Natural Mosquito Repellents – Recommendations & Recipes

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Mosquitoes can ruin time outside and transmit disease. In this article, we’ll discuss the best natural mosquito repellents, including recipes you can make at home.

It’s frustrating to make my yard a place to relax, only to be attacked by blood sucking mosquitoes when I go outside! I swear I emit a homing device to mosquitoes as soon as I walk out of my house. My husband on the other hand, can stand by a swamp all day and never get bit!

We choose natural mosquito repellents and plants that repel mosquitoes because DEET has been linked to nerve damage.

easy natural mosquito repellents

What’s the Best Natural Mosquito Repellent?

Repel Natural Insect Repellent is the top rated DEET free mosquito repellent by Consumer Reports. Repel uses oil of lemon eucalyptus as the active ingredient. Earthley’s Pest Aside repellent stick uses neem, citronella, and patchouli to create a salve that’s applied from a convenient tube. You can also make your own repellent. (See below.)

Rutgers University has developed specialized catnip that increases yield to make it more cost effective to produce.

James Simon, professor at Rutgers, notes that “Research conducted by others shows that the oil from the catnip plant is as efficient if not better than DEET, the most common pesticide in standard mosquito repellent.” We always like to include catnip in our herbal mosquito repellent blends.

In a 1995 field study, a 2% neem oil mixed in coconut oil provided 96-100% protection from mosquitoes.

Natural Mosquito Repellents – 2 Recipes

I am giving you two recipes natural mosquito repellents. Recipe number one includes fresh herbs (my personal choice) and number two uses essential oils. I believe it is best to use the entire herb/flower whenever possible.

See “Mosquito Repellent Plants (and How to Use Them)” for full list of repellent plants. You can include as many mosquito repelling plants as you like to create your own mosquito spray and it will work just fine.

I realize not everyone has a plethora of herbs growing in their garden. Recipe #2 uses essential oils for those who have limited access to herbs.

Natural Mosquito Repellent Recipe #1

You will need:

  • Empty, Clean Glass Jar w/Lid
  • Rubbing Alcohol, Vodka or Witch Hazel
  • Herbs: Mint, Eucalyptus, Lemon Balm and or Lemon Grass, Rosemary, Lavender, and Catnip

Directions

Coarsely chop herbs and place the herbs in your glass jar (fill as full as you can). Cover with alcohol or witch hazel, leaving ½-3/4” space at top. Seal with a secure lid.

Set jar in sunny location and leave for two weeks (can leave longer if desired). Try to shake jar every once in a while. Strain herbs and transfer liquid to a spray bottle. Shake before use.

best natural mosquito repellents

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Natural Mosquito Repellent Recipe #2

Note: Some essential oils can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals, especially mint and lemon. Spot test on a small area, or spritz on clothing instead of directly on skin.

You will need:

  • Empty, Clean Spray Bottle (I used a 16oz spray bottle) (Buy a glass spray bottle online.)
  • Rubbing Alcohol, Vodka or Witch Hazel
  • Distilled Water
  • Essential Oils:
    • Mint (10 drops)
    • Rosemary (5 drops)
    • Eucalyptus (5 drops)
    • Lemon (citronella) (10 drops)
    • Lavender (5 drops)
    • Clove (5 drops)

Directions

Fill Spray bottle ¾ with alcohol or witch hazel, add your essential oil drops, and add distilled water to fill. Shake before use.

Note:  For more information on safe use of essential oils, visit the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.

Why bother with mosquito control?

What’s the most dangerous creature on earth? Without question the answer is: the mosquito. Mosquitoes and the diseases they spread have been responsible for killing more people than all the wars in history.

Even today, mosquitoes transmitting malaria infect 200 million or more every year. Tens of millions more are debilitated by a host of other mosquito-borne diseases, including filariasis, yellow fever, dengue and encephalitis.

In the United States Encephalitis, meningitis and other diseases can develop from mosquito bites. These include the viruses of West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis, LaCrosse (California) encephalitis, and Eastern equine and Western equine encephalitis. (source)

Did I miss some natural mosquito repellents that you swear by? Leave a comment and let me know.

More Mosquito Information

What Attracts Mosquitoes? (Blood Types, Colors, and More)

How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes – Effective Natural Solutions

Mosquito Bite Relief – Home Remedies to Stop the Itch

Amber Bradshaw

This post is by Amber Bradshaw of My Homestead Life.

Amber and her family moved from their tiny homestead by the ocean in South Carolina to forty-six acres in the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.

First published in 2015, last updated in 2025.

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110 Comments

  1. Hi Laurie!

    Am I supposed to use all the essential oils you listed or choose any in the amount shown for mosquito repellent?
    How long will the essential oil or the fresh herb recipe keep/be effective? Can I use either on my dogs?
    Thank you for all the great recipes and tips!!
    Wishing you a beautiful bite free summer:)

    1. The recipe calls for a mix of all the different oils (it’s a fairly large container), but you could substitute and use more of one if you don’t have all of them available.

      Lavender and lemongrass (not lemon) essential oils repel insects and should be safe for all dogs. The herb based repellent is much milder and should be safe to use with any of the listed herbs. For an extra layer of caution, you could spray the dog’s collar only, to make sure they are comfortable with the repellent. Dogs have very sensitive noses, and these are going to be fragrant.

      We got so much rain yesterday that the ground is sodden, the ponds are overflowing, and there’s standing water all over. We also live next to a swamp, so no matter what we do in our yard, there will always be a source of mosquitoes nearby. That said, I think I’m going to put up another bat house. We also have a great crop of catnip this year, so I am making up a big batch of catnip based repellent.

  2. I highly recommend bat houses! We had a terrible problem with mosquitoes and then a bat infestation. The bats wiped out the mosquitoes and we relocated the bats from our eaves to bat houses. Three years later they are still doing an amazing job of keeping down the little nasties!

  3. Someone was talking about ticks in New England. There flocks of guinea fowl in New England that you can rent for your property. Best way to get rid of ticks. Totally organic. You will have to watch the dogs or the hens might hurt them. LOL They are noisy.

  4. I recently purchased a spray bottle of “marigold “ oil insect repellent from a local pet health food store. I was told this natural product was safe for both humans and pets and it worked well on our daily hike through the nearby trails on the range.
    I also found out that growing marigolds in your flower garden strategically repels insects and, you can make your own brew of it.
    Just food for thought if you would like to experiment and create another on of your wonderful articles ?

  5. Most impressive information I have ever come across. If you are interested in this topic, please take a research about whether the indian plants or any other native plants which is help full in the mosquito repellent process. It is my humble suggestion.

    1. I’m sure there are many more plants that have been used across the globe for mosquito repellents, but these are some that are more readily available where most of my readers are from.

    1. Just use a mix of what you have available and fill the jar to 3/4 full, then cover with alcohol or witch hazel. Measurements do not need to be precise.

        1. It shouldn’t, but it’s best to test on a small inconspicuous area, just in case. With all the different clothing dyes out there, it’s a possibility that something might have a reaction.

  6. We live next to a junk yard so keeping standing water from happening is impossible. the hubs and I attack the mosquitoes by feeding fish. We put goldfish in our rain barrels! Problem solved! At the end of summer, we have a friend come and take the fish to her small lake where they live out their lives as carp.

  7. There is another way to keep Mosquitoes away from your house. You can use Camphor as a mosquito repellant. Scientifically known as Cinnamomum Camphora, Camphor is harvested from camphor trees and later processed through steam distillation. Camphor belongs to the Laurel family, which is scientifically known as Ocotea Usambarensis. The chemical formula of this naturally occurring organic substance is C₁₀H₁₆O. A major source of camphor in Asia is camphor basil. With a melting point of 175 °C, camphor is used mainly for its scent. Camphor is used in the medical industry as an antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory. Camphor can also be used as a natural insecticide and germicide.

    1. Hmmm…technically, yes, but not always.

      As noted at http://grammarist.com/usage/bit-bitten/:

      “Still, even though bitten is conventional in such uses, bit is sometimes used as the past participle.”

      In this case, we use the phrase “avoid getting bit” because when people search on search engines, they type “bit” more frequently than “bitten”.

  8. Shoo Fly Insect Repellent

    10 drops Geranium
    5 drops Cypress
    10 drops Cedarwood
    5 drops Eucalyptus
    1/4 cup distilled water (increase amount proportionally for larger supply)

    Mix oils in distilled water and shake well. May be used in a sprayer and applied to hair, skin or clothing. Excellent for people and pets. This is for external use only. Do not ingest or get into eyes.

    Discontinue use if skin irritation or other adverse condition develops. Consult a health care practitioner before using these products if pregnant.

  9. What a great article full of really helpful tips . I live in London but we have had a really hot summer so far and Ive got lots of bites so theses are going to come in handy …thanks a lot

  10. EXCELLENT article and comments! Many thanks from a currently mosquito infested homeowner who adores the short summer months of the midwest!

  11. Hi – Thanks for the good information. One clarification, though. It has been pretty well established that bats *do not* control mosquitoes. In fact, they’re a pretty poor predator when it comes to mosquitoes. Bats are known to prefer moths and beetles. The misinformation around bats liking mosquitoes came from a flawed study in the 1950s.

    1. I’ve updated the post with some additional information on bats. Although they may not eat the number of mosquitoes claimed by some, they can still have a positive impact by reducing mosquito reproduction.

    1. If you’re going to mix up a small batch and use it up right away, plastic is okay, but should be rinsed as soon as you’re done spraying. Essential oils left in a plastic bottle will break down the plastic. If you don’t use all the spray you make, place the leftovers in a glass jar for storage.

  12. I made a tick repellent with vinegar, water and mint/eukalyptus essential oil for the dog and it really repelled the mosquitoes. My most skeptical friend was the first to say it worked!

  13. We are experimenting with a lot of the natural plants you indicate here. Instead of using witchhazel or vodka, we prefer infused water and a carrier oil which is emulsified with essential oils. It is soft but not greasy, and takes a little longer to absorb, and for us that makes it more effective than the alcohol based formulas.

    Have you done any research on the rate of absorption and how often it needs to be reapplied? Just curious.

    1. Thanks for the reply and the suggestion of the herb-infused water.
      I have never done any research nor have I found any other data on the rate of absorption. The degree of re-application would depend a lot on the individual person and it would be next to impossible to conclude a general application suggestion.
      Mosquitoes are attracted to: those with type O blood, consume alcohol, eat sugar, sweat more, heavy breathers and so on. Since I am type O blood (and talk a lot) I attract more biting insects than my husband who is type A and rarely talks, therefore, I have to re-apply more often.
      if you ever perform your own research on this matter, please let us know your findings!

  14. Can you use dried organic herbs instead of fresh? I have heaps here but don’t want to waste them in the herbal repellent recipe if they will not be effective.

    1. Yes. This is all we use but like anything else, what works for one may not work for another. I adjust the herbs sometimes to suit my personal needs. I have O blood type and attract biting insects more than my husband so I have to apply more often ans use stronger scented herbs to mask my odor (scent).

  15. This is a really helpful post thanks for sharing all the great information. I can’t wait to start my repellant pots!

  16. Thanks for the herbal recipes. I found a laundry idea. Add a drop or two of oil of anise to your wash water, right along with your detergent. Proceed with laundry as usual. Seems to work for me.

  17. Thanks so much for all the great information, Amber! My son does Civil War re-enacting – mostly here in the South. He says that the soldiers traditionally used rosemary to fend off mosquitoes. When the weather is warm and the bugs are biting, you’ll often see the re-enactors with a sprig of fresh rosemary on their caps.

  18. Wow I see why i get bite more than anyone else around me. My blood type is O- I and sweat allot. Thank you for this information

  19. Gotta love natural mosquito repellents!

    (hope you don’t mind my leaving a comment here…) Just dropped by to let you know the blog post listing over 30 great homesteading/simple living sites (including yours!) sorted by state has been published. What a great resource for all our readers! I’m hoping all the blogs included on this list will share it on their site too for their readers to enjoy, as well as sharing on social media. Here’s the link –> http://taylormadehomestead.com/homestead-sites-state/ Thanks!

    ~Taylor-Made Homestead~
    Texas

    1. Wow! You are orderly on a gargantuan scale! I admire your peers who are already working like the dickens to keep their homesteads going and still make time to share their experiences and discoveries with those of us who are dog-paddling our way through new and mystery-filled waves. When looking through your list, it was helpful to have an indication of where in the states and provinces each blogger lives. If you are considering nuances you might add, would it be possible to include a note about what climate zone the blogger lives in? Would you like to hear from other bloggers who want to be in contact with your network?

  20. I’ve heard that drinking alcohol reduces the B6 in your body and that mosquitos are driven away by B6. Also, Brewers yeast is abundant in B6 and is not the yeast as in baking. Hope this info helps w/some of the questions asked above.

  21. I am confused by using vodka to make the repellent if mosquitos like to “get buzzed”….I was planning to make my repellent with vodka before reading your post on things to avoid. (I had found another recipe calling for vodka last week) I am a favorite when it comes to mosquitos…they love me! Unfortunately, for me and my daughter, for that matter, our mosquito bites swell up to the size of quarters! If you could shed some light on this for me, I would really appreciate it. Heading on vacation soon, and wanted to make use of all my Young Living Oils to make a useful repellent. thank you in advance 🙂

    1. Alcohol on the skin is different from alcohol consumed. When used in a spray, the alcohol is on the surface of the skin, and evaporates quickly.

  22. Having worked in Africa for 7 years and then in the Caribbean for a further 4 we decided to develop these initially for our family as we have 2 youngsters. It’s now turned into a full-time job and we produce these super-scented bars of Lemongrass, Geranium, Cedarwood and Lavender are simple to use and contain ingredients that are known and proven (by ourselves and all our numerous customers in the Caribbean and in Florida!) to be super-effective against mosquitoes, no-see-ums and other annoying flying bugs. Additionally the Geranium bar also has infused Catnip Oil and Yarrow Extract. Just rub the bar gently between your hands to warm then apply to areas of exposed skin. These bars are safe for all the family to use, so try them! thesolidbarcompany.com/…/bug-bars

  23. I also heard on several occasions that drinking a shot glass full of distilled vinegar was a useful mosquito repellent. I have tried it and it seemed to do the trick. Also, if you have a oscillating fan blowing where you are sitting outside, the mosquitoes get blown away and have trouble lighting on you. Hope these tips are helpful for you.

  24. Not sure about the reasons why mosquitoes bite me…I am exactly the opposite of all the things you mentioned. I’m not a talker, don’t drink alcohol, my blood type is B and only sweat if it’s too hot and walked far or did some heavy weeding…and mosquitoes prefer biting me than my husband! I have herbs and marigold in my garden and I still get bit!

    1. Mari: We fit very similar profiles. I was also severely ill one year as a child and spent most of my life struggling with dysbiosis until learning about gut healing and detoxifying mercury. Still working on it, but feeling much better and having way more fun.

      Distilled vinegar is not so good for me, but I do take a tablespoon of raw apple cider vinegar mixed with honey and a little warm water diluted with 6 to 8 oz. of water before meals. Look this up to see what conditions it balances, worth a try.

      Due to the dysbiosis, I tend to react to yeasty stuff, so have never taken brewer’s yeast enough to notice results. For some reason, the cloudy mother in raw vinegar has not bothered me.

      Best of luck in your adventures with freedom from predation!

      1. Sandy, I also drink ACV with the Mother, honey and water. Not just before meals though. I drink at least one 24 ounce glass a day. I love the taste. Tart and sweet. Call me weird, I don’t care. I like it. And I rarely get bit by mosquitos or ticks. Hubby, the opposite.

  25. My girls have weird skin allergies. So I’m worried about putting the essential oils mosquito repellent on them and am not confident in making the one with fresh herbs. So my question is…if I used the method of putting a few drops of essential oil on a cotton cloth in the dryer do you think the actual oil will get on their clothing? Or will just the scent cling to the clothing? I’m desperate. An reply would be helpful

    1. Maybe try a single item of clothing that covers only a small area of their bodies for a short time, and keep a close watch for any signs of a reaction? I know I have to be very careful what I use on my skin, too. This year I got hit with a round of psoriasis. For me, I tend to stick with the fresh herbs, or herbal concoctions. I react less to them than to EOs. I’m also working on healing my gut, as often allergies and skin issues are tied to gut health.

  26. eat garlic! you can get the caplets or tablets, a couple a day keeps vampires and skeeters at bay. Works for critters too.

    1. At least one study I found showed no correlation between garlic consumption and mosquito repellent action, but eating enough garlic will certainly keep other humans out of your personal space.

      1. I have also heard brewer’s yeast helps. I take 3 tabs a day and it seems to cut how often I am getting bit. Not perfect but seems to help a bit.

        1. I eat lots of nutritional yeast on my salads and eat plenty of garlic, plus a capsule. I’m B blood type and cannot walk out my door without getting swarmed by mosquitoes. They are terrible this year and my dogs who eat Brewers Yeast every day are covered with mosquitoes, but essentially no ticks.

          1. Interesting: This post said that type ‘O’ are the target for mosquitos and that they will usually leave the other types alone!
            Brewers yeast has been a well know remedy for years. I just have an issue with any yeast right now…

      2. Garlic seems to work for me, too. My immune system is compromised so I eat a lot of garlic to help stave off any pesky bugs in the area. Even though I’m also a Type O, they bother me a whole lot less when I’m having a Garlic-Fest dinner. Perhaps the garlic itself doesn’t repel them, but the scent of it after being processed through the human body does? Any scientists out there want to test this?

        1. I was surprised that their testing didn’t show garlic to be effective, as I know several friends who swear by it. Maybe it varies by individual, or they just didn’t eat enough?

    1. All members of the mint family should work. Catnip is particularly effective as a pest repellent.

  27. Going to try mosquito herb repellent, do you know something that will work for ticks. My dogs keep getting them. I live in the Ozarks. Just sick of tick bites and mosquito bites, guess what, I am type o blood. Never knew that bugs love this blood.

    1. The herbal repellents should slow down the ticks, too, but I’ll ask Amber if she has tick specific suggestions. Thankfully, we have blessedly few ticks in our area, although up north by my mom’s they are terrible.

      1. Would Love any help with Tick repellant. I live in New England and not to far from the “home” of Deer ticks that carry the Lyme Disease. Within the past 2 years my friend contracted Lyme 2x, mother 1x, and now my husband. We have used “Off” and other commercial repellants but obviously they don’t work all the time. Natural home brew repellant would be great.

        1. The same strongly scented herbs *should* help keep ticks at bay, too, but of course there are no guarantees. Chickens, ducks or guinea hens on patrol in the yard can help keep their numbers down, too.

        2. Hi,
          So sorry to hear your family got Lyme disease, That is terrible.
          Eucalyptus is the best in my experience. Some Chilean people gave me Eucalyptus liquid when I was travelling. They extracted it from a tree in the jungle. I don’t know for it was leaves or sap from the bark…
          It was the best repellent of my life.
          Nothing came near me, not bugs, ticks, ants, mosquit’s not even flies. All insects avoided me.
          It was incredible and natural.
          I found some Eucalyptus oil in a shop… I am not sure how pure it was but I places it in my clothing and around doors and windows and even that worked pretty darn well.
          I hope this helps.
          Be well

    2. I get bit by mosquitoes: Asian, delicate skinned. My husband gets bit by ticks. He’s a big, burly, bear-haired California blond (I think the mosquitoes can’t work through both his shirts and his curly coat, while they dig right through a couple of layers of finely woven cotton covering my back during feeding frenzy time.

      This year I had far less mosquito bites after starting a routine of misting my whole body daily with a very dilute solution of organic Madagascar vanilla and filtered water. My skin reacts to most essential oil formulas, and when I have experimented with them the oils dissipate far too quickly for comfort, then I get a rash. I use an Outdoor Research head net, neck scarf, gloves, arm gauntlets and barn boots during feeding times. Sometime I’ll give you a laugh by describing exactly how much bug armor I wear when spending long hours in the garden.

      Our diets are similar, but this year I began a practice of eating at least one clove of finely chopped raw garlic a day, usually at lunch or dinner. My husband likes garlic, but is not so consistent. I have developed the habit of covering up well before going out. My usual score of one or two ticks a year has dropped to zero in a very rainy year.

      I have also noticed that the mosquitoes will flee if I blow a quick breath at any who buzz by when the head net is not deployed.

      1. Photos! Photos! I like the idea of a vanilla bean mist. I love the smell of vanilla. I’m quite sure body hair is protective for mosquitoes, as my husband is quite fuzzy, too, and doesn’t get bit on his body nearly as much as I do.

      2. “I have also noticed that
        the mosquitoes will flee if
        I blow a quick breath at
        any who buzz by when the
        head net is not deployed.”
        .
        Wow! LOOL…
        Really?
        I should try this one. Though I leave in a low risk area. We have lots of these blood suckers.

    3. Hello, as a natural non herbal remedy, raw amber collars are very effective against ticks and flea for dogs and cats, I’ve personally tested them on my 30+ dogs (I run a dog rescue place) and since three years I’ve been only using these to keep them free from parasites. Some say they are effective also against mosquitoes but I haven’t had the chance to test them for this.

      1. Thanks for the tip. I’ve only heard of amber being used as a natural remedy for teething, not for ticks. Good to know.

      2. Is this the amber that results from pine pitch petrifying or amber perfume, which is commonly marketed as a thick liquid resin or semi-solid cake. Some people are familiar with this scent from using amber scented incense sticks.
        I had a friend whose husband formulated amber perfume cakes to sell in her boutique. This formula included benzoin, a plant resin that has many of the same coumarin chemotypes that are found in vanilla flavoring.
        Where we live dog fleas are not common, but ticks are very common on properties where hairy animals live. Down the road we have friends who had a dog (just passed) and have kept a mostly free range flock of 2 to 3 dozen chickens for the past three years. Ticks are pretty bad there this year.
        Because of their experience, I am resisting the desire to keep a dog on our property.
        If we could have a dog that smelled like vanilla and a well guarded, happy flock of chickens, that would be the key to permaculture heaven for us!
        Alternately, if the amber collar is made with tree resin amber, it would be really easy for me to make a collar of not very fancy amber beads. Heck! I’d string up beads for the whole family and go barefoot once in a while.

    4. My big hairy German Shepard would be covered in ticks, then I started feeding her Brewer’s Yeast each night on her dinner (dry food, and cooked liver and rice). I think I’ve only picked 1 or 2 off her this year, where normally I’d have pulled dozens off by now.

    5. Try Herbal Defense by Only Natural Pet. I live in So. Calif. near hiking trails, lakes and coast line. Every single time I took my pups out for their walks, they would have at least one tick or more on them. I had one on my scalp!! I tried every natural product and then found Only Natural Pet. We have not had a flea or tick near us for going on four years now! I use the Easy Defense Herbal Shampoo, Herbal conditioner and the Herbal Spray on my pups and it smells great! You can also use spray on your clothes if needed.

  28. I think she leans “peak” time for Mosquitos meaning high, not ” peek”
    meaning look at quickly.

    1. I think Thomas means means not leans. Maybe Thomas should take a peek at his own spelling skills before correcting others 😉

      1. lol – I wasn’t going to mention that. 😉 Truly, with over 600 posts on the site, there are bound to be some typos, and I’d rather people mention them politely so I can catch them.

      2. LOLOLOL there always has to be “that one” person!!! Too funny! Thank you for the giggle!
        BTW GREAT article!!!

      3. I thought the same, Jenny. I knew what she meant even though she used the wrong spelling. But I didn’t care as long as I got the message.
        #nitpic

        1. I pride myself on being able to read the silly things on face book that are written upside down and backwards so noticing the type errors didn’t faze me at all. LOL

      4. Bravo Jenny, I wouldn’t even notice any of these if it wasn’t mentioned. What a small thing to pay so much attention to.

    2. For all we know she could be someone who leans and peeks at the same time.. I would imagine that a good peeker would want to remain unseen and that might require some. Leaning from time to time. Ithanks for the tips . With all of the floods and fires this year ( I’m I. So cal ). The skeeters are going to be out In Force and I’ll bet there going to be infected with all kinds Of infectious diseases. Courtesy of the Center for disease control more like the center for population control

      1. Shano didn’t know how right post was in 2018, nail on the head Shano!
        Great articles, spiders, snakes and mosquitoes oh my!