Effective Kid-Safe Bug Repellent: DIY Insect Spray Recipe

Effective Kid-Safe Bug Repellent: DIY Insect Spray Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
Summer fun can quickly be ruined by bugs, and no one wants that. Especially with little ones eager to be outside more than inside, finding a safe and effective bug repellent is essential. The good news? You don't need to rely on store-bought sprays that might not be safe for children. Below, you'll find a fantastic bug repellent recipe that's kid-safe and easy to make at home.
Why Choose DIY Bug Repellent?
Many commercial insect repellents, including popular brands like OFF, are not recommended for young children due to their harsh chemicals. However, it's still crucial to protect your family from the annoying and potentially harmful bites of mosquitoes, flies, and gnats.
I discovered a great bug spray that was effective, even against those pesky no-see-um bugs, and safe for all ages. Unfortunately, it went out of stock right in the middle of summer, and I was almost out after using the same bottle for a year! That’s when I turned to DIY recipes for a solution that I could trust.
The Perfect DIY Kid-Safe Bug Repellent
This DIY bug spray has become a staple in our home. We use it every time my little girl goes outside. Just a quick spray on her arms and legs before stepping out, and she’s good to go. The results? Whenever she goes outside without it, she comes back with at least one bite. But with the spray, no more mosquito, fly, or gnat bites! It's a win for all of us, including our pets.
I've even started using this spray on our two dogs' ears to keep the flies away. My poor Australian Shepherd/Border Collie mix has ears that flies love to burrow into, but this spray has worked wonders for them too!
DIY Insect Spray Recipe
To make your own kid-safe bug repellent, you'll need a 4 oz glass spray bottle and the following ingredients:
Keep Off Me Bug Spray Ingredients


Instructions:
  1. Combine the essential oils in the glass spray bottle.
  2. Add the Witch Hazel and water.
  3. Shake well before each use.
Now, you and your family can enjoy bug-free fun days ahead without worrying about toxic chemicals. This DIY insect spray is not only safe and non-toxic, but it’s also affordable and effective. 
Creating your own bug repellent doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. With just a few simple ingredients, you can protect your family and pets from annoying bug bites. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what’s in your bug spray and rest easy knowing it’s safe for everyone.
For those who prefer not to DIY, you can purchase a similar kid-safe bug spray here.
Embrace the joys of summer with your loved ones, free from the hassle of bugs, and enjoy every moment outdoors!
 
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DIY - Flea & Tick be Gone

DIY - Flea & Tick be Gone

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with no additional cost to you.

Let's talk about the nasties with pets, fleas and ticks. Typically I have given our dogs bravecto or frontline. The ticks are nasty around our house, and the flies eat the dog’s ears raw every summer. The dogs try to hide from the flies and are constantly scratching at their ears. I’ve tried baby oil on their ears in the past and even sprayed them with the horse’s fly spray to give them some relief. The baby oil worked the best, as long as it was wet, but as soon as it was dry the flies were back. My daughter loves to hang out with the dogs and loves them, but I realized I don’t want to apply anything to dogs that I don’t want her to get on her.  Which meant I needed a new dog pest control plan.

We already use fly predators for the stable flies, which helps immensely for the horses. I also plan on getting guineas and other birds this summer to further take care of bugs around our house, without having to apply chemicals. My kids love to be outside, so I don’t want to have to worry about what has been applied to the yard that they will be running barefoot through.

This year I decided to try something different. Something that would hopefully prevent the problem from ever starting. I went searching and found spray for the pesky flies, that like to eat the dog’s ears, and a dropper for the fleas and ticks. The dropper I applied it like you would frontline, down their back, starting at the end of April. I did a slow jumpstart of sorts for both dogs, applying it every couple days for a week, then once a week, then once a month (I’ll adjust if needed as the summer progresses). So far the dropper has been working to keep the ticks at bay and I really haven’t noticed the flies yet. The best part is it doesn’t matter if my two little kids are climbing and petting the dogs right after, because any of these oils are safe for my kids when they are pure.

Spray                            Dropper

4 oz Bottle                       2 oz Dropper bottle

4 drops Purification      9 drops Palo Santo

4 drops Citronella         6 drops Peppermint

1 drops Cedarwood      6 drops Citronella

2 drops Palo Santo        

1 drop Thyme               

Top with water and gently shake before each use. 

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DIY Insect Repellent

DIY Insect Repellent

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with no additional cost to you.

Summer fun is quickly ruined by bugs and no one wants that. Read all the way to the bottom for a fantastic bug repelling recipe. But with little ones who want to be outside more than inside, what do you use? The OFF says not for children. How do you keep having fun without the bug bits? I found a great one that worked, even on the pesky no-see-um bugs, that was safe for all ages! If you're not much for DIYs you can purchase that bug spray here.

The insect repellant was perfect, then in the middle of the summer it went out of stock! To make it worse, I was almost out after using the same bottle for a year! NOOOOO, now what?!? So I started looking for recipes I could make that were kid safe and I could make myself.

We started using the new spray whenever my little girl would go outside, just a quick spray down her arms and legs as she went out the door. The results? Whenever she would slip out without the spray, she would come back with at least one bite. She then started asking for it whenever we went outside. No more mosquitos, or flies, or gnats! Win! The next spring she was swinging with Grandma and informed me she needed to be sprayed because the flies were bothering her.

I also started using this on our 2 dogs ears to keep the flies from eating on them. My poor Australian Shepherd/Border Collie has ears the flies love to burrow into. It worked on them too! You will need a 4 oz glass spray bottle for this recipe.

Keep off Me Bug Spray

  • 5 drops of each
    1. Purification
    2. Peppermint
    3. Citronella
    4. Lemongrass
    5. Eucalyptus Radiata
    6. Thieves
  • 2 oz Witch Hazel
  • 2 oz Water
  • Shake before each use
Now off to enjoy the bug FREE fun days ahead!

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