Keep those bugs away, the natural way!
We are health conscious. We eat healthy, grow much of our own organic food, exercise, and love to spend time outdoors. We also try our best to not put any toxic chemicals in/on our bodies, although sometimes this is a much more difficult task than it should be. Many of us lurk around the health food aisles, looking for natural alternatives to every chemical filled product that is marketed to us; Our food, drinks, vitamins, shampoos, baby products, deodorant, sun block... it's much more difficult to find chemical free versions of these products than it is to find their chemical filled counterparts.
Bug Spray is no different, and in fact this has been a huge up hill battle for many small Canadian companies. If you haven't noticed, it's almost impossible to find natural alternatives to the DEET based products out on the market. It is not legal for a company to sell a natural, deet free, bug repellent in Canada unless it has been approved by Health Canada. Sounds fair, I know; All products SHOULD be tested to ensure they are safe and that they work, no problem, a couple of small clinical trials and independent studies should suffice right? Well no, sadly it's not that simple. Health Canada has a very long and arduous approval process. This process can take up to 10 years and can end up being incredibly expensive! So while some larger companies manage to expedite their products through, many of the little guys can't even afford to get the paperwork started.
If you'd like to read more about the subject, there is a very lovely write up from Adria Vasil posted on Ecoholic, called:
"Bite Me: Health Canada chews out natural bug repellents"
All I want is a Non-Toxic Bug Juice!
It shouldn't be so hard to protect yourself from "the elements" AND protect yourself from toxic chemicals at the same time; So we are ecstatic to share with you a couple of recipes that have worked well for ourselves, our families and friends. This first recipe is meant for adults and older children. As babies skin can be sensitive to some of these essential oils, it's best to avoid this particular recipe on children under 2 years of age.
INGREDIENTS:
- Ingredients for All Natural Outdoor Spray
These quantities will make approximately 2 - 8oz bottles of Outdoor Spray, you can adjust the numbers to make more or less by multiplying or dividing each ingredient equally.
| Water (distilled) | 300 | grams | |
| Apple Cider vinegar | 30 | grams | |
| Witch Hazel (alcohol free) | 40 | grams | |
| Citronella Essential oil | 2 | grams | |
| Lavender Essential oil | 8 | grams | |
| Eucalyptus Essential oil | 6 | grams | |
| Cedarwood Essential oil | 8 | grams | |
| Peppermint Essential oil | 6 | grams | |
| Dark 8oz Bottle | 2 | ea | |
| Fine mist Sprayer | 2 | ea | |
- Use a scale and a measuring cup for the most accurate measurements.
- Add ingredients one at a time, taking note of the weight of each ingredient as it is added.
- Mix all ingredients in a dark bottle with fine mist sprayer. Shake well before use since oils will separate. Use as needed; apply every 2-3 hours and apply also over the clothing.
Mist your new All Natural bug juice liberally all over your body, including your clothing. Re-apply every 2 to 3 hours or as needed. Do not use this recipe for children under 2 years of age as it may cause a rash on sensitive baby skin.
Here is a bug repellent recipe for kids under 2 years of age:
| Water (distilled) | 85 | grams | |
| Apple Cider vinegar | 20 | grams | |
| Witch Hazel (alcohol free) | 20 | grams | |
| Lavender Essential oil | 5 | grams | |
| Orange Essential oil | 2 | grams | |
| Lemongrass Essential oil | 3 | grams | |
Living in the woodsy protected land of the Beaver Valley in Ontario, we have definitely had plenty of opportunity to personally test the effectiveness of these recipes! They're also completely natural, so you don't have to worry about health and safety unless you have an allergy to one of the ingredients (in which case, don't use that ingredient).
So try these out, and let us know what you think! And if you have your own recipes that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you!