Homemade Mosquito Repellent — Is It Worth Trying?

With warmer weather, mosquitoes and other insects become a nuisance, not only outdoors but also indoors. Their presence is unpleasant, and their bites, besides being irritating, can become inflamed and even cause allergic reactions.

To avoid bites, especially at night, it’s common to use insecticides or repellents. Most of these products on the market are made with chemicals that are not only poisonous to mosquitoes but also to people and pets. Therefore, in this post, we present some natural recipes for making homemade mosquito repellents.

Homemade Mosquito Repellent: 7 Different Recipes

The amount of toxic agents we are exposed to when we opt for a regular mosquito repellent is very small, but it is a recurring problem.

These are substances harmful to our health that pollute the environment, so using a homemade mosquito repellent is highly recommended: it repels mosquitoes with natural substances, thus preventing poisoning in people and their pets.

Below you’ll find several recipes for homemade mosquito repellent. The ingredients are basic and commonly used, so you’ll easily find the perfect one for your family and home.

1. Lemon and clove

This homemade mosquito repellent recipe is as easy as cutting a lemon in half and sticking several cloves into it. If you place this remedy in your bedroom, mosquitoes won’t come near you.

2. Vinegar

Even simpler: mix half a glass of water with a quarter of a glass of white wine vinegar. The purpose of this recipe is to place the mixture near windows and doors so that the strong smell of the vinegar repels mosquitoes and other insects.

3. Basil

Basil is excellent for keeping mosquitoes away. Something as simple as having a basil plant in certain key areas (on windows, doors, in the garden, etc.) helps keep mosquitoes away.

Alternatively, you can prepare a basil infusion and use its aroma to easily and naturally repel mosquitoes. Simply infuse 2 tablespoons of dried basil in 500 ml of boiling water in a tea infuser, let it steep for 5 minutes, and pour it into a glass. Place the glass in the room where you want to keep mosquitoes away, and its aroma will protect you for several hours.

4. Garlic cloves

Cut several cloves of garlic and let them steep in a little water for several hours. Then pour the resulting liquid into a spray bottle and spray it on curtains and around the corners of doors and windows. The sulfur in the garlic repels not only mosquitoes, but also flies, ticks, and fleas.

5. Eucalyptus

In this case, dilute 40 drops of eucalyptus essential oil in 200 ml of warm water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Shake well and spray where you want to keep mosquitoes away. Do this preferably in the late afternoon or evening.

6. Chamomile

Prepare this infusion: 2 tablespoons of dried chamomile and 500 ml of boiling water. Let it steep for 6 hours, then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the infusion on the areas where you want to keep mosquitoes away, or even apply it directly to your skin.

7. Lemon essential oil

Dilute 40 drops of lemon essential oil in 200 ml of water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray it at night in your room, or even on your skin or clothes. Shake well before using!

The great thing about natural remedies, in this case homemade mosquito repellents, is that they’re made with common ingredients you probably already have at home, so you avoid the chemical products you find on the market. What are your recipes or tricks for keeping mosquitoes away from your home?