Essential Oils to Repel Insects

Victoria Anisman-Reiner, B.Sc., C.C.A., J. Engelken, 2003

Posted by
Victoria Anisman-Reiner
May 24, 2007

As we roll through spring and into summer, I'm getting requests for information on essential oils to repel insects and other bugs (spiders aren't insects, right?). We know that chemical bug deterrents are toxic, no matter the bill of goods on how "safe" they are, and people are increasingly searching for an alternative that is genuinely safe as well as truly effective.

Essential oils have been used for milennia to repel insects. They work, and they are safe for inhalation, external use and (if you're using the really pure, therapeutic-grade oils) even safe to be ingested. Unlike ant poison or mosquito repellent, you don't have to worry if a toddler or small pet gets into essential oils that have been laid out to repel bugs.

Dr. David Stewart, founder of C.A.R.E. (the Center for Aromatherapy Research and Education), has shared a list of the most useful oils to repel specific types of bugs. Check out his Oils for Things That Bug You, including his observations after exposing a brown recluse spider to peppermint oil, or read about Dr. Stewart and his book Healing Oils of the Bible.

Please keep in mind that Dr. Stewart's recommendations, like my own, refer only to pure, therapeutic-grade oils. Most oils sold in health food stores and elsewhere are not safe for internal or external use.