Making your own citronella oil at home is straightforward, though it’s important to understand what you’re actually making. True citronella essential oil requires steam distillation equipment, which most people don’t have. What you can easily make at home is a citronella-infused oil, where you extract the plant’s aromatic compounds into a carrier oil. This infused oil works well in homemade bug sprays, candles, and skin applications.
What Citronella Oil Actually Does
Citronella oil contains three key compounds: citronellol, citronellal, and geraniol. These don’t kill mosquitoes. Instead, they work by masking the scents that attract insects to you, essentially making you harder to find. This is why citronella repellents need reapplication more often than synthetic options.
A 4.2% citronella concentration provides about one hour of mosquito protection. That’s significantly shorter than DEET or picaridin products, which can last 8 to 14 hours at higher concentrations. Citronella is also ineffective against Asian tiger mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and ticks. For a backyard barbecue or short garden session, a homemade citronella oil works fine. For hiking in mosquito-heavy areas, you’ll want something stronger.
How to Make Citronella-Infused Oil
You’ll need fresh or dried citronella grass (also called lemongrass, though true citronella is Cymbopogon nardus or C. winterianus), a carrier oil, and a slow, gentle heating method. The goal is to draw the plant’s volatile oils into the carrier without overheating, which destroys the active compounds.
Choosing a Carrier Oil
Coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, and sweet almond oil all work. Jojoba and coconut oil have longer natural shelf lives due to slower oxidation rates, making them better choices if you want your infused oil to last. Olive oil works in a pinch but turns rancid faster, especially in warm conditions.
Slow Infusion Method
Chop or bruise about one cup of fresh citronella leaves and stems to release the oils. Place them in a slow cooker or double boiler with two cups of your carrier oil. Heat on the lowest setting (around 100 to 130°F) for 4 to 8 hours. The low temperature matters: too much heat evaporates the very compounds you’re trying to capture. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a clean glass jar, squeezing out as much oil as possible.
For a stronger infusion, repeat the process with the same oil and a fresh batch of leaves. Two or three rounds of infusion will produce a noticeably more potent oil, though it still won’t match the concentration of a commercially distilled essential oil.
Cold Infusion Method
If you’d rather skip the heat, pack a glass jar with bruised citronella leaves, cover completely with carrier oil, seal it, and let it sit in a sunny windowsill for two weeks. Shake the jar once daily. Strain, then repeat with fresh leaves if you want a stronger product. This method is slower but preserves more of the delicate aromatic compounds.
Turning Your Infused Oil Into a Repellent
Your infused oil can be used as-is on the skin, but if you also have store-bought citronella essential oil, you can boost your homemade products significantly. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy recommends 15 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil for a 2.5% dilution on normal skin. For sensitive skin, drop that to 6 drops per ounce (a 1% dilution).
To make a spray, combine 10 to 15 drops of citronella essential oil per ounce of water in a spray bottle. Adding a small amount of your infused oil or a splash of witch hazel helps the mixture stay blended rather than separating.
Never apply undiluted essential oil directly to skin. If you’re unsure how your skin will react, dab a small amount of the diluted oil on the inside of your wrist and wait 24 hours before using it more broadly. Any redness, itching, or irritation means you should either dilute further or avoid citronella products altogether.
Storage and Shelf Life
Homemade infused oils don’t last as long as commercial products because they lack preservatives. Store your citronella oil in a dark glass bottle, away from heat and direct light, as both accelerate oxidation and rancidity. University of Georgia research on herbal oil infusions recommends refrigerating homemade infused oils and using them within four days if made with fresh plant material. Freezing extends the life considerably.
If you used thoroughly dried citronella leaves, the shelf life improves because moisture is the main driver of microbial growth. Dried-herb infusions stored in the refrigerator in dark bottles can last several weeks to a few months. Sniff before each use: rancid oil smells sharp and unpleasant, noticeably different from the fresh citrusy scent. If it smells off, discard it.
Safety Around Children and Pets
Citronella is toxic to both dogs and cats. The citronella plant itself is poisonous if ingested, and the concentrated oil can cause gastrointestinal upset. Cats are especially sensitive to essential oils in general, which can cause stomach problems, central nervous system depression, and liver damage. Keep your homemade citronella products stored where pets can’t access them, and don’t apply citronella oil to your pet’s fur or skin.
For young children, use the lower dilution rate (1% or less, which is 6 drops or fewer per ounce of carrier oil). Avoid applying near the eyes, mouth, or hands that will inevitably end up in the mouth. Citronella is generally recognized as safe by the EPA for topical use in appropriate dilutions, but small children and people with sensitive skin deserve extra caution with any essential oil product.