The good weather favors the proliferation of all kinds of insects. Whether in the vegetable garden, the garden or the home, we never like to be visited by hordes of flies, a colony of ants or very invasive hungry mosquitoes. For a peaceful summer, there is no need to opt for insecticides based on toxic chemicals. Insecticide or preventive repellent will work just as well! Here are seven recipes for natural repellents with essential oils to apply on yourself or in your home to repel unwanted pests. This will save you from a few nasty mosquito or bee bites or a potentially dangerous tick bite.
1. The recipe for fly repellent
For flies, you can set up homemade traps. This is the fastest way to get rid of as many flies as possible. To scare them away and prevent them from entering your home, mix 1/4 teaspoon of citronella essential oil and 250 ml of water in a spray bottle. The flies have indeed the odor of citronella in horror. Just spray it on the entrance areas (doors and windows). Another effective repellent, dilute 20 drops of rosemary essential oil, 20 drops of basil essential oil, 20 drops of peppermint essential oil, 30 ml of olive oil and 15 ml of dishwashing liquid in 1 l of cider vinegar! Renew regularly to keep the scent powerful and repellent. In addition, place lemons with cloves in the rooms where they like to come.
2. Mosquito repellent
To control mosquitoes at home or in the garden, you can plant repellent plants around the house or install them on your windowsills. Also consider using a skin repellent. The best flying insect repellent consists of 1/6 teaspoon of true lavender essential oil, the same amount of rosemary and cedarwood essential oils and 1/2 teaspoon of lemon eucalyptus essential oil. Simply dilute the whole in 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil and 2 tablespoons of vodka. You will not have any more but to apply the whole to the zones exposed to the bites (legs, arms, neck…). You can also use one of the repellent essential oils in a diffuser to repel mosquitoes.
3. Spider repellent
Chestnuts are among the best spider and insect repellents. However, it is not always easy to find them in summer. Essential oils can be a great help! To use them, dilute 2 drops of lemon essential oil and 2 drops of lemon dishwashing liquid in 250 ml of water or 15 drops of peppermint essential oil in 250 ml of water. Using a sprayer, your repellent is to be sprayed on the entry areas (door sill, window frames …). You can also put your essence on a porous stone or cotton pads at the entry points.
4. Ant repellent
Making a chalk line, spraying white vinegar or lemon juice, placing basil leaves or nickels… All these solutions are excellent repellents against these small insects. However, these little beasts also fear mint. So, to prepare a good repellent, mix 1 tablespoon of mint extract with 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Then apply this very effective solution to block insects on windowsills, doorsteps, doorframes …
5. Cockroach repellent
In case of a large infestation, you will probably have to use a mixture of boric acid and concentrated milk to eradicate them. But to chase them away, use a repellent based on peppermint essential oil (1/4 teaspoon in 250 ml of water). Then, you will have to spray this product on the passage areas (baseboards, cracks…)
6. Recipe for tick repellent
When walking, don’t hesitate to protect yourself with long clothing and high shoes. In addition, you will need to inspect every millimeter of skin for yourself and your pets to prevent ticks from making their way into your home. It’s also a good idea to treat your garden and vegetable patch to prevent ticks. However, the most direct tip is to apply a skin repellent to areas that are still exposed (arms, neck, legs). To prepare your tick repellent, mix 1/4 teaspoon of essential oil of geranium bourbon with 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil of your choice.
7. Anti-bee repellent
As long as we don’t bother them, bees don’t sting us and are harmless. However, if they proliferate, they quickly become numerous, which can be a source of stress and fear, especially for those with allergies. To keep these useful insects away from you without hurting them, make a repellent with a tablespoon of water and a tablespoon of peppermint essential oil. Just apply it to your arms, ankles and hair to keep them at bay.