How to Use and Make DIY Fly Repellent with Essential Oils

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Flies are disgusting creatures that carry a wide variety of germs and diseases, and they can be just as annoying outside as they are inside the house. They don’t care where they land, what they touch, or what they eat, which is why they transfer awful things from place to place, human to human. If you are dealing with flies problem, before reaching to chemicals, try some DIY fly repellents that you can make at your home. 

Dealing with flies is extremely important because other than being annoying, flies are also dangerous.

Some of the diseases they can transfer to humans are:

Typhoid Fever

This infectious disease can be serious, and in some cases, deadly. Symptoms usually include high fevers and dysentery, and it is caused by contact with feces or contaminated water.

So, the fly lands on the feces then land on your tasty cheese sandwich, and before you know it you are in hospital.

Dysentery

Many people confuse dysentery with diarrhea, but they’re not actually the same thing. Dysentery is more serious, and inflammation of the intestines can cause diarrhea with bleeding.

It is a bacterial infection and it can be deadly in some cases. Like Typhoid, it is transferred through contaminated food and water, from flies which carry the bacteria on their bodies or in their gut.

Cholera

This isn’t so common in many western countries including America, but it is prevalent in countries such as Southeast Asia and Africa.

It often results in death, and the risks are intensified if you are eating foods from street stalls in countries where sanitation isn’t as good as it should be. House flies are known to spread cholera by contaminating food and water sources.

Poliomyelitis

This disease has been seriously reduced or eradicated in some countries, but it can still be transmitted by flies to those who haven’t been vaccinated.

Poliomyelitis, commonly called polio, affects the brain, spine, and soft tissues, and it can have life-long effects on those infected with it. Flies, who love to feed on feces, then transfer the disease to drinking water, leading to infection.

How to Get Rid of Flies Outdoors

Although it can be easier to control flies inside the house, it can be a little more complicated when trying to get rid of them while you are outside, especially during the summer months when they are much more prolific. There’s nothing worse than enjoying the beautiful sunshine with a cold drink and a snack and a fly comes and lands on your food.

So how do you get rid of these pests safely and naturally without the use of chemicals?

DIY Fly Repellent for Your Patio Table

lavender oil

This is a really easy method of making your own essential oil fly repellent that you can place on your outdoor table.

You will need the following items:

  • Small tin with a lid
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 100 drops of essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons of witch hazel or vodka
  • Dish sponge or a clean piece of cloth

For this method, you can either use 100 drops of one essential oil or make your own blend using more than one. The best oils to use are:

  • Citronella oil
  • Lavender oil
  • Peppermint oil
  • Eucalyptus oil

These are easily and readily found in health food stores or online stores, and because you need quite a few drops, it may be more cost-effective to order the oil in bulk. To make the fly repellent, you need a carrier oil, which is why you need vegetable oil.

Firstly, combine your choice of essential oil with witch hazel or vodka and vegetable oil. Using the witch hazel or vodka and the vegetable oil will dilute the essential oils which will stop them from evaporating too quickly, and will also enable better diffusion of the scent into the air.

Take the dish sponge or cloth and saturate it with the oil mixture, then place it into the tin. Pour the rest of the oil mixture into the tin so that the sponge or cloth is totally saturated. Put the lid on the tin and leave it to sit for 24 hours. Make sure you wear gloves when you are handling the sponge or cloth.

When you are ready to use the repellent, simply place it on the table and take off the lid. If you are planning a larger outdoor gathering, you can make several of these and put them around the tables to ensure nobody gets bothered by flies. After every few uses, the strength of the oils weakens so it will need to be either replenished with a few more drops of the essential oils or you will have to make a new batch.

Natural Fly Spray

mint

This is a fly spray that is safe for you to apply to your own body. When you first spray it on the smell will be fairly strong, but as it is exposed to the air and dries, the smell will fade. Here’s what you need:

  • 30-50 drops of essential oil
  • ½ cup of witch hazel
  • ½ cup of apple cider vinegar

Similar to the other fly repellent method you can use either one type of essential oil or a blend. The best essential oils to use in this fly spray are:

  • Citronella
  • Lemongrass
  • Clove
  • Tea tree
  • Rosemary
  • Cedar
  • Lavender
  • Catnip
  • Cajuput
  • Mint
  • Lavender

Combine all of the ingredients into a clean spray bottle. You can either purchase a new bottle or thoroughly clean out an old one with soapy water. Then simply spray it onto your body after shaking the bottle. It needs to dry fully, and if you need to you can reapply it as the day goes on. Make sure not to spray it into your mouth or eyes!

You may also be able to spray it onto your clothing but test a little patch first to make sure it won’t alter the color of the material. It’s a good idea not to spray it on children or your pets, especially if you have a cat and you are using tea tree oil as it is toxic to them.

Fly Repellent Oil Rub

If you don’t want to use a spray, a good alternative is to use an essential oil rub on your skin to keep the flies away. Here’s what you need:

  • 12 drops of essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil

This is really simple to do. Just mix the essential oil and the vegetable or olive oil together then rub it into the main pulse points, especially your neck and wrists. You don’t need to use a lot of the mixture, just a small amount will go far. You can then store the rest in a sealable container so you can use it again.

One of the best oils to use is a mint essential oil, such as peppermint, spearmint, or catnip. Not only will they keep the flies at bay, you will also smell wonderful. Another effective oil is basil oil. Its strong smell will not only prevent flies from coming near you but several other insects as well.

It’s important to remember that you should never apply essential oils directly to your skin without diluting them first. This is why carrier oil is so important.

Top Tips for Preventing Flies

marigold in garden

The methods mentioned above are fantastic at getting rid of flies hanging around you, but there are a number of things you can do to prevent the flies from invading your outdoor space in the first place.

Some of these include:

  • Remove water that is stagnant – this includes pet water bowls and birdbaths. Change them regularly.
  • Plant marigolds in your garden – they are a natural bug repellent.
  • Mint is an easy herb to grow and it repels many insects including flies.
  • Pennyroyal is another mint that flies detest – but don’t use it directly on your skin because it can cause an irritation.

Another Way to Use Essential Oils

If you want to boost the effectiveness of your essential oil fly repellant, there is something you can do that involves the use of candles.

Simply place a candle on your table, or if it’s a large table, one at each end, and as the wax starts to melt sprinkle a few drops of essential oil onto it. As the candle burns the scent will spread into the air.

Conclusion

Essential oils are generally harmless, but there are a few things you need to be aware of if you choose to use them, as some can cause problems if they are ingested especially pennyroyal. Therefore, always keep your containers out of the reach of children, just to be safe. Always check the labels of any oils you want to purchase.

Herbal remedies using essential oils can have a range of successes, and a lot of it will depend on the location and the environment. Sometimes you may find you have to experiment a bit with different oils to find one that works the best for you. Citronella is one of the best you can use, and it is highly successful in keeping mosquitoes away as well.

Even if it takes a bit of trial and error to find the right essential oil that works for you, it is well worth the effort.