Essential Oils for Bug Bites
How to Repel Bugs with Aromatherapy
I'm going to share some simple remedies that will alleviate the itching and swelling of bites and stings. I'm also including some natural insect repellent recipes that will keep the bugs away while keeping you safe from the toxins and harmful chemicals in most commercial insect repellents.
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For a quick fix just add one drop of lavender or tea tree to an insect bite. Lavender and tea tree essential oils can be applied directly to the area of irritated skin without being diluted. Some other essential oils that do need to be diluted before application to bites include basil, eucalyptus, lemongrass, lemon, patchouli, bergamot, and chamomile. For bee and wasp stings you should make sure that the stinger is no longer in the skin before applying essential oils
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Bugs rely on their sense of smell to guide them to and from places. We can benefit from this by utilizing essential oils that repel bugs. While many commercial products are harmful to us and to the environment, essential oils are considered to be a relatively safe repellent.
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- To repel mosquitoes you can use basil, cedarwood, citronella, geranium, juniper and rosemary.
- To repel houseflies use citronella, geranium and juniper.
- To repel fleas use cajeput and lemon
- To repel ants use all varieties of mint.A
You can use these oils as a repellent by applying them directly to the skin with the recipe below or you can simply put a few drops on your clothes, shoes, or anywhere else you want to keep bug-free.
Bugs-Away Skin Oil Recipe
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (we recommend soybean oil)
5 drops cedarwood essential oil
4 drops lemon essential oil
2 drops geranium essential oil
1 drop citronella essential oil
Mix these together in a plastic bottle and apply to skin to stay bug-free!
Having other bug or pest problems? Check out our natural pest repellents