Making your own natural tick and mosquito repellent is easy and definitely effective. I was convinced that the sprays that contains DEET can be harmful after I saw the chemical drip onto my white painted metal rack and take the paint completely off. I wondered what that must do our skin, not to mention our bodies! I actually tried my spray combination for the Fourth of July festivities and it worked great! I saw in front of us a swarm of mosquitoes, but it didn’t touch us. I also saw a woman spraying her small children on their skin with DEET, as they naturally inhaled it in the cloud around their head, I wondered how that spray might affect their small bodies later on. Anyways, you can make this spray using a number of different essential oils, but certain ones are deterrents for mosquitoes while other for ticks. For instance, eucalyptus oil can repel mosquitoes, ticks, and lice. Catnip has calming properties similar to chamomile and is an excellent mosquito repellent, 10 times more powerful than DEET according to the Humane Society of the U. S., and is the most widely used chemical repellent. The hitch is that it lasts for only a few hours. Rose geranium is good for ticks and lice. You may not have each of these essential oils, but here are some to include: Catnip, Rose geranium, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass and Citronella.
Important: As with all essential oils, test for allergies first. Tea Tree essential oils are NOT to be used on dogs.
We only use natural tick and mosquito repellent on our dogs. We take the dogs to the dog park and there are ticks galore there. We spray their bellies first and then one spray on their back. So far, no ticks!
Best of luck on eliminating these pesky creatures! May they never be a nuisance to you now that you have this natural repellent!!
- 10-25 drops of essential oil, distilled water, Cedarwood, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Litsea, Patchouli, Tea Tree, Catnip*, Citronella, Lavender, Cinnamon, Castor Oil
- Put 2 or more drops of each oil into a 2 fl. oz. blue or brown glass spray bottle. Then fill the remainder will distilled water or witch hazel. You can also use a carrier oil such as olive oil (2 TBSP.)
- You can add a number of different essential oils depending on what you have, but make sure to include: Catnip, Rose geranium, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass and Citronella. .
How often does this have to be applied to the dogs to be effective? Thanks 🙂
I think it all depends on how often your dog is outside, going to the dog park or in the woods. I apply mine right before going to the dog park. I hope this helps!