Insect Repelling DIY Citronella Lemon Bowl Candles
Make natural insect repelling DIY citronella lemon bowl candles for beautiful evenings spent outdoors.
Is there anything more satisfying than an end-of-summer get-together under the stars, sharing stories and a farm-to-table meal?
Before moving to Texas, our home was tucked into rolling hills between plateaus of fields and pastures in the Midwest. Surrounded by woodlands, we enjoyed the shade of maple, redbud, and black locust trees.
When autumn drew near, and summer came to an end, we gathered friends and family on our third-floor deck and large screen porch. As the sun set, we lit torches around the outdoor spaces to hold the mosquitoes back. Watching the shadows created by the flames, we sipped cool summer drinks, traded stories, and savored the tastes of the season.
This recipe for DIY citronella lemon bowl candles came about with these memories in mind. Each naturally repels insects with essential oils and dried herbs.
Together, they make a beautiful centerpiece or small arrangements on outdoor tables. Why not make an extra dozen to send home with guests for an evening they won’t soon forget?
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How Do Citronella Candles Repel Insects?
Even the simplest herb gardens offer plentiful resources beyond the kitchen. From natural skincare to supporting wellness, or cleaning our homes – some herbs, in fact, do it all!
This includes repelling insects naturally. You see, plants send signals to attract insects that benefit the plant while outputting signals that also keep other insects away. This natural phenomenon is very effective because insects rely on smell and taste to locate their next meal.
Citronella is one plant in particular that repels insects that don’t benefit either of us. We can take advantage of this phenomenon by using citronella oil in a candle.
What is citronella oil? Citronella oil is a naturally occurring insect repellent steam distilled from the leafy parts of two grass varieties, Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon spp.
But it’s not the only one – take a look at this list of plants and fruits that repell insects!
Insect Repelling Plants and Fruits:
- Lemongrass
- Eucalyptus
- Lemon balm
- Sage
- Lime
- Peppermint
- Citronella
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Spearmint
- Lemons
- Lavender
- Orange
- Cedarwood
These insect-repelling candles are yet another reason why I love growing an herb garden and discovering new herb uses!
Related: How To Create A Natural Essential Oil Room Spray
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Creating DIY Citronella Lemon Bowl Candles With Essential Oils and Herbs
Gather your supplies to make these natural insect-repelling DIY citronella lemon bowl candles with essential oils and herbs. Invite your friends and family to spend a beautiful evening outdoors without insects.
Is this your first time making candles? Check out the candle resource center or my candle-making book to learn more.
Supplies You’ll Need:
Recommended Candle Tools:
How to Make Citronella Candles In A Lemon:
- Slice each lemon in half and carefully hollow it out with a paring knife and spoon to create lemon bowls. Cut six wood wicks to size for each lemon bowl and set them aside.
- Fill a large saucepan with about 2 inches of water and place it on the stove to heat.
- Place a candle-melting pitcher on a kitchen scale and tap to tare the weight. Then, pour scoops of soy wax inside it until you reach 14 ounces.
- Set the wax-filled pitcher inside the large saucepan on the stove. Use the double boiler method to heat the wax on low up to 160°F. I recommend monitoring the wax’s heat with a no-touch infrared thermometer and slowly stirring the wax with a heat-resistant spatula.
- Once the wax has melted, allow it to cool to 150°F before adding 1/4 ounce of lemongrass essential oil and 1/2 ounce of citronella essential oil to the melted wax in the candle pitcher. Stir the oils in the wax for two minutes to thoroughly bind.
- While cooling, spoon a small amount of melted wax into the center of a prepared lemon bowl. Place a wood wick into the hot wax and hold until stable (about 10 seconds). Repeat for each lemon bowl.
- After placing the wicks and combining the wax and essential oils, carefully pour the wax into each lemon bowl, avoiding the tops of the wood wicks.
- Wait a few minutes until the wax is cloudy, then sprinkle each lemon candle with lemon balm. Let stand for 1 hour or more until the wax is hard and white before using.
If you want a stronger scent and more potent insect repellent, wait three days before using.
Insect Repelling DIY Citronella Lemon Bowl Candles
Make natural insect repelling DIY citronella lemon bowl candles for beautiful evenings spent outdoors.
Materials
- 3 lemons
- 6 wood wicks
- 0.875 lbs (14oz) soy wax
- 1/4 oz lemongrass essential oil
- 1/2 oz citronella essential oil
- ¾ teaspoon dried lemon balm
Tools
- candle-melting pitcher
- no-touch infrared thermometer
- heat-resistant spatula
Instructions
- Slice each lemon in half and carefully hollow it out with a paring knife and spoon to create lemon bowls. Cut six wood wicks to size for each lemon bowl and set them aside.
- Fill a large saucepan with about 2 inches of water and place it on the stove to heat.
- Place a candle-melting pitcher on a kitchen scale and tap to tare the weight. Then, pour scoops of soy wax inside it until you reach 14 ounces.
- Set the wax-filled pitcher inside the large saucepan on the stove. Use the double boiler method to heat the wax on low up to 160°F. I recommend monitoring the wax’s heat with a no-touch infrared thermometer and slowly stirring the wax with a heat-resistant spatula.
- Once the wax has melted, allow it to cool to 150°F before adding 1/4 ounce of lemongrass essential oil and 1/2 ounce of citronella essential oil to the melted wax in the candle pitcher. Stir the oils in the wax for two minutes to thoroughly bind.
- While cooling, spoon a small amount of melted wax into the center of a prepared lemon bowl. Place a wood wick into the hot wax and hold until stable (about 10 seconds). Repeat for each lemon bowl.
- After placing the wicks and combining the wax and essential oils, carefully pour the wax into each lemon bowl, avoiding the tops of the wood wicks.
- Wait a few minutes until the wax is cloudy, then sprinkle each lemon candle with lemon balm. Let stand for 1 hour or more until the wax is hard and white before using.
Notes
If you want a stronger scent and more potent insect repellent, wait three days before using.
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Learn how to use essential oils to fragrance your home with more than 25 recipes and projects in my book titled Aromatherapy: A Practical Guide for Home and Family.
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these honesty sound devine
Jill, they are the most beautiful candles I’ve ever made and I love that they are purposeful too!
I would have never thought to put these into lemons…great idea for table scapes.
I hope we see you at the current Reader Tip Tuesday Party: http://www.jodiefitz.com/2017/08/22/reader-tip-tuesday-party-crafts-recipes/
It’s open all week & growing.
Exactly, I am really pleased at how pretty they turned out.
Hi Kristy, these are gorgeous! They would be fun to bring to an outdoor party as a little hostess gift. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely, thanks Amy
Hello, how does the lemon hold
Up after a few weeks or months? Does it get rotten looking?
Suprisingingly they tend to hold up for a few weeks. You can fill them with table salt for a few hours or overnight after scooping out the lemon to help preserve it before making candles too.
So gorgeous! I agree with others, great hostess gift.
Thanks Ella!
Love this! Can they be made as Christmas gifts and maybe freeze them to last until Spring / Summer?
Awe thanks, I have given them as take home gifts at a party. But, I never frozen a candle before. Candle wax shrinks, contracts, and can crack when it gets too cold.