DIY Natural Bug Repellent Candles
An Easy and Natural way to keep bugs away from your outdoor spaces!
Hello, friends! Today I’m joining a group of talented bloggers for another DIY Challenge which is hosted by Terrie, from Decorate and More with Tip! This month we are sharing all things summer! So don’t forget to check out the links at the bottom of the post for all kinds of summer inspiration!
If you are stopping over from Terrie’s, Welcome! Don’t you just LOVE her adorable welcome sign?! It just shouts ‘Hello, summer!”
Speaking of summer- I have to say it is definitely one of my favorite seasons here in rural Minnesota. It’s a time when the entire countryside and all the landscapes are plush and green. Flowers are in full bloom. Gardens are bountiful. New babies are arriving on the farms nearby. And everyone-I mean EVERYONE is outdoors doing something!
Oh yes, and summer is also the time that every insect known to man arrives on our front porch!
Okay, so maybe that last one isn’t one of the reasons why I LOVE summer. In fact, if I’m honest, it was actually one of the things I HATED about summer. That and all the nasty sprays and chemicals we had to use just so we could sit and enjoy our front porch or back deck on those nice summer evenings.
That is until a few years ago when I did some research online and found out that there are actually ‘natural’ ways to keep those bugs away!
Today I’m going to share a few of those, starting with these DIY Natural Bug Repellent Candles!
These DIY candles are SUPER easy to put together and all you need are 6 items to make them!
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Lemons
Rosemary (Fresh)
Jars(I use 8 oz jelly jars)
Water
Now that we have all of our ingredients, let’s put these pretty but powerful candles together!
Start by first slicing your lemons.
I like to make the slices pretty thick so they hold up. You’ll also need to make sure they are cut to size to fit in your jars. If the slices are too big just cut them in half.
Since my jars are only 8 oz, two slices of lemon is plenty.
Add a Sprig of Rosemary
Pour 15 drops of essential oil
Fill jars one inch from the top with water and add the candle
That’s it! Now you not only have pretty candles to set in your outdoor space, but you also have an all-natural way to keep those pesky bugs away!
Here is the full recipe!
DIY Bug Repellent Candles
An easy all-natural bug repellent
Ingredients
- 2 lemons sliced thick
- 4 sprigs fresh Rosemary
- 1 15 ml bottle lemon essential oil
- 4 floating candles
- 4 cups water **Or enough to fill 4 jars one inch from the top
- 4 8 oz jars
Instructions
-
Place 2 slices of lemon into the bottom of each jar. Add one sprig of rosemary to each jar. Drop 15 drops of lemon essential oil into each jar. Fill the jars with water until one inch from the top. Place the candle on top of the water to float. **Put candles outdoors near seating areas. Light the candles and enjoy a bug-free zone. **CAUTION never leave candles unattended.
Can you use other essential oils besides lemon?
Absolutely! I am, of course, a lemon fanatic, which is why I use it in my candles. But you could certainly use these other scents. Bugs dislike them too!
Peppermint
Citronella
(All will require about 15 drops).
What can I substitute for floating candles?
Tea lights work great too!
I usually make around 10 Bug Repellent Candles every summer. I start putting them out in early June when the gnats arrive. We get them pretty bad here because there are a lot of trees and brush in our neighborhood. These candles also work really well for mosquitoes too, which come in late June and stick around until the first frost.
There is a bit of maintenance with these bug repellant candles, but no more work than what it took to originally make them.
- Change out the candle when it burns down
- Freshen up the lemon and rosemary as needed
- Add more water as it dissipates. (Just make sure to add more essential oil too!)
What are some other natural elements to keep bugs away?
Besides Rosemary, bugs dislike the scent of several other herbs. One is definitely basil! You could substitute the rosemary in the jar candles with basil, or, pot a basil plant (I have both basil and lemon basil) and place it on your deck or porch. You’ll have fresh basil all summer long AND you’ll keep the bugs away. Other options are:
Lavender ( I have several plants in both the front and back of our home)
Mint
Chives
And flowers such as Marigolds, Petunias, Geraniums, and Chrysanthemums.
Yes, summer is an amazing time of year for fun activities, family gatherings, back yard barbecues and so much more! And no one wants to have those fun plans ruined by a swarm of nasty gnats or mosquitoes! Right?! But, if you’re like me you don’t want to spray all those smelly chemicals on yourself or your family either!
I hope I’ve given you some other ‘healthier’ and ‘natural’ ways to keep the bugs away this summer!
What are some of your favorites?
Don’t forget to check out all of the amazing summer inspiration in the links below! Next up is Chloe from Celebrate and Decorate! She has a fun summer wreath you don’t want to miss!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Stay Well!
DECORATEANDMOREWITHTIP | PALLETANDPANTRY | CELBRATEANDDECORATE | CLOCHESANDLAVENDER
B4ANDAFTERS | AVINTAGEFLAREFARMHOUSE | BLESSINGSBYME | PAULASHANDMADESPACE
THEHOUSEHOUSE | PATINAANDPAINT | DIYVIBES | BLUESKYATHOME
Wow. These look amazing. Even though we have a screened in lanai around our pool area, mosquitoes still manage to get in. I will definitely be giving these a try.
What a great idea! Love using the natural oils rather than a chemical. Plus, they look great too!
Love this idea – so cute and I am sure they smell great!
Shelley
This are great for getting rid of mosquitoes but they are very pretty to Christine!
Have a great 4th!
Cindy
Another fun challenge! Thank you so much, Cindy! Happy Fourth to you and yours too!
Thank you so much, Shelley! And yes, they smell absolutely DIVINE!
Thank you so much, Tammy! I love essential oils so much better!
Thank you so much, Jodi! And yes, these would be perfect on your lanai too! Enjoy!
This is perfect! I love the recipe and the smell has to be amazing. One thing I have to remember is some of our friends have allergies so the bug repellents out there have too much perfumes and things added. This would be perfect to have outside while our friends when visiting. Thank you so much.
I love your herb garden. You must have a green thumb along with a pretty amazing wooden cooking spoon.
I absolutely LOVE these bug repellent candles! I mean, gorgeous and functional. They look so high class, pinning for next time we entertain outside.
Thank you so much, my sweet friend! I always love your challenges and this one, as usual, was a fun one! You ladies are so talented! As for my green thumb? It’s more luck than anything else! LOL! Thanks again for hosting, Terrie!
Thank you so much, Pamela! I really love how pretty they look in our outdoor space but the best part is, they work! YIPPEE! Thanks for the share!
I love this idea!! I love anything natural without all those crazy chemicals. And I also love to sit on my back porch, but the bugs eat me up! I’m definitely going to be making some of these!
This is a fantastic idea and they are so stylish! I actually have a rosemary plant so perfect!! I love all of your pretty plants. I just killed my 3rd lavender plant! No clue what I’m doing wrong.
Christine, I love this idea. It’s not only practical, but very pretty. Easy to do too. So nice to meet you.
Thank you so much, Carol! Yes, the candles are SO easy to put together and they really do add some ‘pretty’ to any outdoor space! 🙂 I do enjoy these challenges because you all are so inspiring and talented!
Thank you so much, Danya! I LOVE the smell of rosemary so it’s always my first choice! As for the lavender? It’s a picky plant for sure. I use to have problems with lavender too ( I think I watered them too much) and then one day I just planted them in full sun and left them alone. They thrived like never before. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!
Thank you so much, Michelle! I love all-natural too whenever I can get it! I hope you enjoy the candles as much as we do! I hope you and yours have a Happy 4th!
I love this idea! We spend a lot outside in the summer so I will have to try this.
So simple and elegant– whoever thought those words could describe bug repellent candles! Very pretty and so useful = perfect.
Liberty
I bet these smell absolutely wonderful! Way better than nasty bug spray! I am the one who gets bit the minute I step out on my porch in Florida, I can see these are going to grace my tables soon! Great idea!
Thank you so much, Chloe! And yes, they do smell amazing! Like you, I’m usually the first one to get bit, but not anymore! I hope you enjoy the candles!
Thank you so much, Liberty! They are indeed a LOT prettier than that yucky bug spray I used to use! LOL! And actually work better too!
Thank you so much, Paula! We do too and these candles make it so much more enjoyable! I hope you they help you too!
I need this so bad Christine! This is another project I’m immediately forwarding to all my family members. We’ve been trying to spend a lot of time outside but the bugs have been kind of bananas. They are definitely messing up our jam so I can’t wait to try this! Thank you for sharing this fabulous solution! Hugs, CoCo
Thank you so much, my friend! The bugs are so bad this year and I’m SO grateful for these candles and other natural repellents! I just hate those nasty sprays! I hope your family finds relief with them! Thank you for sharing!
Great post! I love this idea
Thank you so much, Maria!