevils:   Cedarwood   Patchouli

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For ants, spiders, and other things that can creep into the house, I have used the essential oils to keep them out by putting a few drops (undiluted) onto a cotton ball and poking them into areas where I have seen a problem.  I have no young children in the house, so I don't need to be as careful about keeping the cotton balls out of reach of curious hands.

For personal bug repellent, you can put your choice of oils into a 10 ml roller bottle with a carrier oil and roll it directly on your skin or clothing.  Another option that would be particularly useful for children would be to apply drops of diluted oils onto a cotton bracelet or cuffs of clothing.

I have a post on how to crochet an Aromatherapy/Bug Repellent Bracelet if you want to make your own.  But any bracelet made of an absorbent material will work.

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Recipe Possibilities:

Roll on bug repellent for Adults:   In a 10 ml glass roller bottle (w/metal roller-ball) add 5 drops each of: Citronella, Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Lavender & Rosemary.  Fill bottle (leave a little space at the top) with your carrier oil of choice. Put the roller top on and shake gently. 

Repellent drops (Kid Friendly):  In a 10 ml glass dropper bottle add 5 drops Spearmint, Cedarwood, Citronella, Geranium and Lavender.  Fill to the shoulder of bottle with fractionated Coconut Oil. Shake Gently.  Put a few drops onto cuffs & collars of clothing and/or put several drops onto an absorbent Aromatherapy Bracelet.

Bug Spray (Kid Friendly): In 2 oz glass spray bottle add 10 drops each of Lavender, Citronella and Geranium.  Fill to shoulder with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water/witch hazel.  Spritz some on before going outside.  *Be sure not to spray near face where it could get into eyes or mouth.

I encourage you to try different combinations to see what works best for you.  A simple Lavender/Peppermint blend may work just great for you.   Citronella oil on it's own may be enough.  Just remember that less is more when it comes to essential oils and when experimenting, always start with less and increase concentration if you need to.

Remember this:  If you have bug bites driving you (or your child) crazy, reach for the Lavender.  Lavender is good for just about everything!

Please  share any of your favorite bug repellent recipes that have worked well for you!  Be sure to check back for a future post we are working on now about using essential oils on your fur-babies.

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Where to find items mentioned in this post:

Roller Bottles:

6 New, High Quality, Cobalt Blue, 10 ml Glass Roll-on Bottles with Stainless Steel Roller Balls - .5 ml Dropper Included

Glass Spray Bottles

2 oz Cobalt Blue Glass Bottles, with Black Fine Mist Sprayers

Fractionated Coconut Oil

Coconut (Fractionated) Carrier Oil. (2 oz)

Witch Hazel can be purchased in most drug stores. I usually buy mine online here:

T.N. Dickinson's Astringent, 100% Natural, Witch Hazel 16 fl oz (473 ml)

I purchase my essential oils from only a few reputable sources. Here are 2 options.

Young Living Essential Oils can be purchased here:

www.youngliving.com

Edens Garden Essential Oils can be purchased directly from their website (www.edensgarden.com) or you can find them on Amazon:

Edens Garden Essential oil

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Disclaimer: The information contained on this site is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed physician. It is not meant to cover all possible precautions, drug interactions, circumstances or adverse effects. You should seek prompt medical care for any health issues and consult your doctor before using alternative medicine or making a change to your regimen.