How do I make bug repellent?

I've had much luck with bug bombs in the past. Be sure to follow the directions closely!

Wash & dry the heck out of your bedding, while you’re bug bombing the house with Raid Fumigator cartridges. They are not normal bug bombs. I can only find them at HD & Ace. $12, for 3. Piperonyl butoxide is the difference.

If you have never prepared your house for bug bombs before, then put in the oven or someplace where the fumes won’t get to somethings, like: toothbrushes Kleenex toilet paper paper towels salt and pepper shakers.

Put plastic bags over an open toaster, and anything else you don’t want to be exposed to the fumes. Open cabinet doors & drawers.

I would buy some food grade diatomaceous earth at a Feedstore, or Farm Ranch supply store, Perma Guard is the trade name. I would buy an old school pump duster and “dust” underneath the bed and underneath large pieces of furniture and behind or under big appliances. It is a natural pesticide, it will not hurt your pets. But do not breathe the dust & wear gloves!

Florida is very buggy & has fungal/mold infections. If the bug biting continues, then learn about scabies, as they can be medically treated as human parasites. Pets get them as well. They’re quite contagious & high dryer heat kills them in clothing & linens. But they live in their hosts’ skin.

Perimeter spray works wonders and much less toxic for humans. I've used Ortho home defense. Spray exterior and interior perimeter. Bugs will disappear in 2 or 3 days. Respray about 4 times per year

Oh, my dear Char, has no one told you about chiggers??? They are also called no-see-ums and sand fleas (especially in Florida). They are TINY mites that live in the grass and get on your socks, shoes or pants (or your pet's legs) and then start to climb. The bite does not hurt. But 7 to 10 hours AFTER they bite and are gone, you start to have a histamine reaction with red itchy spots that form a bubble in the center and drive you crazy for 10 to 14 days. (And they LOVE to find the warmest spots on your body, if you get my drift.) The way to rid your yard is to spread sulfur. Head to a feed store and get sulfur pellets which will last WAY longer than sulfur powder. Spread that and they will be gone in 48 hours. As for places other than your yard, try an insect repellent like Cutter or Off.

For the actual bites, use GoldBond lidocaine+menzethonium chloride. It kills the pain and stops the itch for awhile.

The best thing, tho, is to take a soapy wash cloth and scrub yourself down when you come in from outside. It catches the chiggers before they have the chance to bite.

Repelling bug bites has a lot to do with one's chemistry, some people get bitten a lot and others don't. Personally, I prefer natural solutions that don't kill but rather deter those little pests. Here are a few options that work perfectly for me:

Dryer Sheets (the real ones you buy at stores); carry a couple with you at all times and place a couple on your bed or even your pillow, at night, they even smell good! For some inexplicable reason, bugs don't like something -I don't know what- in the dryer sheets and simply go away without biting you. When in a very infested area, I carry one in my shirt pocket, one in my jeans, and place a couple on my pillow while I sleep. It never fails!

Vitamin B; bugs dislike the scent your skin produces when you ingest vitamin B and don't bite you. *Please make sure with your healthcare provider that you can take vitamin B without any problem.

Eucalyptus oil; as with the vitamin B, bugs don't like the scent of this tree and they don't bite you. RUB, Don't ingest it. You could rub it on exposed areas of your skin provided that you don't have a sensitivity to it. It will also help clear your sinuses and it smells good!

Oregano and Rosemary essential oils; bugs dislike the scent of these two oils and will think twice -or thrice- before attempting to munch on you but, BEWARE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, as Rosemary oil is known to induce miscarriage in some instances.

Don't use perfumes or lotions with a sweet scent as they attract bugs and you are more likely to get bitten.

What if they already bit you and you can't get rid of the itch?

Whatever you do, Don't Scratch!! Scratching only makes things worse, it stimulates the venom -or whatever substance- they injected upon biting you and the more you scratch the more it will itch, they you get swollen, red, your skin scales... oh! What a nightmare!

The best thing you can do is Immediately apply some Tiger Balm (Yes, the famous Chinese ointment that you can purchase in Chinese stores, health stores, naturopathic shops, or Amazon) It is incredibly amazing! If you just put it on directly on the bite without scratching, it acts as an anti-inflammatory, inhibits the itch, and you will forget the bite ever happened. You can re-apply as many times as needed without any harm, unless you have any sensitivity to the ingredients in the formula.

If you don't have/find Tiger Balm, try a few drops (2 or 3) of tea tree essential oil in a spoonful of Vodka, mix well and apply to your skin on the affected area. DON'T Ingest it! If you are into vodka, better make yourself a cocktail but don't drink this as some people can be very sensitive to ingested tea tree oil.

If the bite is big and from a more poisonous bug, rub a raw piece of peeled garlic. Garlic contains allicin, a sulphur that is fabulous in treating bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, and for some reason also counteracts the action of the venom that has been injected with the bite. It may smell a bit strong in the beginning but at least you know that no vampires will dare come near you.

You should be able to have a nicer time regardless of the bugs!

There are many other solutions but these are plenty.

Hope this helps