Happy Flag Day Wednesday! Thankfully the weather is cooling off a bit today so we can enjoy sitting out by the pool this afternoon with some friends. Today I’m sharing a quick DIY project. How to make your own mosquito repellant candles!
I’ve been researching natural ways to repel insects. Mosquitos in particular. I’ve found a few natural bug sprays and even a do it yourself bracelet that repel mosquitoes. As I find more, I’ll try them myself and if they work, I’ll share them! But today I’m sharing a floating candle in a pickle jar with a few simple things I have on hand. Not only are these pretty but they smell great too!
For this project I’m using a pickle jar and a mason jar I have on hand. Using Goof Off and a flat razor I scraped off the label off of the pickle jar and removed the sticky residue with Goo Gone. Then I washed the jars inside and out with warm soapy water.
I added a thin layer of glass beads in the bottom for decoration. Since I’m using them outside this will also help weigh them down. Then I filled each jar with water leaving about 3 inches to the top and filling the rest of the jar with vegetable oil. Be sure to leave enough room at the top for the candle.
Because oil and water don’t mix, the vegetable oil stays on top to support a floating candle. All that’s left is to add a few herbs from the garden that naturally repels mosquitoes. For my jars I used sage, rosemary, citronella plant, slices of lemons and limes and about 20 drops of lavender oil. I had all of these on hand. Some plain jute ribbon tied around the necks of the jars adds a nice finishing touch.
Below is a picture of a leaf from my Citronella Plant we have sitting on the Veranda. I clipped a few of the smaller leaves off of the plant and put them in my jars.
So simple! And they smell great! Wouldn’t these be so pretty and practical at a picnic? And the beauty is when the candle burns out it will self extinguish.
Below is a list of natural plants and herbs that repel mosquitoes. So you can use any combination of these as you like! I’d much rather have natural remedies since we have Lacey to think about. Being the curious dog she is I prefer not to use sprays or bug traps.
*Lavender
*Sage
*Rosemary
*Basil
*Catnip
*Citronella
*Lemon Balm
*Garlic
*Marigolds
*Peppermint or Mint
*Lemon Grass
*Geraniums
Enjoy Flag Day and be safe out there Buckingham friends. Apparently we have a large black bear roaming our neighborhood today. This is an actual photo taken by one of my neighbors a little while ago. YIKES! Thus, Lacey is an indoor girl today. And here I was worried about mosquitoes. Go figure. Thanks for stopping by. xoxo Dell