Summer is one of the most exciting seasons of the year. People look forward to spending more time outdoors with their loved ones, family and friends. However, summer also means dealing with insects and mosquitoes all around and can be a hindrance to everyone’s enjoyment. In order to make the most out of your summer, there are bug sprays available in the market to control pests. Over-the-counter bug sprays are truly effective against insects and mosquitoes but the chemical content can also be harmful to humans. Bug sprays with the label “organic” are as efficient as the ones with strong chemicals but can be a bit overpriced. To avoid being exposed to these chemicals and to save some cash, one must find an alternative to bug sprays which are readily available in the household.

Ingredients which Repel Bugs

Homemade insect repellents are usually very easy to prepare and can be very handy at all times. One of these is the vanilla extract, which can be applied onto the skin as many insects don’t like its scent. Another is lavender flower rubbed against the skin to repel mosquitoes yet very fragrant at the same time. Twenty drops of tea tree oil, lavender oil or peppermint oil mixed with 2 tablespoons of witch hazel can be sprayed all over the body to use as a mosquito repellent too.

Other Methods to Repel Bugs

If you prefer a repellent without applying the product directly onto your skin, there are also homemade solutions to this. You can add candles around the place with eucalyptus oil or citronella oil. You can also put garden plants like rosemary, lemon thyme and catnip, which repels small insects.

Plants which repel bugs

There are also homemade bug sprays to be sprayed straight onto plants. Any one of mint, thyme, rosemary, garlic juice, chives, lemon balm, tobacco leaves or tomato leaves can be mixed with a pint of water and a drop of liquid soap to become a more effective bug spray. Just don’t pour more than 2 drops of liquid soap into the solution as this might be harmful to your plant and may cause it to wither soon. Half cup of rubbing alcohol, 3 tablespoons of laundry soap and 1 quart warm water must be sprayed fresh on plants and the excess solution must not be stored. For spider mites and cabbage worms, 2 tablespoons of salt and 1 quart of water will do the trick.

Other easy homemade insect repellent recipes are quite harmful during preparation but are proven to be effective against bugs. An example is a cup of tobacco mixed with a gallon of water, which is effective against worms and caterpillars but can be very hazardous to humans. There are many ways to ward off insects around your place, be it applied directly onto your skin, sprayed onto plants or it could even be an ornament with repellent action at the same time. Just be careful with the mixtures and avoid direct skin contact with solutions which aren’t supposed to be used on skin, as it may cause severe damage.

Good luck on your homemade organic and chemical free bug sprays! Enjoy the summer without worrying much on the insects.