Natural Pest Spray

I believe it's been previously mentioned that I STRONGLY DISLIKE bugs. Even more so, I hate bug bites! Trust me, I get it: Most bugs serve a helpful purpose to humans and the earth. BUT there is something so unnerving about seeing a creepy-crawler inside the house unexpectedly! Not to mention seeing one on your skin! We can all agree it's none-too-pleasant to be attacked by millions of mosquitoes while trying to relax on the patio. After all, while most bugs are totally harmless, some can spread disease or deliver painful, venomous bites, so it's a normal human reaction to recoil from them.

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That said, outside of an extreme infestation situation or an encounter with a truly dangerous insect, we shouldn't eliminate bugs from our lives since some bugs actually benefit us! Some even eat other bugs - go dragonflies and spiders! I'm terrified of spiders, but I get it, they're doing the work! So, how do we reduce insects from harassing us without indiscriminately killing them all - AND, how do we do this safely? Thankfully, there is an effective alternative to unnecessarily killing "good" bugs and to spraying potentially dangerous chemicals all over our dwelling places. I started making my own all-natural, 3-ingredient bug spray and WOW, it really helps!

Note: This spray does not kill bugs on contact; it works by repelling bugs and makes your skin less attractive to bugs due to what they perceive to be an offensive odor. Fortunately, what bugs find offensive smelling (strong minty and herbal scents), humans usually enjoy! Bonus, you can try it in your garden and house, too!

Setting realistic expectations: The spray definitely worked for me to avoid mosquito bites, and it reduced our bug issues in general but it doesn't totally eliminate them. It works by coating wherever it's sprayed with natural scents that humans generally like, but most bugs hate, such as peppermint and lemongrass. By virtue of what bugs perceive to be a "bad smell," most insects start avoiding the area.

It was effective as a bug spray on my skin. However, as a repellent around the house or garden, please know you don't just spray once and never see another bug. The scent has to be actively present for it to work. Personally, I spray the doors and patio twice a day, and I spray around our baseboards and behind our appliances once a week.

I am NOT involved in one of those multi-level marketing essential oil businesses. I do personally love this organic version available online; they boast a nice selection at a reasonable price.

Be aware that my spray does NOT kill on contact. This is not a pest KILLER; it is a pest REPELLENT. It seems to work very well as a bug spray on my skin and, to a lesser degree, it helps around the house and garden when sprayed on surfaces. It seems to have the effect of preventing new bugs from coming around, but doesn't kill or eliminate existing bugs. I just like to tell you exactly how things worked for me so you can decide if you want to try it or not. As a bug spray for personal use, however, I love it!

I needed something healthy enough to use in high-traffic areas and even on my skin that genuinely WORKS to ward off bugs.

When we moved into our rental, I was horrified to see that there was an existing pest issue. Although I hate the idea of chemicals sprayed around the house for health reasons, we also don't think it's sanitary to have bugs inside the house, especially with a little girl who sometimes grabs food off the floor, etc. It became obvious we needed professional help.

I bought my bottles at Publix, but this 4-pack of 32-oz bottles on Amazon looks great, too. I keep one bottle in my kitchen and another bottle on my patio!

I'd like to say a big thank you to the kind pest control pro who visited us; she was very careful to not spray anything toxic near our daughter's main playing or sleeping areas, and she thoughtfully placed baits far out of her reach. But going forward I'd like to minimize further use of insecticides. Also, there were still some residual pests even after the pro treatments, because an occasional palmetto bug or wolf spider wandering inside and a thriving mosquito and ant population outside is just part of living in Florida, especially during rainy season. I don't want be reliant on harsh chemicals every time I see a bug! So even though the professional pest control service was kind and effective, we still needed something to keep the little dudes at bay ourselves, and I didn't want insecticides to be our only option. That's why I created this alternative to use on the daily.

Here are the re-usable bottles I use to store and spray my all-natural pest repellent.

Making my own pest spray was so easy, I can't believe I didn't do it earlier. And unlike caustic-smelling chemical-based bug sprays, it actually makes everything smell great wherever you spray it!

BONUS, it is helping bring my basil back to life! Remember a few weeks ago I mentioned a blight or pestilence must have gotten into my basil? Well, I've been lightly spraying my herbs with this pest spray and the basil is coming back, baby! The spray must be reducing whatever bug was preying on my herbs.

In case you missed the post on my basil issue and also how to make homemade pesto, here it is:

https://www.myfavoritefarmhouse.com/single-post/pantry-pesto

Okay, let's make some natural pest spray!

Natural Pest Spray

1. Fill a clean, reusable bottle with 4 cups clean water. Make sure it is a new bottle or has NO residual chemicals from whatever was in the bottle previously; I spray this on my skin and on my herbs, so I don't want anything potentially dangerous in the mix.

2. Add 15 drops lemongrass oil and 30 drops peppermint oil. I used whatever brands essential oil I happened to have.

3. Lightly shake the bottle to mix before use. The oils will naturally separate to the surface between uses. Just a light shake will take care of it.

4. Spray wherever you want to prevent bugs. This could include inside or outside, and even on yourself.

Please, use common sense and avoid spraying near eyes and sensitive areas, and do not use if you are allergic to any of the ingredients.

Gently shake the bottle before use to blend the oils and water Spray regularly for it to work most effectively so there is a constant scent present in problem areas.

HOW TO USE: I can just tell you what I do, which is spray the patio twice a day because we spend a lot of time out there, including exterior doors, and spray in the house once a week to prevent bugs from wanting to venture inside in the first place. I spray myself as needed, and I even spray my herbs once a day very lightly - you don't want to burn delicate plants with too much strong oil. (Essential oils are very powerful!)

Since most bugs including ants and roaches hate these scents, the strong oils will make any area unappealing for them but will likely smell refreshing to you.

Summary: $2 reusable spray bottle + the essential oils already in my pantry = an easy solution was born.

RESULTS: Honestly, I have seen a huge difference since starting to spray my house with this! There are far fewer mosquitoes on the patio, and I don't want to jinx it, but I haven't seen a single palmetto bug inside, either.

I'm so happy to have found something that makes a real difference, that I feel good about spraying all around the kitchen, pantry, garden and even on my own skin whenever needed, with no worries about the ingredients!

I certainly hope you get the same successful results.

With Love,

Molly

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***August 26, 2021 Update: I updated the wording on this post. I previously recommended using it as a prest repellent in the house, garden, and on the skin. In my experience, it continues to work very well as a bug spray on my skin! It was also helpful in my herb garden as I noted above. However, upon further use, I have determined that while it is safe to use around the house, the effectiveness seems relatively low. As we speak, I am working on finding a "stronger" natural solution for pests inside the house, and if I find a good one, I'll be sure to share!