Insect repellents: safe recipes you can make at home
Looking for simple, safe solutions against mosquitoes, midges, flies or moths? Below you’ll find tried-and-tested recipes you can easily make at home using our ingredients. Solid balms, spray, candles, reed diffusers and wardrobe tablets – with clear ratios, quick instructions and safety notes.
Scents that most often help to repel insects: citronella, eucalyptus (including lemon eucalyptus), lavender, geranium. In our online store you’ll find essential oils and waxes, as well as diffuser bases, bottles and other accessories. Check out our range and the recipes below!
Room and textile spray
Easy to use at home – you can spray it on curtains, fabrics, window and door frames, and other places where insects usually appear.
Recipe for a 100 ml bottle:
- MMB diffuser and spray base — 95 ml
- Essential oil blend — 5 ml (for example, citronella 2 ml + lavender 1,5 ml + geranium 1,5 ml; of course you can experiment with the ratios)
- Spray bottle (we also offer diffuser bottles; you can choose a spray bottle that matches the volume)
Preparation:
Mix the full amount of MMB base with the essential oil blend directly in your chosen bottle, then shake well – it’s ready to use against insects indoors.
Use and safety
Spray into the air or onto textiles from a distance of 30–40 cm. Do NOT use on skin, face, food or children’s toys. Remember to air the room and keep the product away from flames and heat sources.
Outdoor citronella candle
You can often buy such a candle in shops, but a homemade citronella candle is often safer and more effective, especially against mosquitoes.
Recipe for a 220 ml candle in a container:
- Soy wax — 190 g
- Essential oil blend — 10 g:
- citronella 6 g + eucalyptus 2 g + lavender 2 g
- For candle wax, we recommend using essential oils at 1–5% — stay within this range
- Wick and 220 ml candle container
Preparation:
- Melt the wax until completely liquid with no residue, then let it cool down to the pouring temperature specified by the manufacturer.
- Once cooled, pour the essential oil blend into the wax and stir.
- Glue the wick to the bottom of your chosen container and pour in the wax.
- Leave to set and cure for 24–48 hours.
Use:
The first time you burn the candle, let it burn for at least 2–3 hours so that an even top forms without a tunnel. Essential oils are not recommended for use with stearin/paraffin. It is best to use natural waxes (soy and others), which are more suitable.
Wax tablets against moths
You can place the moth tablets in a wardrobe, drawer, bag and even in food cupboards – wherever they usually appear. The scent of the tablets will keep moths away from your belongings!
Recipe for 6 tablets (30–35 g):
- Beeswax — 100 g
- Soy wax — 50 g
- Essential oil blend — 7,5–10 g (5–6,5%) (we recommend using lavender essential oil)
- Silicone mould
Preparation:
- Over medium heat, melt the beeswax and soy wax.
- Remove from the heat and stir the essential oil blend into the wax.
- Pour the mixture into a silicone mould of your choice (for example, an ice cube tray).
- If you want to hang the tablets, you can place a small loop of string into each cavity.
- Leave to cool for a full day, i.e. 24 hours.
Use:
Hang or place 1–2 tablets in a wardrobe. Not intended for use on skin. If after some time you no longer notice the scent, you can refresh it – gently warm the surface and add a few drops of essential oil on top.
Terrace diffuser
A diffuser is the simplest solution against insects: you just make it, set it down, and it does its job by itself.
Recipe for a 250 ml bottle:
- 160 ml Augeo base or MMB base
- 40 ml essential oil blend (citronella + lavender + geranium)
- 250 ml bottle (diffuser set)
Preparation:
- In a separate vessel, mix your chosen essential oils. You can decide the amount of each oil yourself, but do not exceed 40 ml in total.
- Pour the base (Augeo/MMB) into a container, then add your essential oil blend and stir for 30–60 seconds until uniform.
- Fill the 250 ml bottle with the mixture, leaving 1–2 cm from the top.
- For 250 ml you need 3–5 diffuser reeds. During the first 12 hours the fragrance will be milder, because the reeds are slowly absorbing the liquid.
- After 24 hours, turn the reeds upside down to activate the scent. After that, you can flip them every 5–7 days or whenever you no longer notice the smell.
Use:
Insert the reeds properly and place the diffuser away from direct sunlight, radiators and draughts. After 4–6 weeks, replace the reeds with new ones. The more reeds and the higher the fragrance percentage, the faster it will evaporate.
Solid pocket balm for skin (against insects)
Easy to carry with you; apply to wrists, ankles, and outer areas of arms and shoulders.
Recipe for approx. 100 g:
- Beeswax — 30 g (for structure)
- Shea butter — 35 g (for moisturising)
- Coconut oil — 34 g (for softness)
- Essential oil blend — 1 g in total (0,5–1% of the mass): citronella 0,4 g + eucalyptus 0,3 g + lavender 0,3 g (you can slightly adjust the ratios)
Preparation:
- In a water bath, melt the beeswax until it is fully liquid with no solid bits left.
- Once the wax has melted, add the shea butter and coconut oil – stir over medium heat until the mixture is uniform.
- Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly (so it is no longer boiling hot), then add the essential oil blend and stir.
- Pour into metal/plastic balm tins or tubes and leave to set.
Use:
Apply a thin layer to the skin areas you need, avoiding the eye, nose and mouth area.
Important! On skin, use only essential oils, not fragrance oils (fragrance oils are intended for candles/diffusers and are not suitable for skin)!
Note about citronella: it can irritate the skin — before using, make sure it is safe for you, keep it away from eyes, do not use on children’s skin or on pets.
Now you have a full anti-insect recipe set at hand – from balm and spray to candles and a diffuser.
Choose the format that suits your room, wardrobe or outdoor area best, and adjust the scent exactly to your taste!
If you use our ingredients and follow the safety notes, the result will be both pleasant and safe to use.
Remember, essential oils are concentrated – follow the percentages, do not use on children’s skin and keep away from open flame.
Candles and diffusers need good ventilation, and use a coaster under containers.
Safety first, fragrance second!