You can make a homemade repellent on three bases — oil, alcohol and herbal — and not just for yourself, but for your pets as well. We will go through all three procedures, which fragrances work best at repelling insects and what to watch out for when you first use it. It is neither time-consuming nor expensive, and on top of that you know exactly what you are putting on yourself, your children and your animals.
About this article
We took the recipe for the oil-based repellent from the website www.zahrada.sk. In it you will find three basic procedures — a repellent on an oil, alcohol and herbal base — including a specific combination of essential oils, application recommendations and an overview of the fragrances that repel insects the most. You can make it not only for yourself, but also for your pets.
Main benefits
- For pets too
The oil base is particularly suitable for animals that you take into nature or have in the garden, where there is a high probability of the occurrence of insects.
- No stains on clothing
You can use the alcohol base not only on the skin, but also on clothing, because it does not leave stains.
- Practically no expiry date
The herbal repellent is preserved by the alcohol and therefore basically has no expiry date.
- Easy to prepare
As you can see, it is neither time-consuming nor financially demanding.
- You know what you are using
You can be sure of what you are putting on yourself, your children and your pets.
Product properties
There are three basic procedures
Although the current weather is not very summery, we believe it is only a matter of a few days before the sun shows up in its summer mode. Until then, you can get ready and use this time to make your own natural repellent — not only for yourself, but also for your pets.
Oil base
This base is particularly suitable for animals that you also take into nature, or have in the garden, where there is a high probability of the occurrence of insects — annoying flies, mosquitoes or ticks. To make an oil-based repellent we need 50 ml of high-quality vegetable oil — almond, olive, argan, apricot and others.
Into the oil we drip a combination of essential oils, for example:
| Essential oil | Amount |
|---|---|
| Lavender | 5 drops |
| Clove | 3 drops |
| Eucalyptus | 5 drops |
| Citronella | 5 drops |
The most practical application is by means of a dropper, because getting through a thick layer of fur to your pet’s skin is not easy at all. Of course, the oil-based repellent is suitable for humans too.
TIP: If those little bloodsuckers have already managed to get you, but the season is not over yet, make a repellent using calendula macerate — calendula will at the same time heal the wounds already created by the bites.
Alcohol base
It has the big advantage that you can use it not only on the skin, but also on clothing, because it does not leave stains. However, it evaporates much faster. To prepare this repellent, alcohol is needed (for example our 99.9% IPA).
- Measure out the alcohol
You use 1/3 alcohol.
- Drip in the fragrances
Into the alcohol, drip a combination of your favourite fragrances — essential oils.
- Top up with water and shake
Top up the rest with water, shake and the repellent is ready.
- Fill the spray bottle
The ideal form in this case is a spray bottle.
Herbal base
The third form, and at the same time the most natural one, is the herbal base. Here you proceed as follows: we macerate the herbs in a mixture of water and alcohol and let them infuse for 2 weeks. The repellent prepared in this way is preserved by the alcohol and therefore basically has no expiry date.
However, let us say that obtaining herbs such as teatree, eucalyptus, cedarwood or geranium is not that easy, and therefore the ideal solution is to use essential oils, which are a highly concentrated source of various kinds of herbs.
So which fragrances should you use?
As a rule, cinnamon and clove have the greatest effect on repelling insects — these two should form the base. To them you can add fragrances such as lavender, peppermint, lemon, lemongrass, teatree, eucalyptus, cedarwood, geranium, rosemary and others.
Warning
We recommend that you first try the repellent on a small area of the body to avoid an allergic reaction.
Frequently asked questions about homemade repellent
Practical questions about making a repellent — choosing the base, suitability for animals, shelf life and the tolerance test.
Which base is most suitable for a dog or a cat?
The oil base — it is particularly suitable for animals that you take into nature or have in the garden. It is most practically applied with a dropper, because getting through a thick layer of fur to the skin is not easy at all.
Which essential oils repel insects the most?
The base should be formed by cinnamon and clove. To them you can add fragrances such as lavender, peppermint, lemon, lemongrass, teatree, eucalyptus, cedarwood, geranium or rosemary.
Can a homemade repellent be used on clothing as well?
Yes, but only the one on an alcohol base — it does not leave stains, so you can use it on the skin as well as on clothing. However, it evaporates much faster than the oil-based one.
How long does a herbal repellent last?
The herbs are macerated in a mixture of water and alcohol and infused for 2 weeks. The repellent prepared in this way is preserved by the alcohol and therefore basically has no expiry date.
How do I test whether I can tolerate the repellent?
We recommend that you first try the repellent on a small area of the body to avoid an allergic reaction.
What helps with bites that have already appeared?
Make a repellent using calendula macerate — calendula will at the same time heal the wounds already created by the bites.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is neither time-consuming nor financially demanding. And then there is that feeling of knowing what you are putting on yourself, your children or your pets. So get to making it and let us know which combinations have worked for you.
You will find the essential oils, vegetable oils and spray bottles from this article in the Handymade range.
