What Essential Oils Repel Flies?

Today I will answer what essential oils repel flies for you. I will also share how to use essential oils to repel flies and then will reveal some very effective  essential oil fly repellent diffuser blend recipes. 
So let's directly get to the point.

What essential oils repel flies?

You are not alone in trying to figure out what wholesale essential oils repel flies. 

So here I am answering for you with options that are simple and easy to find. 

Essential oils, especially those derived from Lavender, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree and Citronella are great, fragrant options to choose from and have a proven track record in repelling insects.

Lavender Essential Oil To Repel Flies

Lavender essential oil's strong aroma is believed to have insect repellent properties. It suppresses the foul smell that attracts the flies in the first place, thus keeping them away. 

There are various reasons that contribute to the emergence of essential oils as the new insect repellent.

Eucalyptus essential oil

Eucalyptus essential oil has a compound called eucalyptol which disrupts the flies ability to detect smell, thus leaving them confused and away from your home. 

Citronella essential oil

 Citronella essential oil has naturally occurring components like citronellal and geraniol which are insect repellents as they hit the nervous system of insects and prevents them from staying at one place. 

How Do Essential Oils Repel Flies?

Essential oils’ potency extends to their fragrance oil as well, this can repel flies in multiple ways:

The strong, pungent smell tends to overpower the smells of the other objects in the surrounding, acting as a mask, thus keeping the area from being identified as potential spots for finding food.

Being an unfamiliar scent for insects, flies are unable to navigate towards feeding and mating sites, causing confusion which ultimately leads to them avoiding such areas altogether.

Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils possess insecticidal properties by default. Their scent, hence, acts as a natural insect repellent since it irritates their sensory organs.

Why repel flies with essential oils?

Hygiene is an important aspect of your health. The cleaner your surroundings are, the lower your chances are of attracting disease-causing elements and essential oils can play an important role in this.

There are some factors, however, that are often beyond your control or escape your notice and that is where pure essential oils can come to your rescue. 

Point is, even with your best efforts, maintaining proper hygiene to the T is nearly impossible in today’s scenario. So there are chances you might have to deal with some of the problems that arise with it.

While there are plenty of problems that can come up, in this blog I wanted to dig into one in particular, pests. 

Don’t fret though, when I say pests, I mean the more mundane side of pests like house flies and mosquitos. Please don’t worry about a swarm of locusts ravaging your house because you left a bunch of breadcrumbs on your dining table after that 3 AM snack.

How to use essential oils to repel flies?

There are multiple ways to use essential oils as your natural-born insect repellent, especially flies and the best part is, they’re easy and fun to do too!

Ye Ole Reliable:

Diffusers or humidifiers are one of the most efficient ways to disperse the oil into your surroundings evenly to ensure maximum effect. Simply pour a few drops of your essential oil into the diffuser tray and let the machine do the rest.

Diluted Sprays:

Take a spray bottle, make sure it’s been cleaned beforehand. In 60mL of water, mix 10~ drops of your essential oil, and add a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol, or Vodka (maybe it’s a sign you need to stock up on your Vodka? *wink wink*).

Mix the liquid well and make sure you shake the liquid before each use. Simply spray it in areas prone to visits by flies. Make sure to spray regularly (3-4 times a day) for continued pest protection.

Topical Application:

Mixing essential oils with a carrier oil like coconut oil or castor oil can create a blend that’s safe to apply on your skin. It is however recommended that you properly dilute the mix and test it on a small patch of your skin before applying it. You can even apply a few drops onto your clothes to achieve a similar effect.

Fabrics:

Cotton balls or small fabric strips can be placed soaked in a suitable essential oil mix and placed near window sills, doors and other such positions where insects are likely to enter from.

Potpourri:

Place dried herbs such as lemongrass and Lavender in a bowl and add a few drops of your essential oil mix to it. Place the bowls throughout the house to add a fragrant insect repellent to your decor.

Before fully implementing an essential oil as your staple fly repellent, make sure to test it and ensure there are no allergies or discomfort caused to your or the people and pets around you. Would be a bummer if it ended up repelling you instead of the pests.

Essential Oil Fly Repellent Diffuser Blend Recipes

Following is a great essential oil fly repellent diffuser blend recipe for you to try at home. 

With diffusers, you can do away with carrier oils since the mist generated by the diffuser will act as a carrier and diluting agent.

Recipe 1: The “Triple 5 Mix”

It’s a self dubbed name, and for a simple reason:

Ingredients

5 drops of Lavender essential oil.

4 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil.

3 drops of Citronella essential oil.

Steps

Add these to your diffuser’s tray, and let it run as per your preference. Not only will this essential oil recipe do away with the flies, but it freshens and energises you as well. Talk about 2 birds with 1 stone.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) For What Essential Oils Repel Flies?

What smells do flies hate the most?

Herbs and spice and everything nice. Jokes apart, herbs like lemongrass, tea tree and citronella have a fragrance that flies hate and steer clear from. Spices like cinnamon and cayenne pepper also top the list.

How to repel flies indoors?

Use essential oils in diffusers or sprays near points they could possibly enter from, maintain proper hygiene to ensure they have no reason to enter your space.