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99 Comments | Jill Winger

20+ Homemade Insect Repellent Recipes


homemade insect repellent recipes

Poop.

It’s a fact of life on a homestead.

And poop brings flies. Lots of ’em.

Back in the days before I got all crunchy, I used to use loads of chemical fly sprays on my horses… And even though I hadn’t fully “awakened” to the world of chemical-free living at that point, I remember it would still bother me when I could taste the fly spray in my mouth after dousing the horses…

I’ve seen questions about homemade insect repellent all over Facebook lately, so I decided it was high-time to do a round-up of all the spectacular, all-natural bug sprays I’ve come across while blog-surfing.

Any of these ideas should work just fine for your homestead critters too, minus the cats. (Cats and essential oils generally don’t mix…) I regularly mix up natural sprays for my milk cow, horses, and goats, and they really seem appreciate it.

I’ve noticed that different bugs respond differently to homemade insect repellent recipes, so if you find that one isn’t working for you, give another one a try. But, with the treasure-trove of ideas below, you should be able to find something that will work where you live!

20+ Natural Insect Repellent Recipes

For Mosquitos:

1. DIY Mosquito Repellent from Lexie’s Kitchen

2. Five Homemade Mosquito Repellent Recipes from Survival at Home

3. 15+ Tips & Recipes for Repelling Mosquitoes from Accidentally Green (I’m especially interested in trying the basil vodka spray.)

All-Purpose Homemade Insect Repellents:

4. Natural Insect Repellent for Camping from Green Boot Living.

5. Bug-Be-Gone Balm from Smithspirations

6. Homemade Insect Repellent Spray from DIY Natural

7. DIY Bug Repellent Oil from Growing Up Herbal

8. DIY Essential Oil Bug Repellent from Dr. Eric Z

9. Indoor/Outdoor All-Around Bug Spray from Your Thriving Family

homemade insect repellent

10. DIY Marigold Insect Spray from Deep Roots at Home

11. Healthy Bug Spray (That Really Works!) from Scratch Mommy

12. Dried Lavender Insect Repellent from WikiHow

13. Beeswax Insect Repellent Candles from Design Sponge (how cool are these?!)

14. 13 Tips for Keeping the Bugs Away Naturally  from Day2Day Joys

15. Bug Bite Relief Stick from The Prairie Homestead

Garden & Barnyard Pest Control

16. Strategies for Fly Control in the Chicken Coop from The Prairie Homestead

17. DIY Liquid Fence from The Prairie Homestead

18. Homemade Fly Spray Recipe for Livestock from The Prairie Homestead

19. DIY Organic Garden Pest Control Spray from The Prairie Homestead

20. Three-Ingredient Pest Deterrent (especially for mice and spiders) from Scratch Mommy

21. Using Diatomaceous Earth in the Garden from The Prairie Homestead

22. Homemade Fly Trap from The Prairie Homestead

23. Four Strategies for Farm Fly Control from The Prairie Homestead

diy natural insect repellent

99 Comments | Make It Yourself, Herbs & Essential Oils

Put Essential Oils to Work Around Your Homestead!

Essential Oils & homesteading go together like peanut butter & jelly. This short, practical eBook will help you master the ins-and-outs of adding essential oils to your homesteading routine (no matter what sort of homestead you may have) and includes DIY fly spray formulas, garden pest control sprays, DIY cleaners, and tons more!

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DIY Homemade Cough Dropshomemade air freshener recipes10 Homemade Air Freshener RecipesDIY All-Purpose Citrus Cleanerhomemade liquid fence recipeHomemade Liquid Fence Recipe

Reader Interactions

99 Comments

  1. Leslie says

    July 17, 2013 at 6:01 am

    Thanks for this list! Will visit each site for sure 🙂 Mosquitoes seem to come from miles around to bite me, something in the blood? I use a dab of arnica oil on a bite right away and seems to keep it from becoming a swollen and scratchy. In my younger days living in the country, the horses were washed with a brew steeped with rosemary to keep the flies away. That was long before I knew about essential oils and their effectiveness.

    reply to comment
    • Steve says

      February 4, 2014 at 2:19 pm

      Has anyone tried “Fight Back 2” from Mission Essentials ?
      http://www.mission-essentials.com
      It is by far the best I’ve ever used – no alcohol and no oily feeling. It smells great and works fabulous!

      reply to comment
    • Laura McCloskey says

      April 9, 2017 at 10:05 am

      Now here we are in April 2017 in Florida and elsewhere continuing to battle the Zyka virus mosquitoes especially around pregnant women and women and their partner looking to become pregnant probably everyone else at this point to be safe. It’s hard to say. Up where you are and probably where there are extended hard freezes it will work. But you should include that caveat with your post to be clear.

      reply to comment
  2. nicole says

    July 17, 2013 at 6:25 am

    great variety of recipes !!! thank you. I have been experimenting around with mixing our own big spray … the bugs are especially bad here this year. I will give all those recipes a closer look and try some of them out for sure !!! ~nik~

    reply to comment
    • Vanessa Perez says

      July 26, 2017 at 11:01 am

      HELLO Nicole,

      We are trying to move inventory on some 15ml bottles, clear, blue, and amber. I think they would go great for your bug repellent experiments.

      clear and amber -540 per case @54.00
      blue-468 per case @56.16

      reply to comment
  3. Jaci says

    July 17, 2013 at 7:23 am

    Thoughts on which one might be best for Mosquitos? I’m in coastal easy Texas and literally can’t let my kids outside to play some days b/c they might get carried off by Mosquitos!!! I’ve read I can put rosemary & thyme and such in the nest boxes for my gals and myself but which could I spray on the whole yard!? Almost an acre!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 17, 2013 at 7:46 am

      Hi Jaci-
      there are a bunch of different mosquito recipes on there– however, I think it might be hard to spray any of them over a whole yard– at least it would be really expensive.

      reply to comment
      • Temple says

        July 17, 2013 at 11:11 am

        It’s impossible to spray areas that large, but it is possible to set up traps to kill the adults and help prevent breeding. Check this out – http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf22399231.tip.html You need sugar, yeast and a plastic 2 liter bottle to upcycle.

        reply to comment
  4. Mike says

    July 17, 2013 at 8:14 am

    Have you ever tried a side by side comparison of commercial bug spray versus your recipes. I think it would be interested to one evening use one or the other then try to compare the number of bites.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 17, 2013 at 11:26 am

      I’ve thought of trying to do tests, and I might in the future– but I think it would be hard to get accurate results. One night might have more mosquitos, etc. But, it would be fun to try!

      reply to comment
    • Steve says

      May 26, 2014 at 2:41 pm

      The best all natural bug spray out there by far is made by a company called Mission Essentials (www.mission-essentials.com) – it’s called Fight Back 2…it smells great, works fabulous and has no alcohol so it feels good.

      reply to comment
  5. Susan H says

    July 17, 2013 at 9:41 am

    I wish there was something that would scare the spiders off!! EEEK! You should have seen the one I found right next to my bed the other day. It was huge! Make your thumb and first finger meet to make a circle…..that’s how big it was! I sprinkled Borax under my bed, but boy do I wish there was something that would keep them out of my house!! 🙂

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 17, 2013 at 11:25 am

      Try Peppermint oil! It’s reported to be a good spider repellent.

      reply to comment
      • Terrie Giesler says

        August 21, 2017 at 10:01 am

        What will keep rodents out of your house?

        reply to comment
        • Sandy says

          May 31, 2018 at 1:52 am

          Rodents make scent trails with their urine that they use to return to the feast and leave for the benefit of subsequent generations. They can also tunnel into spaces behind walls and slip inside along plumbing. If hiring a rodent control company is not practical, a do-it-yourself project may work, but resolve to pursue relentlessly. To clear an infestation of them them out of the house, first block any holes larger than 3/8′ square (Yes, think teeny, tiny baby mice with bones that flex to squeeze through tiny spaces). Larger holes you don’t want to plug can be covered with 3/8″ hardware cloth. Also block gaps under doors, applying gaskets where necessary. Next clean up any food spills, traces or smears anywhere in the house. Follow this by spraying all walls,ceilings and floors, insides of cupboards, dressers, cabinets, drapes, anywhere rodents can get a grip and climb, with household 4% vinegar solution, one part vinegar too six to ten parts water. The vinegar spray will break down the scent of rodent urine trails. And of course, set traps in the quiet, dark spaces that rodents will tend to travel. Bait with something that won’t fall off and have to be cleaned up. Be persistent, clean up spills immediately, and diligently do a thorough Fall and Spring clean up

          reply to comment
  6. Calle Kabo says

    July 17, 2013 at 9:49 am

    I’m sorry to be the boring one, but do you know if there are any clinical studies that prove that any of these work? Or any other studies? Any theories behind why they work?

    Also, “chemical-free” living? Umm, you do know water is a chemical right? Just as oxygen. Are there no better words for what you mean? Because that type of living seems nice, but chemical-free is just not the right word for it.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 17, 2013 at 11:30 am

      There are numerous studies on http://www.pubmed.gov regarding essential oils and insects. I know they work because when I spray them on my milk cow, the flies don’t land on her. That’s enough proof for me. And I know enough about the commercial pesticide alternatives to know I don’t want them on myself or my animals, as evidenced in this article- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14713564

      My readers know that when I use the term “chemical-free living” I am referring to refraining from the use of things like DEET, Roundup, or other insecticides/herbicides. I also use the term natural living frequently, but sometimes I like to mix it up.

      reply to comment
      • Lisa @ Fresh Eggs Daily says

        July 17, 2013 at 6:20 pm

        Agreed Jill. I have been using various vinegar-based herbal fly sprays on our horses and my ‘evidence’ is, the flies don’t land on them! Great collection of articles here. I am pinning it for future reference.

        reply to comment
        • Jill Winger says

          July 17, 2013 at 7:55 pm

          Thanks for the pin Lisa! 😉

          reply to comment
    • Serdlc says

      April 14, 2017 at 3:26 pm

      I understand Jill perfectly , as probably all the rest here. These aren’t chemicals. These are from plants which Yaweh gave for us to use. Water was created for us to live , also for the plants and animals. Yes. Chemical free if you make your own .

      reply to comment
  7. Christa Upton says

    July 17, 2013 at 10:58 am

    I have a prayer request regarding mosquitoes, if any of you would be inclined to pray for this! 🙂 I would like to pray that whole towns and cities become aware of the problem of mosquito fogging and that they would consider natural methods like these. I do not know how effective “overall” these methods are, but the current use of pesticides fogging over entire cities makes life really hard for those like me who have Toxic Injury/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. My TI/MCS is so bad that I cannot go into fogged cities for days after fogging without getting bad symptoms. Also, it appears that pesticides like these are killing off the honeybee population–not good. Would love prayers for all of this!!!

    reply to comment
    • Olivia says

      October 20, 2016 at 8:27 am

      Sounds great…we need to breath something besides harmful chemicals. We need our bees desperately to be protected. I shall pray for this change with you.

      reply to comment
      • Tammy says

        November 20, 2016 at 12:03 pm

        Me too!

        reply to comment
    • Serdlc says

      April 14, 2017 at 3:31 pm

      I still believe that when they did that phoney mosquito spraying over our county, that the next year and so on, my garden never grew well. Could be a coinsidence but I think not.

      reply to comment
  8. Hilary says

    July 17, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    Thanks so much for including Accidentally Green today!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 17, 2013 at 7:55 pm

      You betcha!

      reply to comment
  9. Meghan @ The Tasty Fork says

    July 17, 2013 at 7:45 pm

    This list would have come in handy a few weeks ago. I was at a lake house and got eaten alive by bugs. I pinned this post for future use!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 17, 2013 at 7:55 pm

      Hope it’s helpful for the future Meghan! 🙂

      reply to comment
  10. CHris says

    July 17, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    These are great. I am using a product called Sweetly Citron I found on Amazon.

    http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Bug-Repellent-Pleasant-Mosquitoes/dp/B00DG63BEC

    It works great and smells good on the skin.

    reply to comment
  11. Chloe Chase says

    July 18, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Great post. I’ve been looking for all natural bug sprays for the summer. Thanks.

    reply to comment
  12. Éowyn says

    July 18, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    Thanks for the additional recipes. Last year I made Four Thieves Vinegar using the herb mix from Bulk Herb Store and it seems to work very well. The nasty no-seeums even seem to stay away. I just need to make enough to spray the animals as well. This year, I added about 40 drops of geranium essential oil to the diluted quart of Four Thieves and I think it is even better. Oh, and it smells wonderful!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 18, 2013 at 3:08 pm

      Yes– good idea on using the vinegar solution- that contains a great blend of insect oils as well!

      reply to comment
    • susan smith says

      August 24, 2013 at 7:05 pm

      could you possibly give me the receipe? I am from ohio and the flys are nasty. my horse is so frustrated. thank you

      reply to comment
      • Éowyn says

        August 24, 2013 at 9:03 pm

        Susan,
        The Four Thieves herbs were purchased already mixed together from the Bulkherbstore.com and then steeped in apple cider vinegar for 2 weeks, strained, garlic added and after 3 more days strained again. The mix is then diluted 1:1 with water. As far as the herbs used, there are various Four Thieves recipes but as I said, I purchased mine already mixed.

        reply to comment
        • Kim says

          November 5, 2016 at 1:05 pm

          Fill a Ziploc sandwich bag half way with water and put a penny in it. Then zip up the bag[s] and hang them wherever you have problems with flies. It works in your home, barn, your animals, their trailers, etc. Anywhere the bags are, it will repel the flies. You just need one bag per problem area and hang it above the entryway.

          There are many speculations as to why it works, but it does. And I will attest to it. I haven’t seen a fly since I first learned this trick 2 years ago.

          Good Luck !!

          reply to comment
  13. Billy says

    July 21, 2013 at 10:52 am

    Anything to cut down the harmful chemicals in our lives…a little at a time. Thanks for the post – I will give some of these recipes a try.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 21, 2013 at 9:53 pm

      You are most welcome Billy- enjoy!

      reply to comment
  14. Kristi Dial says

    July 23, 2013 at 7:31 pm

    I’m hoping someone has a natural alternative to keep fleas and tick off of dogs. I have tried everything and I really do not want to continue using chemicals but I need something that works! Help Please!!!!

    reply to comment
    • Angel Burch says

      August 31, 2013 at 10:00 am

      I have heard you have to be careful with Essential Oils on pets, they can be really sensitive and some I hear can be deadly..Jill???

      reply to comment
      • Jill Winger says

        August 31, 2013 at 4:37 pm

        Yes– I always dilute oils heavily when I use them on my animals– and I never use EOs on cats.

        reply to comment
    • Shanon says

      September 11, 2013 at 9:09 pm

      food grade diatomaceous earth is the best for fleas. It’s a great de-wormer, also. Someone brought me a puppy to rehome and it had gotten bad fleas, ticks, and worms. My dogs got infested as well as my home. Two weeks of ingestion and external application of DE got it all totally under control. No negative side effects.

      reply to comment
      • Kari Jackson says

        April 8, 2018 at 11:44 am

        Dogs can ingest DE? If so,how much?

        reply to comment
  15. kathy says

    July 24, 2013 at 12:35 pm

    hi, just browsed through the bug spray post. i saw the one for flies but that seemed to be an outdoor one. does that repel horrible pesky house flies? is it safe to use indoors? we have a lot of them this year. finally gave up and put up that icky fly paper.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      July 24, 2013 at 2:39 pm

      Yeah… I use the fly paper too. Any of these natural recipes should be just fine for indoor use, though. 🙂

      reply to comment
  16. maddy manley says

    August 7, 2013 at 3:00 pm

    Any one ever heard of what repels kissing bugs, otherwise known as cone nose bugs or assassin bugs…they like to sneak into beds and suck blood …I had skin reaction and had to take benadryl….I hear they are becoming a bigger problem…they come up fro south america and mexico…I am in northern Arizona….they say lavender works….any advice on repelling these nasty things would be so appreciated 🙂

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      August 7, 2013 at 3:31 pm

      Yuck! 🙁 I would imagine that any of the essential oil combos in some of these links would be a good place to start. Lavender, Lemongrass, and Eucalyptus come to mind.

      reply to comment
  17. Angel Burch says

    August 31, 2013 at 9:58 am

    Ok, you can NEVER take this post down! It is bookmarked, copied and printed…(ok, not printed but I might LOL) Thank you for this! We have so many bugs around here I can’t enjoy my yard anymore. Now if you have something that hornets and wasps don’t like, I will love you forever!

    Angel

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      August 31, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      I here ya! The flies are insane this year at our house!

      reply to comment
    • Michelle says

      June 3, 2018 at 3:45 am

      Wasps don’t like peppermint. I found that when I had a wasp bugging me at work. I happened to have a Peppermint Patty handy. I opened that, broke it in two (so the peppermint would smell stronger) and just left it on it’s wrapper near my desk and the only time I saw that wasp again (a week later) it was steering well clear of my desk. I was worried about the chocolate attracting other pests, but I was desperate and nothing new seemed to come around. I’m sure using peppermint EO would be better, but was a great emergency solution.

      reply to comment
  18. Tara says

    September 19, 2013 at 3:37 pm

    I would be thrilled if you could help me figure out what is the best option for me and my toddler to protect against mosquitoes. I have tried a couple of simple mixes of apple cider vinegar + lavender, or ACV/lavender/clove (can’t remember if I added anything else to that one – maybe eucalyptus?). But as soon as I step out the door to our back yard, the mosquitoes find me and attack! And shortly thereafter they start on my 15-month-old. And when they bite me, it’s 4 or 5 bites at a time. I’d like to be able to enjoy being outside with my son and allow him to be outside without being eaten. Since my sprays aren’t working very well, I got to thinking that maybe the issue is that I’m using “bug repellant” oils but maybe they aren’t the best ones specifically suited for *mosquitoes*! So I need something that is effective against mosquitoes but is also safe for breastfeeding moms and toddlers. I’ve never been a fan of citronella, so ideally I’d prefer something besides that. It’s frustrating to have to spray myself to step outside of the house for 5 seconds, but if I have to do that, I’d at least like to smell like something besides citronella. 🙂 I thought that lavender was supposed to work against mosquitoes, but I’m still being bitten. And I thought that even ACV alone could work, but so far I’m not having any success. Is it necessary to mix with witch hazel or oil instead of just diluting in water as I have been doing? I’d appreciate any help you can provide.

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      September 20, 2013 at 10:25 am

      Hey Tara– it really seems to depend on the area. There are 2 essential oil blends that I like in particular for bug stuff- one is the blend, and the other is the blend– . It can be tricky to find just the right solution sometimes!

      reply to comment
  19. Paul Vail says

    November 3, 2013 at 7:22 am

    Jill,

    I’ve been really happy with Bugs at Bay stuff from our local farmers market — as with many of your recipes, it’s natural essential-oil based. I can get it at the Durham Farmers Market here in NC, but the company has a website and their stuff is on Amazon, too.

    reply to comment
  20. Lori says

    March 27, 2014 at 11:27 pm

    OK, now I know that we all need bees and we really don’t want to kill them but since I have been using oils and it’s getting warmer they all want me, or one of my grandkids if I’ve oiled them, they also swarm around the front door, please tell me what to use to make them go where they should, or maybe what I shouldn’t wear so they aren’t attracted to us 2 of my grandchildren have had slight reactions and I really don’t want an emergency on my hands, These guys are handful enough’s, I already raised 6 I wasn’t expecting to have to raise 3 of my kid’s kids. OH well I love it it keeps me young so please help us!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      April 3, 2014 at 1:58 pm

      Hmmm… I’ve never had that happen before–how strange! Usually these oils tend to repel bees. You might try mixing up your formulations to see if there is a particular oil that the bees are being drawn to.

      reply to comment
      • Susan says

        September 5, 2017 at 12:07 pm

        Bees can be drawn to geranium EO.

        reply to comment
      • Sandy says

        May 31, 2018 at 1:57 am

        I would guess they are attracted to honey and possibly beeswax and to flower essences.

        reply to comment
  21. Sebastien says

    June 1, 2014 at 2:29 am

    Hi, thank you for those resources! I could only recommend to add doggies to the critters on which you should refrain using essential oils, etc.
    I think it’s important for people to understand that their sense of smell being that much more developed than ours, to them some experiments might smell and feel like being thrown in a pool of steaming poo… So it’s not just them disliking EO.
    Even worse, their skin won’t take it. In general, my vet always told me to compare doggie dermis to that of a baby. Be cautious, ask your vet before turning your golden retriever into the biggest, most awesome guinea pig your daughter ever had.
    And if you are the lucky parents of a bulldog, forget about it, plus you’re probably already a platinum member at your vet club and you know you can’t mess with the kibble or the grooming/hygiene of booboo…

    reply to comment
    • Rose says

      June 6, 2014 at 10:14 am

      I thought dogs loved rolling in steaming poo…..LOL (kidding, kidding!! **ducking and running**)

      reply to comment
    • Theresa says

      June 24, 2014 at 5:57 pm

      Check out Dr Melissa Shelton’s book of Essential Oils for Animals. I use EOs on my animals: dog, cats, reptiles. Really puts a stop to those nasty Respiratory Infections! Always start with diluted oils and work up to using neat if needed. Palo Santo and Purification Raindrop Technique is good for Fleas on animals.

      reply to comment
    • Becky Sunderman says

      May 30, 2017 at 10:10 am

      I agree to a point with you about using EOs on dogs. A holistic vet told me to do this: open the various bottles of EO’s that you are thinking of using on your dog(s) (I have 4 at present with 1 more coming to live with us in a month), space them out on the floor – maybe 2 feet apart, then bring the dog to each one. The dog will either have no reaction or turn away immediately. DO NOT USE any of the EOs that your dogs turns away from, either topically or internally. The ones that they either have no reaction to, or show a great interest in will be the ones they either need or will accept wthout issue. But ALL EO’s must be highly diluted before using on any dog. Hope this helps. We use fresh cedar shavings in their dog beds, and spray the shavings and the beds with pennyroyal oil, or sprinkle fresh/dried pennyroyal inside their beds. a highly diluted pennyroyal can be sprayed on them (avoid eyes, butts and ‘privates’) for fleas and ticks.

      reply to comment
  22. Rose says

    June 6, 2014 at 10:10 am

    do any of these work for repelling ticks?

    reply to comment
  23. Gloria says

    June 6, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    Any suggestions for someone who is allergic to essential oils? I get a severe skin reaction when using essential oils or fragrances so a lot of stuff is out of the running for me. 🙁 I was using NO BITES! from Heritage Essential Oils but can no longer.

    reply to comment
  24. joanie says

    July 3, 2014 at 10:53 am

    I keep reading all these disclaimers on essential oils about consulting your doctor before use if you are pregnant. Well I am searching for something without chemicals for my horses BECAUSE I am pregnant. Can you offer any insight?

    reply to comment
  25. Mary Ann says

    November 20, 2016 at 8:25 am

    Thanks for all the great recipes to keep bugs away! I looked for one for indoor plants and may have missed it. I have bugs tinier then fruit flies on one plant and I’m not sure what the plant will tolerate.

    reply to comment
  26. Wendy says

    December 1, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    This is an awesome site. I could stay on it all day! But I have to get some work done! I’ll be back!

    reply to comment
    • Jill Winger says

      December 5, 2016 at 8:58 pm

      Hope to see you back Wendy! 🙂

      reply to comment
  27. Edward Eugen says

    February 8, 2017 at 8:17 pm

    Very useful information. We all hate mosquito and fly and we really want to kill them but since I have been using oils and it’s getting warmer they all want me, but I still have no good idea until I find the website topmosquitokiller.com and your blog. You all give me many good ideas about choosing a better mosquito killer. Thanks, very good blog! I will introduce your blog to my friend who are also disturbing by the annoying insects.

    reply to comment
  28. Tina says

    June 15, 2017 at 12:00 am

    I’m a new reader of your website and I’m enjoying it so far as I try to get back into using essential oils more. Since you have a good deal of material for me to look at, I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction. Next year I’m taking a 15-day cruise on what will be a brand new ship; going thru the Panama Canal and I’ll be taking shore excursions in Costa Rica, Columbia, Guatemala, Mexico. Loads of bugs! I’d love to take more natural products with me as an insect repellant. Do you have any recipes on your site which you can point me to? I’d love to put some in spray bottles to carry with me, other than using the chemical sprays and wipes you find on the market. Thanks!

    reply to comment
  29. Karen Osmon says

    June 21, 2017 at 12:03 pm

    Great post! Question for you. Have you heard of no-see-ums? Horrible things and they are eating me alive! Can’t spray anything, not that I want to, because of my sand toads. You may not know but they are highly sensitive to chemicals, as in kills them or causes biological changes. I have already found one that only has one eye and that is not normal. So what can I put on myself to protect from those horrible things? Any idea are welcome!

    reply to comment
    • Pamellia says

      July 23, 2017 at 2:19 am

      Check the CDC website. If you can’t find an answer there, call your county offices and talk to someone who has knowledge of outside pests. If I had one thing to try it would be Lemon Eucalyptus EO. That is recommended by the CDC (along with DEET) for some pest control. I use LE EO in all my recipes for any pesty critters.

      As far as EOs harming the little pets you have, who knows…I think if they are exposed there could be a reaction…but I am no specialist. I just mix up stuff I know will work and then think about my skin and how I want it to feel. Sometimes I might add 15 different EOs…but always Catnip.EO, Citronella EO, and my fav, Lemon Eucalyptus EO. (I am.allergic to Eucalyptus, but not lemon eucalyptus).

      Hate to tell you to experiment with your sweet little favorites, but just jeep track of what you use and when

      Also I would like to add…diffusing the EOs that are effective against those hated summer creatures from hell can add a lovely fragrance to your home and keep bugs away. I diffuse Lemon Eucalyptus, Catnip, Citronella, Citrus, Peppermint in bedrooms each night. Never have any tiny flying demons trying to bite me in the night.

      For mice, spiders and ants I diffuse a strong Peppermint EO large diffuser for about 10 hours every night in the kitchen. So far so good.

      I mix a Peppermint EO with water in spray bottle and spray the screen in my bathroom often. So far no so good.

      Thank for for this article and the informative links!

      Peace be with you, all of you

      reply to comment
  30. broken says

    September 5, 2017 at 12:16 am

    The?e is certainly a lot to learn about this s?bject. I li?e all of th? points you
    have made.

    reply to comment
  31. Jo bright says

    September 21, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    My grandbabies love it outside but mosquitos were a big problem. I won’t put insect repellent on them. My friends mother told me to use dryer sheets. Like snuggles or Downey. She said rub it all over them then tuck the used sheet in the back pocket or diaper. I thought this sounded to good to be true. But I tried it and it really worked. Even for me! No more bites!

    reply to comment
  32. Jaime Scott PHD says

    November 5, 2017 at 8:56 am

    Yes, It’s true. That works perfectly fine..

    The fact of the matter is..

    Most people use commercial products to prevent mosquitoes and other defenses for their safety due to mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Yellow Fever, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) , LaCrosse Encephalitis (LAC), West Nile Virus (WNV).

    But the problem with commercial products can be harmful to the environment or to the children because of the chemicals.

    Instead, they decide to do Natural Mosquito Repellent by planting herbs plants around or inside the house..

    It’s really works. thanks for sharing. 😉

    Jaime Scott PHD
    Health and Wellness Advisor

    reply to comment
  33. Rita says

    April 1, 2018 at 3:56 am

    My husband is currently in Botswana working on a Bible translation into the native tongue. I’d normally avoid DEET at all cost, but I absolutely had to send bug spray, in any formula, in a size the TSA would approve. OFF won.

    reply to comment
  34. Chris Carroll says

    May 14, 2018 at 7:37 pm

    What is the best homemade spray for ants that are in the house. We can’t find the spot where they are coming from. We have 2 indoor cats so I want to avoid commercial sprays. I tried looking through the archives for the answer..lol

    reply to comment
    • Michelle says

      June 3, 2018 at 3:39 am

      Whole bay leaves are a good repellent for ants and safe for cats. We put them down under and near the cat water and food dishes (which is where we usually see the ants first).

      reply to comment
  35. Sandy says

    May 31, 2018 at 2:18 am

    This year we have hordes of mosquitoes. Our hens were pullets last year, and they got pretty good at snatching the biting bugs out of the air, but this yea they are having trouble keeping up. There worst suffering is from mosquitoes biting their legs and feet. They cry out and stamp their feet day and night. I am wondering which EOS and base oils are safe for avians to use topically?

    reply to comment
  36. youngAlfred says

    November 17, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    Hi do you know that you can increase your conversion ratio couple of
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    tool. It is very easy even for noobs, if you are interested simply search in gooogle: pandatsor’s tools

    reply to comment
  37. Lisa says

    May 25, 2019 at 10:10 am

    Lexi’s kitchen no longer has the DIY Mosquito Repellant. It brings up a 404 error page now.

    reply to comment

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Instagram post 2194697319411297321_446098322 I had a blast signing books and meeting some coolest local homestead-folks yesterday! Thanks to everyone who came out!
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(Thanks Suzanne R. for letting me borrow this pic!)

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Instagram post 2193215959588755620_446098322 The homestead lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but if this describes you, you’re in good company. Here’s to us, my friends. ❤️

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Dec 4

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Instagram post 2191644467361186512_446098322 The barn doors are still mostly drifted shut, but thanks to Christian spending 3 hours moving snow with the skid loader, we’re almost dug out from the blizzard over the weekend. If we’re lucky, the drifts might have a chance to melt before the next storm hits. 😬
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In case you missed the drama of the 60+ MPH winds, power outage, and road closures as it was happening a few days ago, there’s a brand new video up on YT with the whole saga.

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Nov 30

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Instagram post 2188713492968650514_446098322 Annnddd, Wyoming is officially closed.
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The roads are all shut down, you can’t get anywhere, even if you want to, and I’m kinda loving it.
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The animals are well-fed and safe (and thankfully we’re not calving…), there’s firewood in the woodbox, homemade candles, roast chicken and pumpkin pie for supper, and a good book for later this evening.
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No complaints here. I live for these days. <3

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Nov 28

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Instagram post 2187242511407579887_446098322 Um, Merry Christmas?! 🦃
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I originally had planned to be hosting dinner & cooking up the 25 lb turkey that’s in my freezer today, but plans changed, so we are headed into town to spend the day with the in-laws instead (if we can get out of the driveway, that is…)
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Enjoy the turkey and pies today, my friends. And hey- thanks for being here. I’m so honored to have you as a part of our online homesteading tribe. You inspire me daily. <3

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Nov 10

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Instagram post 2174305321797915382_446098322 I have a hard time sitting still... even when I have strep throat, can’t swallow, and my head feels like it’s underwater... Which is my current status....
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I’m guessing that going outside in the wind would be less than wise right now (even though I’m tempted), so I’ll just continuing living my life here on the couch... which is where I’ve been since Friday. And I’m not loving it.
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When I finally do get off this couch though? I’m gonna be a wild woman, so watch out world. 😉
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(I’m diving heavily into my essential oil stash right now (melaleuca, On Guard, and Oregano), but I’m also taking penicillin.... because I’m not afraid to mix Eastern and Western medicine when needed... and I need it.) 😜

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Nov 6

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Instagram post 2171347583904102404_446098322 It’s no secret that I’m a milk cow fanatic, but did you know we’ve been building up a herd of grass-fed Hereford beef cattle for the past few years as well?
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It’s part of our plan to take over the world. (Kidding…mostly 😉)
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In all seriousness though, I’ve found that homesteading is REALLY good at pushing you out of your comfort zone, which creates an excellent springboard for all sorts of other crazy dreams and plans.
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What sorts of other big dreams has homesteading inspired in you??
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(And if you want to see us looking like human-marshmallows attempting to preg-check hundreds of cows in freezing temps, it’s all documented in our latest video on YT…)

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Oct 30

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Instagram post 2165729881932070501_446098322 It’s currently 4* outside and there are 2 inches of ice on the stock tank even though the tank heater is on.
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I don’t even know what to say about our weather anymore, so I’ll just be over here making stew and biscuits... 🤷‍♀️
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(This is our second storm in less than a week— the first one hit as we were trying to leave on a road trip— you can see all the chaos that accompanied that on our latest YT video!)

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Oct 21

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Instagram post 2159875995983854626_446098322 Apparently someone left a gate open.

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Oct 16

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Instagram post 2156139089576012515_446098322 Is it weird that I want to use the spent sunflower heads as fall decor in my house? Good. Cause I’m going for it. 😉
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P.S. if you have sunflowers and are wanting to roast the seeds, I just threw up a blog post with all the deets!

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Oct 15

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Instagram post 2155375013048437517_446098322 I’m back to my prairie after spending the weekend at Homesteaders of America conference. Virginia is stunning— I totally understand why so many of you choose to homestead there (although I’ll still never leave the West 🤪).
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I’m still unpacking my thoughts (and my suitcases), but stay tuned for a video later today— I’ll be sharing my biggest takeaways from the last few days. My brain & heart are so full. ❤️

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Oct 3

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Instagram post 2146559158512678282_446098322 Chicken Hack: Running short on roosting space for your flock? Just get a goat. #problemsolved

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Sep 28

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Instagram post 2143176903509473504_446098322 The garden didn’t give us much in the way of pumpkins, winter squash, beans, corn, or cucumbers this year (aka if we were real homesteaders depending on our garden for survival, we’d starve this winter…) but I did somehow manage to accidentally grow a lifetime supply of sunflower seeds, so I guess there’s always that. 😂

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Sep 23

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Instagram post 2139574228628940715_446098322 Dear Cows,
Thank you for making me feel better about being lazy and not using the garden lettuce before it went to seed. At least someone got to enjoy it. 🤷‍♀️
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P.S. I always plant leaf lettuce. I never remember to use it in time. EVERY. STINKIN. YEAR.

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Sep 10

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Instagram post 2130011933020167074_446098322 The cookbook has been out in the world for 5 months now, but I still am blown away every single time I see one of you making one of my recipes. Hearing the stories of how you finally made bread for the first time, or used your cast iron skillet after it collected dust for years, or roasted your first chicken, I feel like a proud mama. 😍
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To celebrate all of you being such kitchen rockstars, I’m doing a GIVEAWAY! TWO lucky winners will get an all-access pass to my Heritage Cooking Crash Course ($97 value). It’s my next-level curriculum for homestead cooks and includes detailed info on sourdough, fermentation, canning, curing meats, and more!
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HOW TO ENTER:
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1. Follow @theprairiehomestead & like this post.
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2. Post a photo of the cookbook (or what you made from it!) on your Instagram (either on your feed or in your stories)
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3. Tag @theprairiehomestead and use #theprairiehomesteadcookbook in the post or stories. This is how I choose the winners! (If your profile is set to private, I may not be able to see your tags)
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The Giveaway will run through Wednesday, September 18th and the winners will be announced here on this post on Friday, September 20th.
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(If you haven’t grabbed your copy of the best-selling Prairie Homestead Cookbook yet, you can find it at your favorite local bookstore or Amazon.)

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Sep 9

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Instagram post 2129365202179949758_446098322 You’ve been lied to, my friends.
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Those big food corporations? They want you to believe that anything made from-scratch is complicated, fussy, and ridiculously time-consuming.
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Except it’s not.
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I made this pie last-minute this morning in the middle of packing for DoTERRA convention trip, homeschooling the kids, and processing 20 lbs of nectarines that should have been dealt with yesterday…
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It’s not because I’m superwoman (because I’m most certainly not—trust me), but it’s just NOT that hard. Really. In less than 25 minutes of hands-on time, I had a from-scratch nectarine pie that I will give to Christian as a peace offering before I leave him home alone with the kids for the next 4 days. 😬
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Don’t believe the lies— you don’t need the frozen pre-made pies or the hydrogenated fat-filled refrigerated pie crusts. You got this.
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Check out my stories for my pie filling recipe and a step by step of how I did the lattice top! (And thanks to @nwcherrygrowers for the delicious fruit!)

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Sep 9

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Instagram post 2128758081725719121_446098322 Just so you know: in the event that one cannot find oxen for a Little House on the Prairie game, a pack goat makes a decent substitute.

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Sep 1

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Instagram post 2123440706877049266_446098322 “Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.” - Cecil Beaton
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I used to think I started homesteading just for the food, but ultimately, this quote beautifully sums up the deeper reason I was drawn to this old-fashioned lifestyle.
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I’ve never been one to go with the flow, to fit into the mold, to play it small and safe, or to do the things I’m “supposed” to do just because everyone else is doing it.
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That journey will look different for each and every one of us. But for me? It means choosing to grow vegetables even when we live in a harsh environment. It means raising our own meat, even though the styrofoam-packages at the store are so much less messy. It means standing in the kitchen canning green beans even though I can buy cans for 89 cents. And it means celebrating sourdough and fermented foods in a world obsessed with fast and convenience.
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How about you??

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Aug 30

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Instagram post 2122108705523667598_446098322 I’ve slowly been becoming more adventurous in using essential oils with my horses. There isn’t a whole lot of information out there about how to use essential oils effectively with livestock, so it can be a bit tricky to figure out what works and what doesn’t. So far, some of my favorites are:
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💐 Lavender for calming, pre-show jitters, muscles/joints, and wound care
🌲 Rosemary for making DIY mane/tail detangler and adding to fly sprays
🍋 Lemongrass for fly sprays and muscles/joints
🌿 Tea tree for wound care, fungus, and fly spray
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Basically, my horse is like a giant walking diffuser whenever I go to a horse show… but let’s just say we both benefit from some oiling up before we run a reining pattern. 😉
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I put together a shopping cart list of my fav horse oils— DM me if you want it!

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Aug 27

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Instagram post 2119990660210695322_446098322 The kids have been mowing through these quick pickles like nobody’s business.
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Little do they know, those might be the only pickles they get this year, considering you need a magnifying glass to find the cucumbers on the plants out in the garden. 🧐
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P.S. I had way too much fun setting up this photo shoot… Striped beets, yellow beans, purple carrots… I ❤️ heirloom veggies.
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Google ‘prairie homestead quick pickles’ for the formula to turn almost any veggie into a pickle— no canning required!
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