It is that time of year again, the bugs are out and trying to come inside. Living in the south, bugs are something we deal with all year however, the mosquitos, flies, gnats, and a whole host of other bugs show up in great quantities during the spring and summer. This bug repellent candle is simple to make, only requires a few ingredients, and is effective at keeping (most) bugs away.

Before learning about the negative effects artificial fragrances and chemicals can have on our bodies, I, like most people, would go to the store and buy a generic brand bug repellent candle. Now, once educating myself on how harmful these candles can really be, I make my own every year using this recipe.

To learn a little bit more about creating beeswax candles, check out my blog post HERE.

How to make a bug repellent candle — bug repellent candles indoor

Two Ingredient Bug Repellent Candle

There are only two simple ingredients needed to make this DIY bug repellent candle:

Beeswax (buy it here)
Essential Oils

For this recipe, I used a combination of essential oils including peppermint, eucalyptus, and citronella, although using just one can still make an effective bug repellent candle.

Bug Repellent Essential Oils

Citronella

This is a classic scent used in most generic brand mosquito repellent sprays and candles. As I mentioned before, the artificial fragrances and chemicals used to make these repellents can be toxic for us to inhale. When using a pure citronella scent, like with this essential oil, there are no artificial fragrances or chemicals. With that being said, this scent is great for repelling a lot of bugs but in particular, mosquitoes.

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil can be effective for many different things throughout the home. I personally love using peppermint oil in my garden to keep pests away as well as in a candle like this bug repellent candle to keep most insects away from the inside of my house.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil is great for keeping mosquitoes away. There was a study done in 2014 that showed “eucalyptus oil provided more than 95% protection against mosquitoes for 3 hours.”, You can find that study here.

Thyme

Thyme is another wonderful essential oil to use when making a bug repellent candle, There was a study done that showed thyme to be a more effective mosquito repellent than DEET. You can see that study here.

Clary Sage

Clary sage essential oil is typically associated with women’s health, particularly in its ability to induce labor naturally (I would know, it induced my second labor very quickly!), however, there are also properties to the essential oil that help to deter many insects including mosquitoes.

Creating a combination using any of these essential oils to make a bug repellent candle can be an effective method to keep bugs away from your home.

How to make a beeswax candle:

What you need:

100% organic beeswax, I like this one.
Essential oils (Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Citronella)
Glass bowl or measuring cup
Stovetop pot to boil water
Utensil to stir
Candle Container, I use these.
Candle Wick

Directions:

Make a double boiler by filling your pot with water 1/3 of the way up. Once the water is boiling, add your glass bowl or measuring cup on top of the pot so the water is hitting the bottom of the glass.
Add the candle wick to the candle container.
Pour in beeswax pellets and stir consistently until they are completely melted.
Once the beeswax has melted, turn off the heat, add your essential oils, and continue to stir.
Immediately pour melted beeswax into your candle container, the beeswax will harden quickly so this process must be fast. If your beeswax happens to harden before you are able to pour it into the candle mold, turn the pot of water back on and reheat the glass bowl or measuring cup until the beeswax melts again.
Allow the candle to completely set before using, mine usually takes around 30 minutes – 1 hour depending on how big the candle container is.
I like to burn my candle near the back door so when the door is open to let the kids or dogs in and out of the backyard, the bugs aren’t tempted to hurry inside while the door is open.

How to Make a Bug Repellent Candle

Equipment

1 Glass Bowl or Measuring Cup
1 Utensil to Stir
1 Stovetop Pot to Boil Water
1 Candle Container
1 Wick

Materials

⅔ Cup Organic Beeswax Pellets
10 Drops Peppermint Essential Oil
10 Drops Eucalyptus Essential Oil
10 Drops Citronella Essential Oil

Instructions

Make a double boiler by filling your pot with water 1/3 of the way up. Once the water is boiling, add your glass bowl or measuring cup on top of the pot so the water is hitting the bottom of the glass.
Add the candle wick to the candle container.
Pour in beeswax pellets and stir consistently until they are completely melted.
Once the beeswax has melted, turn off the heat, add your essential oils, and continue to stir.
Immediately pour melted beeswax into your candle container, the beeswax will harden quickly so this process must be fast. If your beeswax happens to harden before you are able to pour it into the candle mold, turn the pot of water back on and reheat the glass bowl or measuring cup until the beeswax melts again.
Allow the candle to be completely set before using, mine usually takes around 30 minutes – to 1 hour depending on how big the candle container is.