We’re still pretty wet here in Ohio and a definite pattern has set up where we have a beautiful day of sunshine followed by 2 days of rain. 

I’m honestly not sure how much more rain the ground can hold but we’ll get through and I’m sure in July we’ll be complaining about how dry everything is. 

While we wait for that happen we continue to battle the mosquitoes and other moisture-loving pests. 

They’re everywhere and they’re hungry. 

We’ve still been doing everything that’s recommended of removing standing water and keeping the weeds trimmed.

We sit outside surrounded by citronella and bug zappers but the mosquitoes are relentless. 

Since one thing alone isn’t working I keep adding things to our regime to battle them. 

My latest addition was a homemade lemon mosquito spray for the dogs and for us. 

Why Lemon? 

There’s a reason why many bug repellents contain lemon and that’s because mosquitos and many other annoying pests are deterred by the strong citrus smell!

Lemon is a natural ingredient that is safe to use in a spray around most humans and pets, however, there are a few precautions you should take before using pure lemon juice on your skin or on the skin of your dog.

Avoid using lemon on cuts or wounds such as hot spots because it will sting.

Also, be warned that dermatologists recommend not using pure lemon juice on skin that is exposed to direct sunlight because it can cause burns. This is why we only use this spray at dusk when mosquitoes are at their worst and we dilute it with water.

Another downfall of lemon is that bees are sometimes attracted to it. 

Why Rosemary?

Rosemary is another scent that tends to keep mosquitos away and it’s really easy to grow in a container or garden. 

It’s safe for dogs in moderations and you can throw some on the grill and basically scent the air to keep mosquitoes away or you can infuse it into an oil or spray. 

Why Lavender Essential Oil?

Lavender is one of my favorite scents but it’s highly disliked by mosquitoes. If you grow your own lavender there are ways that you can extract the oil or you can purchase a small bottle of lavender essential oil. 

Lavender is safe for most pets and humans when used topically.

Other scents that mosquitos don’t like are garlic, mint, basil, marigold, catnip, citronella and eucalyptus. 

Making a natural spray out of lemons, rosemary, and lavender oil. 

It was pretty to make this lemon mosquito spray. 

First I sliced 4 lemons and then I cut 4 sprigs of rosemary from my container. 

I placed the lemons and rosemary in a quart of water and brought the water to a boil on the stove. 

When the water came to a boil I removed the pot from the burner and allowed the water, lemon, and rosemary steep for 2 hours. 

I thought the house smelled great but my kids disagreed. 

After 2 hours I strained the liquid into a big glass measuring cup, added 10 drops of lavender essential oil, stirred and then poured into a spray bottle. 

I store this in the fridge and give it a good shake before applying. 

It should stay good in the fridge for 30 days. 

Application

I sprayed this on both Sherman and Leroy and rubbed it into their coats. I sprayed some on my hands and I rubbed it on their face and Leroy’s nose so that I didn’t get it in their eyes. 

I avoided Sherman’s nose because he has the cracks on it and I didn’t want it to burn. 

For me, I sprayed it on my clothes and a light spray on my skin. 

I also sprayed our patio chairs and around the perimeter of our canopy.

How did it work the lemon mosquito repellent work? 

I tested this lemon mosquito spray out for about 1 week on both me and Sherman and Leroy. 

The biggest test was over the weekend when we spent several hours outside at night when the mosquitos were at their peak. 

It worked o.k. and honestly, based on our how many things we had outside with us deterring mosquitos such as a citronella candle, citronella plant, bug zapper, the lemon spray, and Skin so Soft Mosquito Repellant, nothing kept all the bugs away. 

I got 2 mosquito bites and killed a mosquito on Sherman’s nose. 

It did seem to keep the gnats away and I didn’t notice anything seeking out Leroy. 

We don’t have a lot of black flies here at the moment so I can’t say it worked on those or not. 

So this homemade lemon mosquito repellent spray for dogs may have deterred some of the mosquitoes but not all of them.

It is something that I will keep in our mosquito battle this summer. 

Homemade Lemon Mosquito Repellent For Dogs

Yield: Approx 24 ounces

Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $5

Homemade lemon mosquito repellent for dogs using lemon, rosemary, and lavender essential oil.

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Materials

• 4 Lemons sliced
• 4 Sprigs of Rosemary
• 10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
• 1 Quart of Water

Tools

• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Pan
• Strainer
• Spray Bottle

Instructions

1. Place 4 sliced lemons and 4 sprigs of rosemary in 1 quart of water
2. Bring water to a boil
3. Remove pot from burner and allow to steep for 2 hours
4. Strain in glass bowl or measuring cup
5. Allow to cool
6. Add 10 drops of lavender essential oil
7. Stir
8. Carefully pour into spray bottle

Notes

Do not apply to skin that is broken such as cuts, wounds or hot spots

Store in the fridge for up to 30 days

Shake before applying

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