During a warm summer evening, there’s no place I’d rather be than on my own back porch watching the sunset. Summer is the season of outdoor celebration and relaxation, but it’s also prime time for mosquitoes. Really, there's nothing more annoying than feeling those little guys making their mark.
While there are plenty products sold in stores to keep the bugs away, they're mostly full of chemicals. For me, I'd rather use a natural repellent, so I decided to try my hand at lemon eucalyptus candles this year.
Lemon eucalyptus oil is known to help ward off mosquitoes because the smoke can confuse the bugs and prevent them from smelling you. Of course, the scent doesn't just keep the bugs away, they also add fragrance and an ambience to your outdoor fun. To make mine a little more unique, I decided to create patriotic candles with red, white, and blue. The best part is that you likely have most of the materials in your home, and the project is very easy to make.
Now, when I'm entertaining or just relaxing on the patio, these candles not only look pretty, they're practical, too — keeping those pesky mosquitoes at bay.
Check out the step-by-step tutorial below to see how easy it is to make your own homemade lemon eucalyptus candles to keep the bugs away from your outdoor gatherings this summer!
What You Need:
— 1 lb. rice
— Red food coloring
— Blue food coloring
— Lemon eucalyptus oil
— 2 small bowls
— Parchment paper
— Glass candle holders
— Tea light candles
1. Evenly distribute the rice into different bowls. Then add red food coloring to one bowl and the blue to another.
Make sure you leave enough plain white rice on the side, as you'll need some later.
2. Use a spoon or coffee stirring stick to evenly distribute the color.
Add more food coloring as needed.
3. Add approximately 10 drops of the lemon eucalyptus oil to each bowl, and stir.
Bugs and mosquitoes do not care for this scent, so it's the perfect essential oil to use. They also are repelled by the smell of lemongrass and citronella, if you want to try other scents.
4. Spread the colored rice out on parchment paper and let dry.
5. To assemble the candles, begin by scooping blue rice into the glass candle holder.
Next, add the white rice to the glasses, and then add the red, making sure the layers are even.
6. Place a small candle in the center of the red layer, and you're done!
In total, I made four patriotic candles. (I used two round white tea lights along with two mini green succulent-plant-shaped candles.)
These patriotic 'bug away' candles are so pretty and perfect for a summer party.
While the candle is burning, it heats up the rice, releasing more of the mosquito-repelling scent.
These smell wonderful and actually keep those pesky bugs away. A good-size candle will burn for many hours, so remember to extinguish it when you're headed back indoors.
If you love this idea, please SHARE it with all of your family and friends!
