Homemade Fly Spray Recipe
Flies… Flies…. and more Flies!
You know it’s summer when the flies start outweighing you!
I’ve tried a few different fly sprays over the years and was shocked at the list of ingredients they are loaded with. Things I would never dream of putting on or near my body, let alone sprayed on our animals.
This year my goal was to find a homemade natural fly spray recipe that worked and was cheaper than the $40 I was spending every month on store-bought spray.
I spent a little over $100 buying the ingredients for my all-natural DIY fly spray. But, as far as I can figure, I’ll be able to make 5 or 6 batches before I have to start restocking supplies. Each batch is costing me around $10 in supplies, and I use 2 batches a month. That’s a $20’s a month saving.
Summer’s are hot and dry in the south and the flies, ticks, biting flies, mosquitoes and gnats are BAD!
I’m spraying this on every animal in the barn every morning and if I see they’re being bothered in the evening, I’ll give them another light spray. It’s all natural and doesn’t have any harmful ingredients …which I love!
PLEASE NOTE
- I was not sure how my alpacas would react to this spray, so I tested each one of them by spraying a small amount on their inner thigh so I could watch for a reaction. I would suggest if you use this on horses do a small test patch first before applying.
- I’m using this on our alpacas, cows, rabbits, (a very light spray), pigs and dogs.
- Do not spray near or around eyes. To apply near eyes spray on a soft cloth first and wipe the animals face or sensitive areas.
- Repels flies, ticks, biting flies, mosquitoes, and gnats for about 8 hours.
ALL NATURAL DIY FLY SPRAY
(I have included links to Amazon in case you want to try this recipe.)
- 1 32 oz spray bottle
- 4 cups water
- 1 ml vitamin E oil
- 2 ml glycerin
- 20 ml geranium oil
- 5 ml lemongrass oil
- 6 ml citronella oil
- 5 ml rosemary oil
- 8 ml clove oil
- 5 ml cedar oil
- 1 ml thyme oil
Mix all ingredients and shake well before using.
I feel so much better knowing I am controlling those pesky flies without using any harsh chemicals on our loved and very well cared for farm animals!
Thanks for stopping by!
Tracy Lynn
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Hidden away in Central South Carolina is a little farm where we call home. Surrounded by pine trees, chicken farms, and lots of sandy soil we live a very simple lifestyle by the grace of God.
Hi Tracy Lynn—I’m curious as to why you used geranium oil in the volume that you did, and if there is another EO that can be used in its place, like perhaps tea tree oil? Thanks!
Kristi
Kristi after much research I found that geranium oil is great for wound care along with being one of the top oils to repel ticks. We have a bad tick problem on our farm so I wanted to address that the most…hence the larger amount of geranium oil in my recipe.
Thanks Trac Lynn! A friend of mine is in desperate need of a good fly spray, so we’ll both be trying your recipe with the geranium oil. Thanks again!
Tracy is the amount of all the oils actually 1 mil? Not drops? That is some pretty pricey fly spray if it is mils and not drops.
Candice it is 1 mil not drops. We priced it out and it averages about $20 a bottle to make. Our local feed store sells an All-Natural fly spray for $19.99 a quart. For us it costs the same to make it.
Geranium oil is excellent for repelling insects, especially ticks and fleas. I put a few drops on my dogs’ collars and it works. (Bonus: They smell beautiful.)
Thank you so much, Sally! It looks like I’ll be getting myself some geranium oil! 🙂
It’s my pleasure, Kristi.
This is absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much for joining Roses of Inspiration this week, sweet Tracy. Hugs!
I like your fly recipe combination, Tracy. That’s a little different from the one I make. I’ll give it a try!
Thank you! I’m delighted to have this recipe and can’t wait to try it out on out chickens and coop. Right now I have a bunch of mint and tansy tied to my coop where the girls dust and I believe it has helped with the fly’s – that and keeping the poop scooped up which I can do with just 8 birds. (Others might add this idea to their fly arsenal as well.) Donna at the Small House Homestead.
I use something similar and it really works!!
Thanks for sharing on the Wednesday Homestead blog Hop. Definitely pinning and sharing. 🙂 Hope to see you tomorrow.
I will have to try this. The flies aren’t not much of a problem with sheep, but they do bother our goats at certain times.
I love the idea of using organic and natural products to keep the flies away. Thank you for sharing!
Don’t laugh, but could this be used on humans? Some people are mosquito magnets, I am a fly magnet. Doesn’t matter if I’ve just showered, come out of a pool, etc. flies are drawn to me. They’ll ignore everyone else in the area and come land on me. I know first world problems. But your post got me thinking.
Thanks for sharing on FridayFrivolity
I have not tested this on myself and even though everything is natural oils I can’t say how it would be on humans. Has got me thinking as well!
What a great solution! I love that you thought to test each animal for a reaction before using it. So smart!
Thanks for joining us on The Maple Hill Hop this week!
Thank you for this recipe, Tracy. Forwarding it to a friend who has farm animals.
Love love love this! Thanks for sharing again on the Homestead Blog Hop.