Homemade Bug Spray Recipe

With the constant rain we have had in Michigan this year the bugs have been horrible and we have gone through sprays like crazy.  We all have allergies and sensitive skin and the horses are a little sensitive to citronella that is in a lot of the horse sprays.  (Plus I forgot to stop at the feed store and get more spray for the horses...)  So I decided to whip up a little homemade concoction this weekend to try.  I just went with what I had on hand - white vinegar, lemon-scented dish soap, eucalyptus-mint scented bath salts, and baby oil.  I started by heating a mug of water (8 oz.) in the microwave for 3 minutes.  I added two heaping teaspoons of the bath salts to the hot water and stirred until dissolved.  I poured this mix into my spray bottle.  To this I added 2 oz. baby oil, 3 teaspoons lemon-scented dish soap and 2 cups of vinegar.  I added just enough water to fill the bottle the rest of the way.  Then I put on the top and shook until well combined.  

This mix smells pretty good although you can smell the vinegar a bit.  I sprayed it on myself and it worked to keep the flies and mosquitoes away for the couple of hours I mowed.  I also sprayed this on the horses and goat while I picketed them out to eat in the field.  I also put it on the dogs.  (I sprayed it on my hands and wiped it on their faces and ears to avoid getting it in their eyes or nose.)  When I initially sprayed them, it did immediately kill all the flies and mosquitoes that were on them.  While its not a long-term spray, it was effective for about 4 hours.  When I went to bring them in at dusk it was not working as well so I re-applied.  It did not seem to irritate them and added a nice sheen to their coats.  On me, it wasn't bad to smell and it wasn't greasy or oily.  I would say this is better for a short-term repellent.  I don't know yet if it works for the more aggressive flies like deer flies but it was fine on the normal house/yard flies, gnats and mosquitoes.