It’s summertime! The birds are chirping, sun is shining, and bugs are biting! Here’s how to make your own all natural outdoor spray recipe.
Now that we have a backyard, I find that I’m outside all the time. I’m especially motivated to be out as much as possible after the winter we had in Chicago! Phew!
But… the problem is the bugs. I don’t ever remember seeing so many bugs!
So once I got my Young Living Premium Starter Kit, I knew I want to make my own natural outdoor spray. I stay away from most outdoor sprays, as they usually contain harsh chemicals, particularly DEET.
And DEET is some scary stuff…
A recent study found that DEET can interfere with the activity of enzymes that are vital for the body’s nervous system to function properly. And aside from potentially harming your nerves, DEET can also cause skin rashes, burning, asthmatic reactions and other undesirable side effects. And if that weren’t enough, because DEET is a strong, synthetic chemical, it’s pretty bad for our environment, too. It can build up in our water ways. In fact, a U.S. Geological Survey found DEET in 73 percent of waters sampled, some of which may feed into drinking water. Not good at all!
But a lot of the alternatives don’t work
So clearly DEET is not a good option. But, I have to say that I’ve tried different natural outdoor sprays before and wasn’t too impressed with any of the results.
That is… until I tried this natural outdoor spray.
Thankfully, this DIY outdoor spray is working fantastically well. In fact, Michael and Griffin just used it on a camping trip and came back happy and bite-free. YAY for that!
Here’s my natural outdoor spray that works
Ingredients
Directions
- Take your clean dark-colored glass spray bottle and add your drops of essential oils. (Note: You can use a clear bottle, but your outdoor spray won’t last as long, since light can affect the quality and lead to faster degradation.)
- Add your witch hazel and your distilled water.
- Use fractionated coconut oil instead of water if you live in a woody area, are going out in nature, or need stronger coverage.
- For most urban and suburban living, the distilled water version works just fine.
- Close the bottle with the spray and shake bottle well. Spray generously before going outside.
Need a natural outdoor spray that’s safe for pregnant mamas and/or infants?
Follow the above directions, but add the following essential oils instead:
How about you?
What do you do for natural outdoor spray in the summertime? I’d love to hear what works for you, so please share with us in the comments below!
