DIY Bug Repellent
Every summer I have a mosquito problem. Never mind the West Nile Virus threat, I don’t get any sleep as one or more mosquitos feeds off of me all night long, keeping me awake with the horrible itching, itching, itching.
I have screens on the windows! Plus, I went around and tried to plug up every possible opening (they are very old and rickety windows). But at least one invariably gets through.
They always get away if I try to swat them, but spraying them with Windex is effective, I’ve discovered, if you can spot them. Anything spray-able will do it seems. I once got them with leave-in conditioner. The wide spray cuts off all exits, and they fall and then you can smoosh them. The problem is finding them, and this is always an after-the-fact solution anyway. You’ve already been woken up at this point and are dealing with the itching, itching, itching.
Yesterday someone posted a link to this DIY bug repellent on Facebook. I couldn’t find one of the ingredients, the Thieves essential oil, but last night I put all the other ingredients together and gave it a try.
No mosquitos! And while that could just be a coincidence, I’m hopeful. I don’t love the smell though. I don’t hate it exactly, I think it’s the lavender smell that I don’t like. Or the rosemary. Also, I never got around to lighting the tea lights, but I do agree with Claire, who posted her homemade recipe, these are very pretty. Thank you, Claire!
Update: Okay, so it didn’t work. But they were pretty.
