Want to keep wasps away the natural way? Check out this homemade wasp spray made with fragrant lemongrass and lemon. It well and truly works!

Adding lemongrass essential oil to homemade wasp spray.

It’s that bitter-sweet something when summertime comes. The flowers bloom, the trees look full and lush, and the air’s fresh and warm.

Glorious!

And then… wasps!

They turn up at the most impromptu time, like an uninvited guest.

Swarming around your drinks bottle, landing in that delicious homemade dessert, and attacking your kids’ sticky fingers.

The stress that wasps cause is so real. Wasps freak me out big time!

I get so annoyed and frustrated; wasps spoil the scene as I run around like a crazy bull eager to escape!

Now, there are tons of anti-wasp sprays in stores that you could buy, but they never agreed with my nose.

They smell disgusting and are usually loaded with nasty ingredients labeled with ‘toxic’ in big BOLD letters.

Why would I want to use that near myself or my kids, I think? Goodness knows.

So, I figured out how to keep wasps away the natural way. A homemade wasp killer! It’s an essential tool in everyone’s box.

Why not follow me while I take you through my DIY wasp spray recipe below?

Make it ahead of the season, and I guarantee it’ll have a permanent space on your table – ready to spray when wasps come attacking at a moment’s notice.

Table of Contents

How do you keep wasps away?

It’s that all-important question, right?! How to get rid of pesky wasps!!

There are options out there, which include electric zappers and fly swatters – we all know about those.

But are you aware that wasps hate certain smells?

Lemongrass, in particular, is super offensive to wasps; they’ll steer well clear as soon as they sense it.

It’s also why citronella candles and burners fill the shelves of superstores when summer comes around.

I’ve heard that burning coffee granules works, but I haven’t tried this myself…

However, I know that this homemade wasp spray works great for repelling wasps. In fact, lemongrass effectively deters ants, ticks, and an array of other bugs, which is why I use it in my homemade ant repellent and homemade bug and tick repellent.

But they do keep a reasonable distance – which is what we want.

Why you’ll love this anti-wasp spray

It works! This spray is by far the best solution I’ve found to keep wasps away. You simply spritz it at first sight of the stingy critters, and they’ll head back the way they’ve come (hopefully!)
It’s easy to make: Simply combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to mix. It’s ready to use straight away.
It smells awesome. No toxic smells. You can even use this spray mid-eating (and it won’t turn you off your food!)

Spraying wasp spray onto porch screens to keep them away.

Lemongrass peppermint and smells…

The key to keeping the wasps away is the lemongrass or peppermint. The research into lemongrass isn’t 100% conclusive when it comes to wasps, though…

What’s more important is to understand why wasps come in the first place. What attracts them? They certainly don’t have a negative agenda, much to our feelings about them!

The trouble is, humans! We have food that ‘mimics’ their favorite foods – and our food is easily accessible when we’re sat outside enjoying it, watching the sunset at the same time.

Now, there are plenty of theories about lemongrass, one is that lemongrass smothers their senses, so they lose coherence and reverse back the way they’ve come for safety.

It is important to note that lemongrass may attract bees, though when combined with clove, bees have been known to stay away. If you are worried about issues with bees, simply use the peppermint combination.

Peppermint deters a number of insects, including stinging insects, and works quite well in this recipe.

Dish Soap & Lemon Juice

While lemongrass is effective in deterring wasps, both dish soap and lemon juice will effectively kill wasps. According to green pest solutions, dish soap will kill wasps, bees, and hornets.

I like to use this spray to get rid of any pesky wasps that wander into our screened porch, then allow the lingering aroma of lemongrass essential oil to deter any other wasps from coming in.

A bottle of homemade wasp spray with spoon and lemon nearby.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure here.

How to naturally get rid of wasps

Anti-wasp spray recipe

You’ll need a 16oz spray bottle for this recipe. Ideally, use a nozzle that gives off a fine stream, which means it’ll reach further and last longer than a shorter-range nozzle. The idea is to spray long distance.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of water
1 ounce of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap
15 drops of peppermint essential oil or

10 drops of lemongrass essential oil
5 drops of clove essential oil

Instructions:

Add water and lemon juice to a 16-ounce spray bottle.

Slowly add in the dish soap along with the lemongrass or peppermint.

Secure the nozzle and shake well to combine. Ready to use straight away.

How to use wasp spray

Staying a safe distance away, spray directly onto the wasp to kill it or around soffits and porches where wasps tend to hang out.

This can be used on wasp nests, however, care should be taken, with no people or pets around. I prefer to use this on any lone wasps that wander into the area we are spending time in.

I personally only use this spray around the areas that we spend time in.

Only use this spray on nuisance wasps, as they do play a very important role in controlling the spider and insect population.

Take proper precautions

This wasp spray works quite well, but you will still need to be aware that they will get angry whenever you mess with wasps or other stinging creatures.

You will want to avoid using this around children or if you are prone to allergic reactions from stings.

I use this spray around my pets but am sure to allow them to get away if need be. Pets have a much stronger sense of smell than humans and may not particularly like the aroma of this spray.

Tips

Ensure you shake the bottle well every time you use this wasp spray. The ingredients are a mixture of oils and water, so they will naturally separate. The best thing is to shake it, use it immediately, and repeat when required.

Avoid spraying this in your eyes! Always ensure the nozzle points away from you, other people, and all food sources.

My best advice is to spray this at least 6 feet away from where you’re sitting. It’s not toxic, but it is a strong smell, and the idea is to deter wasps, so the further away you spray, the better the result (theoretically!) Though if wasps are really pestering you, give a spritz from your seat, and don’t worry, the smell won’t harm you!
Do take care while spraying to avoid getting it into your eyes.

I hope this wasp spray serves you and your family well. If you have any questions or comments, please post them below.

And if you would like to see more of my pest control posts, you may enjoy one of these next!