All-Natural Insect Repellents

Deter pests naturally with these hacks.

All-Natural Insect Repellents
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Eating outdoors is fun until the bugs get in the away. No need to cancel your alfresco dining—try these simple, natural hacks to keep the bugs at bay.

Materials

  • fresh lemons
  • fresh rosemary sprigs
  • pennies
  • cloves
  • glass bowl
  • tall glasses
  • tealights
  • apple cider vinegar
  • dishsoap
  • sheet of paper

Wasps

Stick cloves into lemon halves and place them in a bowl. Bees and wasps do not like this smell combo and will stay away.

Keep Bugs Away Lemon and Cloves

Stick cloves into lemon halves and place them in a bowl. Bees and wasps do not like this smell combo and will stay away.

Photo by: Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Wasps can ruin outdoor entertaining in a heartbeat. Keep them away by slicing lemons in half and inserting whole cloves into the flesh. Sit the lemons in small bowls and place them on your table. Wasps (and bees) do not like the smell and will steer clear. 

Flies

Keep pesky flies away by adding a few pennies in a bowl of water.

Keep Bugs Away Pennies Bowl

Keep pesky flies away by adding a few pennies in a bowl of water.

Photo by: Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

No one likes to see flies buzzing around their food. Keep them away by dropping a few pennies in a glass (or clear) bowl of water. No one really knows why it works, one theory is that it has something to do with the way the moving water refracts light. As an added bonus, the pennies keeps algae from growing in the water. 

Mosquitoes

Place several springs of fresh rosemary and lemon slices in a tall glass. Fill with water and add a floating tealight candle. The candle, once lit, will warm up the infused water and release the rosemary and lemon's essential oils that will help repel mosquitoes.

Keep Bugs Away Rosemary and Lemon

Place several springs of fresh rosemary and lemon slices in a tall glass. Fill with water and add a floating tealight candle. The candle, once lit, will warm up the infused water and release the rosemary and lemon's essential oils that will help repel mosquitoes.

Photo by: Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Rosemary and lemon are natural mosqutios deterents. Place several springs of fresh rosemary and lemon slices in a tall glass. Fill with water and add a floating tealight candle. Once lit, the candle will warm up the infused water and release the rosemary and lemon's essential oils that will help repel mosquitoes. 

Gnats

Add apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap to a glass. Roll a piece of paper into a funnel and place into the glass. The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and the soap with make them sink.

Keep Bugs Away Vinegar in Glass

Add apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap to a glass. Roll a piece of paper into a funnel and place into the glass. The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and the soap with make them sink.

Photo by: Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Gnats buzzing around is enough to drive you insane. To get rid of them fast, pour apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap into a glass. Roll a piece of paper into a funnel and place into the glass. The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and the soap with make them sink.

table with plates of sandwhiches

Keep Bugs Away Bowl with Pennies

Photo by: Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Andy Vinson of Loch & Key Productions

Enjoy a bug free meal outdoors with these natural pest detering hacks.

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