F-Off! All-Natural Bug Spray with Aloe Vera
Tis’ the season to share my “F-Off” All-Natural Bug Spray recipe! If you’d like to avoid getting eaten alive by mosquitoes this summer, and you’d also like to avoid spraying harsh chemicals on your skin, then “F-Off” is a must! And, if you’re like me, and you scratch your mosquito bites until you’re dripping with blood and covered in scabs—well then “F-Off” is a double must!Why do I make my own bug repellent? I think you know the answer to this! I don't even buy food that's been sprayed with pesticides, so why would I spray myself with them!?Bug repellents are toxic to bugs and you! The active ingredient in most bug repellent is Deet, which has been found to be toxic to the central nervous system. Deet is absorbed through the skin, and passes into the blood stream, and is often inhaled during application. Many scientists recommend bug spray with Deet to prevent diseases such as the West Nile virus etc., however the organic community is not so sure that it's necessary.Fortunately, I don't live in a place in the world where I have to worry about mosquito-carried viruses (or at least I've never heard of any such a thing) so you certainly won't find store-bought bug repellent in my home. I'd rather suffer with a few bites, thank you very much...but wait a minute, I don't have to because I make my own!
No excuses, it's easy to make your own "F-Off" using a few, common household ingredients: water, Witch Hazel, Epsom salts, essential oils (lots) and aloe vera. I got the idea to add aloe vera from an old bottle of bug spray that I had lying around from my "old life." It was advertised right on the front to contain "moisturising aloe vera." "What a great idea," I thought to myself!And if you have bat-sized mosquitoes where you live, I've heard that using slightly diluted Apple Cider Vinegar can ward off even the most persistent of pests.
Essential Oils that Repel Bugs
- Citronella
- Clove
- Lemongrass
- Rosemary
- Tea Tree
- Cajeput
- Lemon Eucalyptus
- Cedarwood
- Catnip
- Lavender
- Mint
- Lemon
- Cinnamon
- Or, this blend that includes many of the above
How to Make F-Off! All-Natural Bug Spray with Aloe Vera
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Water (boiling)
- 1/4 cup Witch Hazel
- 1 Tbsp Epsom Salts
- 1 Tbsp Aloe Vera Gel
- 10 drops Citronella essential oil
- 10 drops Lemon Eucalyptus essential oil
- 20 drops of any of the bug-repelling essential oils listed above
- 1/4 tsp Vitamin E oil (optional - additional moisturiser and preservative)
- 1 tsp Polysorbate 20 (optional - emulsifies the liquid and essential oils)
Boil water in a kettle. Measure out boiling water into a Pyrex measuring cup and add epsom salts. Stir salts until they've dissolved.Cool the water/salts mixture to room temperature and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Transfer to a bottle with a spray-top lid.