Repel Insects Naturally Using Essential Oils: DIY Bug Spray

Do you hate the idea of using a lot of toxic chemicals to keep bugs off of you? Well, so do I. After doing some research online, I discovered that I could use my essential oils. Hurrah!  So, read on, my friend, to see what I learned so you can deal with those pests without using toxic chemicals, too.

Let's talk about why you want to deter insects and what you might be using now. In the past, when I went camping, I used a lot of bug sprays to stop bugs from biting me. When I was at Disney World two years ago, they gave out insect repellent to deal with mosquitoes and to prevent the spread of disease. Yes, the primary reason most of us use bug sprays is that the bugs bite and they can spread diseases! However, most of the sprays and wipes that I used in the past had big warning labels. I won't name the brands but you likely know which ones I mean. Many of these products contained DEET. In the 1980s and 1990s, a lot of folks had concerns about the possibility of toxicity.  Well, I did some research into DEET using the Environmental Working Group's website and the CDC website. Both of these sites claim that there is no evidence of toxicity in DEET and that given its high level of efficacy, they both approve of the use of DEET to repel mosquitoes to avoid insect-borne diseases like malaria and the zika virus. Neither website had any studies on endocrine disruption, so until they do, I've decided to avoid using DEET.

So, what if you too don't want to use DEET and other store-bought insect repellents because of their long list of warnings and precautions? Well, then, it is time to make a DIY insect repellent using essential oils and a few other simple ingredients.  I found the recipe I am going to share with you on the Wellness Mama website.  I've made this recipe twice (both times adapted - see my notes) since July 2019.

I put Amazon links in the ingredients list so you can see what I bought.  If you don't shop online, you can find many of these ingredients in local stores as well. However, be sure that you are only using therapeutic, Grade A, pure essential oils. Many oils sold in stores are diluted and not safe. I know from my research that Young Living's oils are of the highest quality, so those are the ones I use. I put links in the ingredients list for the Young Living blog so you can read more about each of the oils listed in this DIY recipe.

DIY All-Natural Bug Spray

Ingredients
30 drops geranium essential oil
30 drops citronella essential oil
20 drops lemon eucalyptus essential oil
20 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops rosemary essential oil
1 Tablespoon rubbing alcohol or vodka
1/2 cup all-natural witch hazel
1/2 cup distilled water (or vinegar)
1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin (optional)

Directions
Place the essential oils in a glass spray bottle. Add alcohol and shake well to combine. Add the witch hazel and shake to combine. Add glycerin and shake. Add water and shake again. Makes a little more than 1 cup or about 300 ml. The bottle I used sprays a little strongly and I will likely find a replacement. I have some plastic bottles I like better, but I prefer glass for this essential oil mixture.

Usage
Shake the bottle each time before using to combine. Spray on hair, clothing, and gear. Repeat use every hour or so as needed. I keep a spray bottle on the ledge just inside my RV door and a smaller spray bottle in my backpack for hiking days. Since I live alone, this is not a problem. If you have pets or children with you, I wouldn't leave the bottles on the floor or on a table where they can get it, just in case they might drink it. If using this bug spray with children, Wellness Mama recommends that the spray only be used on clothing and other gear and not directly on their skin.  I found no guidelines for use on your pets, so I can't give you any advice on that.

My Notes 
I made a few changes based on what oils I had in my RV at the time. First, I used Young Living's Eucalyptus Globulus Essential Oil instead of the Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil.  At the time of this post, Young Living is not yet selling Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil. Second, I ran out of Rosemary Essential Oil, so I substituted Young Living's Basil Essential Oil the first time and I used Young Living's Thyme Essential Oil the second time.  Both of these oils have been found to be effective insect repellents and seemed to work well. Third, the first time I made it, I didn't have the glycerin. While it isn't vital to the recipe, it does help to better emulsify the oils with the other ingredients, so I suggest that you do buy it.

Effectiveness

I first used this DIY Bug Spray in July 2019 while camping in the northwest New Jersey forests; I continued to use it in Maine in August, and in the eastern Canadian provinces when I was there in September.  The year 2019 had a wet summer so there were quite a few bugs late into fall. I found that bugs would not land on my skin when I sprayed this mixture on my clothing and skin. I did use it on my skin and found that I had no adverse effects. I love the smell - I am a big fan of Young Living's Geranium Essential Oil. None of the other campers ever complained about the smell and several actually liked it.

Toxic-Free Bug Repellent You Can Buy

If you are not into making DIY products, but you still want an alternative to toxic or potentially toxic bug sprays, then consider buying Young Living's Insect Repellent.  If you are already a member of Young Living, consider adding this to your next Essential Rewards Order.

If you are not already a member and might like to be, you can ask me more about this amazing company. I can tell you more about how you can buy therapeutic, Grade A, pure essential oils and oil-infused products.  If you decide to join Young Living, I can also be your sponsor and mentor you in the use of these amazing products.

You can contact me at holyrollingoilers@gmail.com

I made some shipping labels that you can put on your bottles. Here is the link to my Google Drive file.  DIY Essential Oil Recipes and Labels

Preparing RV for Hurricane Nate

Yes folks, I am still camping near Fairhope, Alabama waiting for Hurricane Nate to hit the Gulf Coast. I decided I would use this post to let you would know that as of Saturday, October 7th, I am safe and sound. I also want to use this post to share some of the safety preparations I made to the RV. First, let me say that if you find a big storm like a hurricane approaching, the smartest thing to do is probably to leave and move your RV to a safer part of the country. (I guess I am not so smart because I decided instead to secure the RV and then shelter in place at my sister Susie's with my parents who are visiting from Ohio.) So, if you aren't so smart, like me, here are eight things I did to prepare my RV to stay for the hurricane.

1. Store all outdoor equipment like patio furniture and grills in RV
2. Fill fresh water tank to add weight. 3. Put stabilizer jacks down.
4. Charge digital devices, smartphone phones, laptops, rechargeable batteries and flashlights.
5. Put important papers in waterproof sleeves and bins. Know where your passport, birth certificate, other licenses, and insurance forms are located. Have emergency and insurance phone numbers written down in case smartphone stops working.
6. Collect drinking water, canned goods and other non-perishable foods (be sure to have an old-fashioned can opener). Cook perishable meats, make salads with veggies and fruit and invite RV neighbors over for a hurricane party before helping everyone to prepare their rigs for the storm.
7. Put together a first aid kit. I also like using essential oils so I put some of the basics I use everyday in my Luci bag tote so I can find them easily.
8. Pull in all awnings and slides so that they will not be damaged by the storm (this is debated on internet, but I decided that it was safest to do this.)

Since I decided not to stay in the RV, I packed up important papers, clothes, first aid kit, toiletries, books to read and games to play and headed to my sister's house. I admit I am a little scared and nervous about leaving my new home, but I know that all will work to the good.

I am going to continue to update these tips on my website so if you are an RV owner and have other weather safety tips to share, please type them in the comments section below and I will add them to the site.

The website is caminoturtletravels.com

DIY RV Repair: Entry Door Privacy Shade

As a new RV owner, one of the things that has been really annoying me this past week is the privacy shade on the entry door of my 2012 Itasca Sunstar 30T. It was not going back up into its casing when I tried to open it in the morning. Since the RV can get kind of dark when the shades are down, this meant that I was having to leave lights on during the day or the kitchen area would be really dark and gloomy. Most of the forums I searched talked about the need to remove the shade from its brackets and then just manually re-roll the shade back onto the tube to tighten it again.  This sounds simple, right? Well, at first I couldn't figure out how to do it.

Unlike regular window shades in your home, where you can actually touch the inside tube, this shade is housed inside a metal box. Others on the RV forums said it couldn't be fixed and they said to just replace the shade. Well, if you know me, you know I am too thrifty to just go out and automatically spend money to replace something. So, I decided to experiment a little to see if I could fix it. As you may know, I am trying to be brave in all things and not let fear stop me (and you should too). What's the worst thing that could happen if I just started experimenting to see what I could do? It might break and I'd have to replace it. What's the best thing that could happen?  I might fix it! Well, it worked and I will show you the steps I took to fix it below with a few screenshots.

One of the first things you will need to do is to remove the screen and the black box it is housed in from the screen door. You do this by removing the little black screw-hole covers (I used the sharp tip of a knife to get them to come off) and then unscrew the box from the door.  I had to use my new handy-dandy solar rechargeable flashlight to see what kind of screwdriver I needed.  (Thanks to Ken for this amazing flashlight!). In my case, it was a Philip's head screw. At first, they didn't seem to be turning but if I wiggled the black box, I could tell when they were coming loose.

Once you have the black shade box off of the door, look inside the box on each end to find the metal ends of the shade. Rub a few drops of silicone or another lubricant (I used the hydraulic fluid/transmission fluid I had handy and a Q-tip to rub the oil on these metal end). Pull the shade in and out a few times to make sure that it is working. Then re-install the black box to the door. Put the little black screw covers back on and you are all set.

Easy-peasy.  Then watch out, cause now the shade will roll-back up quicker than it was before you fixed it. Hope this post will solve this problem for a few other RV owners and save them some money. If you have had a similar problem and found another way to fix it, feel free to share that in the comments below.