Homemade Fly Spray Recipe | The Prairie Homestead (2024)

161 Comments | Jill Winger | Last Updated: May 26, 2020

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Learn how to make your own homemade fly spray recipe. This is a wonderful natural fly spray that will help prevent flies around your homestead and while you work with your livestock. You can relax knowing that it’s made with natural and safe ingredients instead of unknown chemicals.

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe | The Prairie Homestead (1)

You know how in the book of Exodus, one of the ten plagues was massive amounts of flies?

When I was younger, I always thought “Well, that one wouldn’t be THAT bad…”

I take it back.

A few years ago, we had massive amounts of flies. It was a constant battle to keep them off of my animals, out of my food, and off of my baby… (It got so bad, I even got bug nets for the playpen!)

Of course, the typical solution is to use hardcore chemicals and sprays to drive the flies away.

I just don’t feel good about doing that anymore.

Especially when I’m milking my cow.

I know from experience with my horses, whenever you apply fly spray, it gets everywhere. On your hands, on your clothes, in your mouth. I don’t want thosechemicals floating anywhere near my lovely raw milk.

So I started experimenting with homemade fly spray recipes. Last year I tried a few white vinegar/dish soap/mouth wash concoctions. While they sorta worked, I wasn’t super impressed with any of them.

This homemade fly spray recipe with essential oils works much better.

More Natural Fly Control Tips for Your Homestead

I kinda feel like a pro when it comes to natural fly control these days. We deal with them. A lot. So I’ve written about my natural fly control strategies plenty of times.

Here’s some more tips for you:

  • Need insect repellent recipes for the humans in your life? I’ve got ya covered. Here are 20+ recipes to keep the bugs from biting.
  • I don’t use homemade fly spray on my chickens, BUT, I do a variety of things to control flies in my chicken coop.
  • Got flies in the house? Try using my homemade fly trap which is easy to make and works really well.
  • Want to reduce the flies around your homestead? Try implementing these 4 natural strategies for farm fly control.

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe | The Prairie Homestead (2)

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups raw apple cider vinegar (where to buy raw apple cider vinegar)OR make your own vinegar
  • 20 drops rosemary essential oil (where to buy my favorite essential oils)
  • 20 drops basilessential oil
  • 20 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons liquid oil (olive oil, canola oil, or mineral oil will work)
  • 1 tablespoon dish soap (Like this one)

Directions:

Mix together in a spray bottle. Apply to the animals frequently (give it a good shake before applying). And be careful, it smells strong. Whew!

The final verdict?

It works. But if you are expecting your homemade fly spray to be like conventional fly sprays lasting for several days, you will be disappointed.

From my observations, it repels the flies, it doesn’t kill them. I had to apply 1-2x per day for maximum effectiveness,but at least it provided temporary relief without chemicals. I will definitely beusing it during my milking routine and on my horses and goats, too.

Notes:

  • If you don’t have access to raw apple cider vinegar, you can still use pasteurized apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. I just think the raw goodness packs an extra punch.
  • Speaking of vinegar, if you have any glass quart-sized vinegar jars hanging around, often you can screw on a spray top for a cool glass spray bottle.
  • If you don’t have these exact essential oils, no worries. There are TONS of oils that repel insects including lavender, tea tree, pine, citronella, arborvitae, thyme, etc. Feel free to play around and mix and match.
  • Try this really cool Mason Jar Lid Sprayer Cap in order to mix up this spray in any old mason jar you have laying around! (affiliate link)

Watch Me Make This Homemade Fly Spray!

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Homemade Fly Spray Recipe

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe | The Prairie Homestead (3)

A natural homemade fly spray recipe that will prevent flies around your homestead. Made with safe, non-toxic ingredients!

  • Author: Jill Winger

Ingredients

  • 4 cups raw apple cider vinegar (where to buy raw apple cider vinegar)OR make your own vinegar
  • 20 drops rosemary essential oil (where to buy my favorite essential oils)
  • 20 drops basilessential oil
  • 20 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 2 tablespoons liquid oil (olive oil, canola oil, or mineral oil will work)
  • 1 tablespoon dish soap (Like this one)

Instructions

Mix together in a spray bottle. (This really cool mason jar lid sprayer cap would do the job!)

Apply to the animals frequently (give it a good shake before applying). And be careful, it smells strong.

Notes

  • If you don’t have access to raw apple cider vinegar, you can still use pasteurized apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. I just think the raw goodness packs an extra punch.
  • Speaking of vinegar, if you have any glass quart-sized vinegar jars hanging around, often you can screw on a spray top for a cool glass spray bottle.
  • If you don’t have these exact essential oils, no worries. There are TONS of oils that repel insects including lavender, tea tree, pine, citronella, arborvitae, thyme, etc. Feel free to play around and mix and match.
  • In the market for a spray bottle? This lid allows you to mix up this spray in a regular old mason jar, plop the lid on… and you’re good to go!

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe | The Prairie Homestead (2024)

FAQs

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe | The Prairie Homestead? ›

Homemade fly repellent spray: A mixture of dish soap, water, baking soda, and vinegar can be filled into a spray bottle. The mixture should contain a few drops of dish soap and a tablespoon each of vinegar and baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture can be an effective fly repellent.

What is the best homemade fly spray? ›

Homemade fly repellent spray: A mixture of dish soap, water, baking soda, and vinegar can be filled into a spray bottle. The mixture should contain a few drops of dish soap and a tablespoon each of vinegar and baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture can be an effective fly repellent.

Does vinegar work as fly spray? ›

Horseflies in particular hate the smell and taste of vinegar, so it's a great addition to homemade horse fly sprays. Apple cider vinegar is an excellent repellent, and it also benefits from being a natural product that's made from fermented apple juice.

What is the main ingredient in fly spray? ›

Synthetic pyrethroids, such as esbiothrin and tetramethrin, or natural pyrethrin, which is made from a species of the chrysanthemum plant, are the main active ingredient in fly sprays. These “knock down” agents interfere with a fly's nervous system, causing paralysis.

Does white vinegar keep flies off cattle? ›

Easy Homemade Organic Fly Spray Recipes

Here are a few recipes to try: Garlic and Vinegar Spray: Combine several garlic cloves with white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for a few days, strain it, and dilute it with water. Spray the solution on the cows' coats to repel flies.

What is a homemade solution to get rid of flies? ›

Mix about an inch of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap in a tall glass. Cover the glass with plastic wrap, secure it with a rubber band, and poke small holes in the top. Flies will be attracted to the vinegar in the glass and will fly through the holes.

How do you make fly spray with Dawn dish soap? ›

2 tsp Citronella. 1 c White Vinegar. 1 tsp Dawn liquid dish soap. Water.

What can I mix with vinegar to get rid of flies? ›

Fill the bowl or cup with white vinegar. Add 3-4 drops of dish soap to the container with vinegar. Mix the solution of vinegar and soap gently. Place the trap near areas where fruit flies are congregating.

What kills flies on contact? ›

High proof Isopropyl works best, but 70% rubbing Alcohol works well and is a lot cheaper. So… If a fly, wasp, beetle or fruit fly enters my kill zone, I lead it properly based on course and airspeed and shoot it down.

What is the strongest fly repellent? ›

Compare
ProductsProduct LinksValue
Best Overall: Off! Active Insect Repellent I$55 at Amazon5/5
Best Long-Lasting: Natrapel Picaridin Tick & Insect Repellent Eco-Spray$22 at Amazon5/5
Best DEET- Free: Coleman SkinSmart Insect Repellent$8 at Amazon5/5
Best with DEET: Sawyer Controlled Release Insect Repellent$11 at Amazon5/5
5 more rows
Feb 27, 2024

What is the most natural fly spray? ›

Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too. Apple cider vinegar – Flies love the smell of apples and vinegar.

What is a homemade fly killer spray without alcohol? ›

To make this repellent spray, you'll need ¼ cup of witch hazel, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, and 30-60 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Once you have all the ingredients, mix the witch hazel with the apple cider vinegar. Shake well, and then add the eucalyptus oil drops.

What do farmers use to get rid of flies? ›

Larvicides. Attacking the problem at its source, larvicides prevent fly larvae from maturing into adults. They can be a powerful tool in your fly control strategy when used correctly. Apply larvicide to manure piles, drains, and other fly breeding sites.

What is a good substitute for fly spray? ›

Homemade Fly Spray Recipe
  • 4 cups raw apple cider vinegar (where to buy raw apple cider vinegar) OR make your own vinegar.
  • 20 drops rosemary essential oil (where to buy my favorite essential oils)
  • 20 drops basil essential oil.
  • 20 drops peppermint essential oil.

Why are flies not dying with fly spray? ›

The poison sprays have probably been reformulated to be less dangerous to humans. Also, the flies may have developed more resistance to the nerve gas in poison sprays.

Which smells do flies hate? ›

Cinnamon – use cinnamon as an air freshner, as flies hate the smell! Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too.

What is the best natural repellent for flying bugs? ›

Most essential oils (tea tree oil, rosemary oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, rose oil, and more) have strong odors that keep flies away. A blend of two or three oil drops, water, and a few cups of vodka makes an effective fly spray.

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