Do essential oils stop bugs? Can you deter bugs with
essential oils? Both are valid questions and we have answers. Keep reading for
more information on using essential
oils to deter bugs.
About Essential Oil Bug Repellents
Insect repellents prevent pests from driving us crazy on
long hikes or lazy summer evenings, but they serve a more important function; a
good bug repellant may also ward off serious insect-borne diseases like Lyme
disease and West Nile virus.
The problem is that toxic chemicals in commercial insect
repellants may present certain health risks, especially when they build up in
the tissues over time. The answer may be essential oil bug repellents, most of
which work by releasing vapors that confuse a pest’s ability to detect their
host.
However, not all essential oils for insect repellants are
created equal. In other words, different essential oil bug repellents deter
different bugs.
How to Deter Bugs with Essential Oils
Here are a few suggestions for using essential oils for
insect repellents:
- Educate yourself about each essential oil and its effects before using essential oil as a pesticide. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be used with caution. Some oils may be used undiluted but most are diluted in a base oil. Some essential oils can be toxic if applied improperly, and many may be unsafe when ingested. Some essential oils are phototoxic too.
- Keep essential oils away from children and pets. Never allow young children to apply essential oil bug repellents. Some oils shouldn’t be used on children under three years, and most aren’t safe for infants under two months.
- Combined oils often make effective essential oil bug repellents. Many “recipes” are available online.
Essential Oils for Insect Repellent
- Mosquitoes: Peppermint, clove, citrus, pine, lavender, thyme, geranium, lemongrass, eucalyptus, basil
- Ticks: Cedar, geranium, juniper, rosewood, oregano, grapefruit
- Flies: Geranium, eucalyptus, sandalwood, lemon, rosemary, lavender, tea tree, mint
- Fleas: Citronella, lemongrass, pink, orange, lavender, cedar, tea tree, pennyroyal, clove, peppermint, basil
- Horseflies: Thyme, citronella, eucalyptus
- Bees: Clove, geranium, cedar, citronella, geranium, peppermint, eucalyptus
- Wasps: Lemongrass, geranium, clove, peppermint
Do essential oils stop bugs? Can you deter bugs with
essential oils? Both are valid questions and we have answers. Keep reading for
more information on using essential
oils to deter bugs.
About Essential Oil Bug Repellents
Insect repellents prevent pests from driving us crazy on
long hikes or lazy summer evenings, but they serve a more important function; a
good bug repellant may also ward off serious insect-borne diseases like Lyme
disease and West Nile virus.
The problem is that toxic chemicals in commercial insect
repellants may present certain health risks, especially when they build up in
the tissues over time. The answer may be essential oil bug repellents, most of
which work by releasing vapors that confuse a pest’s ability to detect their
host.
However, not all essential oils for insect repellants are
created equal. In other words, different essential oil bug repellents deter
different bugs.
How to Deter Bugs with Essential Oils
Here are a few suggestions for using essential oils for
insect repellents:
- Educate yourself about each essential oil and its effects before using essential oil as a pesticide. Essential oils are highly concentrated and should be used with caution. Some oils may be used undiluted but most are diluted in a base oil. Some essential oils can be toxic if applied improperly, and many may be unsafe when ingested. Some essential oils are phototoxic too.
- Keep essential oils away from children and pets. Never allow young children to apply essential oil bug repellents. Some oils shouldn’t be used on children under three years, and most aren’t safe for infants under two months.
- Combined oils often make effective essential oil bug repellents. Many “recipes” are available online.
Essential Oils for Insect Repellent
- Mosquitoes: Peppermint, clove, citrus, pine, lavender, thyme, geranium, lemongrass, eucalyptus, basil
- Ticks: Cedar, geranium, juniper, rosewood, oregano, grapefruit
- Flies: Geranium, eucalyptus, sandalwood, lemon, rosemary, lavender, tea tree, mint
- Fleas: Citronella, lemongrass, pink, orange, lavender, cedar, tea tree, pennyroyal, clove, peppermint, basil
- Horseflies: Thyme, citronella, eucalyptus
- Bees: Clove, geranium, cedar, citronella, geranium, peppermint, eucalyptus
- Wasps: Lemongrass, geranium, clove, peppermint