Make Citronella Candles to Keep Bugs Away

As the weather gets warmer and we start spending more time outside, mosquitoes become a real nuisance. If you’re one of those people that mosquitoes love to bite, then you may be looking for natural ways to keep them at bay instead of having to spray yourself with chemicals. Citronella is known to keep mosquitoes and other pesky bugs at bay and making your own citronella candles is a good DIY project.

One benefit to making them yourself is that you can add a drop or two of essential oils to make them smell a little better. I’m not fond of the smell of citronella myself, although a candle with just citronella will be the most effective. Adding an oil that is also a repellent will help like eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint. Lemon Eucalyptus oil is one of the most effective at keeping mosquitoes at bay.

Make a few candles to place around your outdoor space to create a barrier where you can relax relatively bug-free. You get the added benefit of having candlelight ambiance.

This is what you will need to get started.

• Jars of any size or shape
• Double boiler
• wax (paraffin wax or old candles)
• Pre-made wicks
• Tape or hot glue
• Citronella oil and any other oil that you’d like to add in for scent
• Crayons for color (optional)

Mick Telkamp at Made + Remade made a terrific tutorial with photos of each step. Take a look at his post on how to Make Your Own Citronella Candles.

Here’s a really good, short video showing how to make your candles.

Featured image source: Made + Remade