All you have to do is mix 1-part lemon eucalyptus oil for every 10 parts sunflower oil or witch hazel. Store in a spray bottle and shake before applying.
Bug Boggle Formula #2
Bugs hate strong, pungent, or overpowering natural scents, with peppermint, citronella, lavender, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil being top contenders, alongside vinegar and certain herbs like basil and rosemary, which disrupt their navigation and sensory systems. While no single scent universally repels all bugs, these strong aromas create an unpleasant environment, making them effective natural deterrents for common pests like mosquitoes, ants, and flies.
Soybean oil and olive oil
Soybean and olive oils slow the evaporation of essential oils once they're on your skin. A mosquito repellent with two-percent soybean oil offers one to four hours of protection against bites. Twenty-percent olive oil solutions have a 71 percent repellency rate for up to eight hours.
Food Helps Drives Many Pests Away
Eliminate any sources of moisture, such as leaky pipes, roofs and clogged gutters. Seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors with a silicone-based caulk. Remove trash often, and keep garbage containers clean and covered. Keep food in airtight containers, and clean up crumbs and spills immediately.
This homemade insecticide can be used as a catch-all as it deters many different types of insect pests. Recipe: Mix together in water some chopped mint, ash, garlic, tobacco, and no more than 1 tablespoon of soap. Steep the concoction for 24 hours, strain, and apply the solution with a watering can or a homemade broom.
For effective bug spray in Australia, look for active ingredients like DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE) (PMD), with brands like Bushman (high DEET options) and Good Riddance (natural/DEET-free) offering strong protection for different needs, while professional barrier sprays (like those with Fipronil) are great for home perimeters. Choose a high concentration for long outings and lower for short ones, remembering DEET can damage plastics.
Japanese people keep mosquitoes away using traditional methods like katori senko (chrysanthemum-based mosquito coils) and modern sprays (DEET/Icaridin), while also employing physical barriers like fine mesh screens and avoiding dark clothing, creating airflow with fans, and using natural repellents like dried citrus peels. A unique tradition involves cute pig-shaped holders for the coils, called kayaributa.
DEET, picaridin, and natural oils like lemon and eucalyptus oil are all very common and safe ingredients found in bug repellent.
PEPPERMINT OIL SPRAY FOR CLEANING THE HOME
Mix one part water with one part white vinegar in a spray bottle. Add 10-20 drops of peppermint to the mix.
Common Household Insect Repellents
When spraying liquid to kill and control bugs, spray with the wind to avoid getting drenched. Spray where dissimilar building materials meet –where siding joins window frames or where brick meets wood trim. Spray areas where utilities enter the structure and around doors and windows.
Just spray WD-40 around the door, along the bricks, and even around the windows, and you'll dramatically reduce the number of ants, spiders, and other small insects making their way inside. It's amazing how a household product can solve such a common problem!
Vinegar is reported as being able to repel ants, mosquitoes, and spiders. In many situations, the impact of vinegar on these pests is short-lived and ineffective, so it is best to contact your Orkin Pro for effective, customized pest control treatments.
DEET is a reliable and highly effective insect repellent. The chemical has been in public use since 1957. The repellent is sold under numerous brand names and comes in lotion, spray and many other forms. Concentrations of DEET range from about 5% all the way up to 100%.
Generally early - mid summer is the worst for mosquitoes. Like May - July. The only thing that keeps them down is very hot temps or a good freeze which can happen in August. Keep in mind though, just because the mosquitoes are gone you will still have white -sox flies which bite.
Mosquito Population by Country 2025
Mosquitoes dislike strong, pungent scents from plants like citronella, lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, catnip, and lemon balm, which mask the human odors they seek, making them difficult to find. These natural repellents work by disrupting their senses, and can be used via essential oils, sprays, or by growing the plants near outdoor spaces.
People stopped using bug zappers because studies show they are ineffective at killing biting mosquitoes, primarily kill beneficial insects like pollinators, harm local ecosystems, and can even attract more mosquitoes to an area by luring them with UV light before they find the human-specific CO2, creating a false sense of security while spraying bug parts. More effective alternatives, like repellents, fans, and CO2 traps, offer better pest control without the environmental drawbacks.
The Best DIY Natural Bug Spray Recipe
A pesticide is any mixture used to kill, destroy, repel, or mitigate a pest. Pesticide mixtures of household ingredients like dish soap, garlic, and vinegar (Figure 1) may seem harmless and safer than storebought formulated pesticides, but they can actually pose unrealized risks.
Baking soda is often used as an alternative pest control solution for pests such as cockroaches, bed bugs or ants. But the reality is that baking soda for pest control is not effective. Baking soda does not dehydrate insects or cut them despite claims to the contrary.