DIY Lemon & Herb Citronella Candles

Create your own natural insect repellent candles by making DIY Lemon & Herb Citronella Candles. Begin by gathering the necessary materials, including soy wax, citronella essential oil, dried herbs like rosemary and lavender, candle wicks, and lemon slices. Melt the soy wax in a double boiler, then add a few drops of citronella essential oil for its bug-repelling properties. Stir in the dried herbs for a pleasant aroma and added insect-repelling benefits. These DIY Lemon & Herb Citronella Candles are not only effective at keeping bugs away, but they also add a lovely ambiance to your outdoor space. Enjoy a bug-free evening surrounded by the soothing scents of lemon and herbs with these homemade candles.

Supplies for DIY Citronella Candles

• Mason Jars: Gather mason jars of varying sizes (or use all the same size). I like grouping these candles in 3’s with jars of all varying heights.
• Floating Candles: Round up a few floating candles. I used these.
• Fresh Rosemary: Snip fresh rosemary sprigs from the garden. Fresh sprigs of lavender or basil would also work for this.
• Fresh Lemons and/or Limes: Slice lemons and limes. The amount of lemons & limes you need will depend on the amount of candles you are making & the size of the jar. On average, I used about 2-3 lemon slices and 2-3 lime slices per jar.
• Lemongrass Essential Oil: Purchase an organic lemongrass or citronella essential oil. I used this lemongrass essential oil.

How to Make DIY Lemon & Herb Citronella Candles

Fill the mason jars this way:

• First start by adding the lemon and lime slices. I used about 3 lemon slices and 2 lime slices for the large mason jars and about 1-2 lemon slices and 2 lime slices for the small mason jars.
• Add 1-2 springs of rosemary.
• Fill mason jar with water until an inch below the lid rings.
• Add about 20 drops of the essential oil. Take a butter knife or spoon and mix the ingredients in the jar carefully.
• Place the floating candle on top.

How long will DIY citronella candles last?

These DIY citronella candles will last up to 3 days before the fruit and herbs will start to go bad.

However, you could add the fruit and herbs to a stovetop potpourri for a day or so before tossing! Stovetop potpourri is such a great use of old fruit & herbs.