Mason Jar Luminaries: Homemade Bug Repellent

Are you one of those “lucky” individuals who loves spending time outside but is a 5 star feast for mosquitoes? Yep, me too. It’s horrible! Being sucked dry every time you set one toe outside kind of puts a damper on summer, in my opinion. The remedies for this problem are just about as bad as the problem itself. You can coat yourself with sticky bug spray that smells like a vat of chemicals or hover near a citronella candle that lets off weird black smoke and also smells like unpronounceable ingredients. This year, I was determined to find a better alternative, and I did, in the form of homemade bug repellent.

I’ve been experimenting with essential oil recipes for a while now and have managed to make everything from homemade beauty products to homemade cleaning products… so I thought “why not homemade bug repellent?”

This homemade bug repellent is pretty awesome. It’s super fast and easy to make. In fact, I’m pretty sure if I timed you you could make this homemade bug repellent in under 5 minutes. I also like that the only “heavy” equipment it requires is a knife to slice up the fruit and a measuring cup. You aren’t going to dirty half your kitchen or have to figure out how to work that food processor you only use once a year to make this homemade bug repellent. 😉

In addition to its simplicity, this homemade bug repellent rocks because it’s not filled with chemicals whose names contain two-thirds of the alphabet. Being able to pronounce (and spell) all of the ingredients in a recipe are big pluses in my book, how about you?

Lastly, this homemade bug repellent is kind of pretty. You’ve got a clear Mason jar, with pops of yellow (lemon) and green (lime) floating around in it. It’s the perfect decoration for summer. This homemade bug repellent looks so much like well, not bug repellent that I think you could easily use it as a centerpiece at a picnic or garden party without feeling like it wrecks the setting.

Personally, the next time my family and I get invited to some kind of picnic or outdoor gathering, I’m going to volunteer to bring some of this homemade bug repellent as our contribution. It may not initially be as popular as say rainbow fudge, but I know people (and their waistlines) will come to appreciate this homemade bug repellent a lot!

Making a homemade bug repellent was way easier than I thought it would be, so I’m a little bummed out that I never tried it sooner! You will be too… so don’t wait. Make this homemade bug repellent today! 🙂

And, if this homemade bug repellent Mason jar project makes you crave other Mason jar crafts and recipes, I’ve got you covered:

R2-D2 Mason Jar Piggy Bank
25 Mason Jar Cookie Recipes
18 Mason Jar Gift Recipes with Free Printable Gift Tags
25 Holiday Gifts in a Jar
Mason Jar Crafts, Gifts & Recipes– Pinterest board
DIY Fun – Pinterest board

MATERIALS

2-8 oz Mason jars
1-16 oz Mason jar
40 drops rosemary essential oil
1 lemon
2 key limes or 1 lime
8 fresh rosemary sprigs
3 tea light candles
32 oz water

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice lime(s) and lemon.

2. Place 3-4 slices of lime and lemon in each Mason jar.

3. Place 4 rosemary sprigs in the large jar and 2 in each smaller jar.

4. Fill a measuring cup with 32 oz of water, add 40 drops of rosemary essential oil, and stir.

5. Pour water into Mason jars.

6. Take tea lights out of the silver containers and place them on top of the water.

7. Light candles, place the jars outside around the area you’re using, and watch your homemade bug repellent work wonders!

Do you like to use homemade beauty products and homemade cleaners? I love the ability to make products to use in my home that are all natural and safe which is why I am a big fan of essential oils. Young Living essential oils are my favorite oils because they are some of the best essential oils on the market. I also appreciate that Young Living guarantees no pesticides or herbicides were used in the growing of their oils, and that they are the only company that has their own farms, so they can ensure the quality of their oils.