“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
Henry James
Ah summer, how I love thee! Glorious sunshine, beautiful blue skies, mosquitoes and ticks…
I love being outdoors as a family during our lovely summers, but I do not like feeling like a blood bank for the countless mosquitoes I spend all my time swatting at. We went for a lovely family walk on the bike path and the next day my daughters legs looked like a connect the dots game!
And don’t even get me started on ticks. I read these countless stories of children contracting lyme disease and my mommy brain spends the next hour imagining all the worst case scenarios and convincing myself that I will NEVER let me daughter play outside again.
But then I’m brought back to reality by my rambunctious toddler who is driving me insane as she whips around like a tornado destroying our house, and I realize that it will never do to keep her locked inside. And of course, I want my daughter to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, romp in the woods, pick wildflowers, etc.
So what is a momma to do when she wants to protect herself and her family from the evils of these nasty bugs but doesn’t want to douse them in toxic chemicals? What every good housewife does with oodles of time on your hands…make your own!
OK I’m sure you sense my sarcasm there, but really, this recipes is super easy and requires just a small amount of work on your part. Not only that, but this spray smells good and leaves you with the peace of mind that you are putting something non-toxic and safe on your kiddos!
DIY Bug and Tick Spray
- Witch Hazel or Vodka
- A combination of essential oils (choose from Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemongrass, Tea Tree Oil, or Peppermint) IMPORTANT: Don’t use peppermint with children under the age of 3. It can cause breathing issues.
- A small spray bottle
Directions:
Fill a spray bottle with 2 oz. of water and 2 oz. of Witch Hazel or Vodka. Then add 20 drops of a combination of the above oils.
Shake and spray. It’s really that simple! Just make sure that you shake the bottle before each use, as the oils tend to settle to the bottom. Store the bottle in a cool, dry place and relish in your DIY awesomeness!
Does it matter which two oils? Are you SURE it repels the Lyme Ticks? I, too, am obsessed with trying to not get Lyme Disease!
Thanks!
It says a combination. ..do you use ALL of the oils?
Chantal, I usually use 2-3
How often should I reapply the spray?
Amanda, I would say every couple of hours, and reapply if you get wet 🙂
Nissa – do you find that it works well? We use a natural bug spray but our Mosquitos don’t seem too deterred by it! They are particularly aggressive though 🙂
Elissa, yes we have had great results with this!
Cool. I’ll give it a shot!