Survive Summer With These 4 DIY Natural Mason Jar Bug Repellents
7 minute read
Bug season is upon us and those mosquitos are already swarming. If you’re looking for a quick DIY way to ward off the mosquitos this summer, we’ve got a lot of fantastic tips to try that should keep you bite-free.
Grab your favorite mason jars and a few different ingredients and you’re not only going to keep the bugs away, but you’ll find they’re fantastic smelling and will add ambiance to your next patio party.
1. Natural Mosquito Repellent Recipe
This repellent is effective, and most people just love the smell, it also looks great as a decoration on your picnic tables. For this “recipe” you’ll want to use two pint-sized mason jars.
Ingredients:
10 drops of lemon eucalyptus essential oil
10 drops of citronella essential oil
1 lemon, sliced
1 lime, sliced
4 sprigs of rosemary
2 floating candles
Directions:
1. Divide the lemon and lime slices up between the jars. Add a couple of sprigs of rosemary to each jar. Fill each jar about 3/4 full of water.
2. Add 10 drops of lemon eucalyptus to one jar and add the citronella drops to the other jar, but do NOT mix the two essential oils.
3. Add more water until the jars are almost full, then insert your candle, light it and enjoy.
2. Mosquito Lemonade Repellent
This “recipe” takes advantage of all the wonderful lemon scents that mosquitos just hate. It’s an easy DIY if you’re growing some of these plants in your flower beds.
This recipe is for two pint-sized mason jars.
Ingredients:
1 lemon
Several leaves of lemon balm or a cut handful of lemongrass
Water
2 floating tea lights
Directions:
1. Cut your lemon in half, then quarter each half. Each jar gets a half of a lemon that’s been quartered. Add your lemon balm or lemongrass. Then use a pestle to crush the lemon and leaves. You want to release the oils from the lemon peel, but you don’t need to crush them so much that they turn into a pulp.
2. Add water to the jar until it’s as full as you want, then add your tea light and light it.
3. Marigold Mosquito Repellent
If you’re growing marigolds at home, this is the perfect way to take advantage of their mosquito-warding abilities. Again, we’ll focus on just using two pint-sized mason jars.
Ingredients:
2 Marigold heads
A handful of marigold leaves and stems
Water
Directions:
1. Crush the marigold leaves and stems to release their oils and fragrance. You might want to crush them with a hammer or a stone, but you don’t need to mash them into a paste.
2. Add the leaves and stems to your jars and fill the jars with water. Top with the flowering marigold head and you’ve got a pretty centerpiece that everyone but the mosquitos will love.
4. Minty Mosquito Repellent
The fresh scent of peppermint is refreshing and adds a crisp excitement to the air, one that mosquitos definitely want to avoid. Once again, this repellent is designed for two pint-sized mason jars.
Ingredients:
20 drops of peppermint essential oil
A handful of mint leaves
Water
A floating tea light candle
Directions:
1. Tear up some of the mint leaves to release the oils and scent. Then divide them all between the two mason jars. Add 10 drops of peppermint oil to each jar.
2. Fill the jars with water to the point you wish and top with the candle tea light. Light and enjoy.
Why They Work
There are some ingredients in these mason jars that mosquitos simply don’t like. Using them to your benefit helps fight off these pesky bugs and others.
Once you learn more about these ingredients, you can even create your own mason jar bug repellents using all-natural products.
Lemon eucalyptus oil: This essential oil comes directly from the leaves of the lemon eucalyptus tree and is very effective at repelling mosquitos.
Citronella oil: You’ve probably tried this oil before, it’s a popular one for candles and tiki torches. Citronella is extracted from lemongrass, which is a great plant to incorporate in your flower beds.
Citrus fruit peels: Save that orange peel, you can use it to create a mosquito repellent. Studies have proven that mosquitos do not like the extract from citrus peels.
Lemon balm and lemongrass: Both of these plants are hardy and easy to grow at home. They make a wonderful addition to your landscaping, and they’re a fragrant way to ward off mosquitos.
Marigolds: Not only do marigolds ward off insects, but they can also help guard your other plants against rabbits. These showy little flowers are great as border plants because they’re compact and short and they are mighty protectors.
Peppermint: Whether you want to use the plant or the essential oil, peppermint can be very effective at warding off mosquitos and other bugs, especially spiders. Placed around your space or rubbed on your skin, peppermint is proven to ward off mosquitos.
| Related: Gardening Is the Perfect Way to Enjoy Time Outside |
The Bottom Line
By learning what plants mosquitos hate the most, you can arm yourself with a homemade mosquito repellent that is effective, safe, and all-natural. While the repellents we’ve provided recipes for are very effective, you may wish to create your very own to take advantage of plants you grow or have nearby.
Some of these plants and oils are also very effective when rubbed on your skin. The important thing to remember if you’re going to apply anything to your skin, you should first test a small area to check for any allergic reactions.
If you’re going to apply an essential oil, it’s advisable to dilute the essential oils with a base oil like jojoba oil or coconut oil to prevent skin irritation. With these tips, you can not only create a mosquito repellent, but you can create your own bug potion that will keep these nasty pests away.
