How to Make DIY Fly Spray

Make your own fly spray at home, to keep those dreaded flies off of your animals. This is the best kind I have made, and it works!

This recipe for homemade fly repellent spray is one that I have come up with, and it works very well here on the homestead.

I have used this spray on our donkey, mule, goats….and myself! Yes, I have found myself spritzing my own skin with it when I am bombarded by flies, and out there spraying down the animals. I also used a simple version of this spray for the horse we had many years ago.

It is a STAPLE for my fly control here on the farm. The one I make today is the best version that I personally have come up with, and it works great.

This spray is also helpful when sprayed on the walls or bedding in a chicken coop, though I mostly use it for the animals.

What to do when your animals don’t like fly spray

Many animals ~~don’t like~~ HATE to be sprayed with bottles. My way of working around that, is to spray the liquid onto something else, then putting it on the animals.

One way is to spray it onto a cloth, then wipe the cloth onto their fur.

The way I do it, is to spray the mixture onto a grooming glove, (like this one.)

Then “brush” the animal. They get a nice rub-down, and you get the spray on them as you need to.

wiping the fly spray onto Sophie the miniature donkey

Watch Me Make This Fly Spray:

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When you make your own fly spray, you can start with the basic, simple recipe, and go from there. Or, you can add a few essential oils that really boost the fly-repelling properties. I have included both the simple and my BEST versions below.

To Make the Simple Fly Spray You Will Need:

spray bottle
apple cider vinegar (the cheap kind)
water
Avon Skin So Soft

Simple Fly Spray Recipe:

6 oz. (1 part) Skin So Soft
6 oz. (1 part) water
12 oz. (2 parts) apple cider vinegar

Combine the three ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake well and use as desired. Shake the bottle often as you use it to keep the ingredients mixed.

Fly Spray Version 2

This is the version I made in the video above. This is my favorite version of fly spray to make, and my go-to for all of the animals here at Cosmopolitan Cornbread.

To Make the Best DIY Fly Spray You Will Need:

Best DIY Fly Spray Recipe:

12 oz. (1 1/2 c) apple cider vinegar
6 oz. (3/4 c) water
6 oz. (3/4 c) Avon Skin So Soft
15-20 drops rosemary essential oil
15-20 drops lavender essential oil
15-20 drops peppermint essential oil
15-20 drops citronella essential oil