Can You Use Vanilla Extract as a Bug Repellent? Here’s What Experts Say

In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleDoes Vanilla Extract Work as a Bug Repellent?What’s the Best Way to Repel Mosquitoes?Frequently Asked Questions

In This ArticleView All

View All

In This Article

Does Vanilla Extract Work as a Bug Repellent?

What’s the Best Way to Repel Mosquitoes?

Frequently Asked Questions

Photo:Getty Images/EatingWell animation

Getty Images/EatingWell animation

Summer is here, and while that means sunny skies, warm breezes and outdoor fun, it also means unwanted critters—especially flying, stinging insects.

Mosquitoes may take the top spot for summer’s biggest red flag, but there are ways to prevent mosquito bites if you’re prone to getting bit. Bug spray is a prime example, but it has its flaws. The smell of bug spray can be a little overwhelming, and if you’re camping, sprays with DEET can damage your tent. So if you’re looking for an alternative, a pantry staple may be able to help you out.

We have been seeing the trend of using vanilla extract as a bug repellent across the internet for a while now, and we’re definitely intrigued. But before you start dousing yourself in delicious-smelling vanilla, we asked experts if there’s validity to this trend, as well as what they personally recommend for a bug repellent.

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To answer this question, we talked to the technical advisor of the American Mosquito Control Association, Daniel Markowski, as well as the entomologist for the National Pest Management Association, Mike Bentley. Here’s what they have to say.

“Vanilla has been shown in limited research to have some detectable repellency to a few mosquito species,” Bentley explains, referencing research like a 2021 study that compared vanilla’s repellent effects to other extracts.“While this may sound promising, the challenge with vanilla and other essential oils is that any repellent effects are often very short-lived. Mosquitoes have evolved over millions of years to sniff us out over other competing odors in the environment. In the long term, these compounds can’t compete against human body odors or the CO2 we breathe out, which are the host cues that hungry mosquitoes use to find their next meal.”

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Because of all of these factors, vanilla extract may work better for some people, but may not work at all for others.

“We are all different, and these different combinations are more or less attractive to different mosquito species,” Markowski says. “For this reason, some people can use less concentrated repellents, while others need more.”

Both experts had a list of recommendations for ways to repel mosquitoes that aren’t a trendy home remedy.

“There’s certainly research to show that the extracts from quite a few plants can offer some level of repellency to mosquitoes and other insects,” Markowski agrees. “Most notably, citronella plants (Cymbopogon nardus) and a few other geranium varieties, marigolds, lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), catnip (Nepeta cataria), certain types of mint plants, lavender and lantana (Lantana camara).”

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While not glamorous, these repellents are commonly used for a reason. Before you overuse any repellent though, Markowski has a few guiding rules he thinks everyone should follow:

The Bottom Line

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“Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest animals on the planet because of their ability to spread a handful of potentially deadly diseases including malaria, dengue fever, West Nile virus and more,” Bentley says. “It’s important to use a repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient to provide long-lasting protection against these dangerous insects.”

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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Gitahi S, Piero M, Mburu D, Machocho A.Repellent effects of selected organic leaf extracts of tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. gray and vernonia lasiopus (O. Hoffman) against Sitophilus zeamais motschulsky (coleoptera: curculionidae).The Scientific World Journal. 2021. doi:10.1155/2021/2718629Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Preventing Mosquito Bites.

Sources

EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Gitahi S, Piero M, Mburu D, Machocho A.Repellent effects of selected organic leaf extracts of tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. gray and vernonia lasiopus (O. Hoffman) against Sitophilus zeamais motschulsky (coleoptera: curculionidae).The Scientific World Journal. 2021. doi:10.1155/2021/2718629Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Preventing Mosquito Bites.

Gitahi S, Piero M, Mburu D, Machocho A.Repellent effects of selected organic leaf extracts of tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. gray and vernonia lasiopus (O. Hoffman) against Sitophilus zeamais motschulsky (coleoptera: curculionidae).The Scientific World Journal. 2021. doi:10.1155/2021/2718629Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Preventing Mosquito Bites.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).Preventing Mosquito Bites.

The Bottom Line#

The Bottom Line