No-one wants insects in their home but, there are many people who do not want to spray chemical insect sprays either. Chemical insect sprays are easy to find and purchase but, you do not know what you are spreading around your home. There are a number of homemade insect sprays that you should consider if you want a natural method of getting rid of insects.
Using Essential Oils
When making insect spray there are certain essential oils that you should look at. Essential oils are high-effective in insect sprays and they are natural. Of course, you will need to consider allergic reactions and that certain essential oils could exacerbate some illnesses.
The most commonly used essential oils for insect sprays are Citronella, Lemongrass, Tea Tree, Clove, Lavender, Mint and Eucalyptus. These essential oils all have a strong scent which deters insects from entering the home or landing on clothing. To make the spray you will need to mix the essential oils with boiled or distilled water. Some people recommend including Witch Hazel in the spray.
Using Herbs
It is also possible to use fresh or dried herbs to make natural insect sprays. The herbs commonly used will be similar to the essential oils as they need to have a strong fragrance that deters insects. The most commonly used herbs for insect sprays are peppermint, citronella, lavender and spearmint. It is important that you take the time to look at allergies and medical reactions to these herbs as well.
To create the insect spray you will need to have boiling water that you add the herbs to. You should then allow the water to cool with the herbs still in it. Once the mixed is cool you will need to strain out the herbs and store in a spray bottle. To increase the storage length you might want to combine rubbing alcohol or natural witch hazel to the mixture.
Using Vinegar
If you are looking for a very effective insect spray then you should look at using vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is recommended but, it is important to note that insect spray made with this will have a very strong smell. One of the benefits of this spray is that you are likely to have all the ingredients in your kitchen before you start.
You will need to combine the apple cider vinegar with herbs such as sage, rosemary or mint. The combination should be shaken each day but left for 2 to 3 weeks. After the resting period, you need to strain out the herbs and transfer the mixture to a spray bottle. If you want to use this spray on the skin as a repellent you will need to dilute it with water first.
Spraying The Homemade Insect Spray
Many homemade sprays can be applied directly to the skin to keep mosquitoes and ticks away. If you are going to be using the sprays to keep insects from your home you need to look at the most likely entryways. This will include doors and windows. You will then need to spray these entryways to repel the insects.