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I have to start this by saying that I genuinely think the mosquito stickers and tick sticker idea is smart. I really do so I am in no way putting down the name brand stickers out there. They are my inspiration! For camping trips, vacations, long hikes, or days where I don’t want to mess with essential oils, I’ll still use them. They’re convenient, cute, easy to throw in a bag, and a clever concept. But for everyday summer life? I needed something cheaper.
With four kids, a husband, and myself constantly going in and out of the house all day long, those little stickers add up FAST. When I sat down and did the math, using disposable bug stickers once per day for our whole family could easily cost us around $130/month during summer. And that’s assuming everyone only uses one round per day. Our back yard is extremely buggy June through September. That’s a lot of money for something that gets peeled off and tossed.
At the same time, I didn’t love the idea of lathering everyone in heavy-duty bug spray multiple times a day either. For transparency sake I want you to know that I’m not completely opposed to stronger bug sprays when needed. There’s definitely a time and place for them. But for the constant “kids run outside for 20 minutes, come back in, then go back out again” cycle of summer, I wanted something lighter and simpler for those short outdoor stretches. So I started experimenting with a reusable version. And it has been a fun little project.
The total setup cost for our family was around $35–40 upfront, and most of it is reusable assuming the kids don’t pull the felt pads off hats and shoes AND we don’t lose the scrunchies…I’m choosing the optimistic outlook! (Whatever hides all the socks in this house must also steal hair ties and scrunchies too).
Scrunchie Method
First of all, who knew zipper scrunchies existed? Apparently they’re meant for hiding things like keys, money, AirPods, and all sorts of little items. I tested mine with car keys just to see if it was practical. It was not. At least not for me. To be fair, my keys are for a 2006 Toyota, so they’re bulky, and I also have super thin hair. The scrunchie wouldn’t wrap tightly enough around my ponytail once the keys were inside. But for tiny diffuser pads? Perfect. The zipper compartment hides them really well, and it gives the scent a bit of airflow without directly putting oils on skin or hair.
I also somehow did not know diffuser pads were a thing until this year when I bought an air purifier that used them. Now I’m seeing them everywhere. There are different sizes, colors, and thicknesses, and I found the tiny ones worked best for the scrunchies because they fit easily inside the zipper pocket. They’re also nice if you want to experiment with different essential oil blends without mixing scents together.
The main oil I used was lemon eucalyptus essential oil. One important thing I learned while researching this is that Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil is NOT the same thing as Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), which is used in some plant-based bug repellents. Regular lemon eucalyptus essential oil comes directly from the plant through steam distillation, while Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is processed further to concentrate a compound called PMD, which is what some commercial bug repellents rely on. So while lemon eucalyptus essential oil is still commonly used in DIY outdoor blends because of its strong scent, it’s not identical to the more standardized commercial version.
For our family, I’m treating this more like an extra scent layer for short outdoor trips rather than some magical guaranteed protection system. We still do tick checks. We still use stronger sprays when appropriate. This is simply another tool in the toolbox for everyday “kids are running outside again” moments.
I also experimented with peppermint oil because I already had it and genuinely like the smell. Peppermint is commonly included in outdoor essential oil blends because the strong menthol scent can act as a sensory disruptor for bugs, and it gives a cooling sensation too. That said, it’s probably more of a supporting oil than the main repelling ingredient. Other oils people commonly experiment with include lemongrass, lavender, clove, citronella, and thyme oil.
One very important note: I personally would NOT drip essential oils directly onto children’s (or anyone’s) skin. Instead, I apply the oils to the diffuser pad first, let them absorb for a few minutes, and then place the pad inside the scrunchie or hat setup. If you’re planning to use oils directly on skin, always dilute them properly first.
Velcro Addition
For my boys’ version, I used adhesive fabric Velcro inside baseball hats. I bought the name-brand Velcro simply because that’s what I recognized. The adhesive version I picked is VERY sticky, so keep that in mind before attaching it to hats, shoes, or clothing because it may leave residue if removed later. I also haven’t tested mine through repeated wash cycles yet. From what I’ve read, adhesive Velcro tends to weaken over time in the washing machine, especially with high heat drying, so sewing Velcro onto heavily washed items would probably hold up better long-term. My toddler is also very accomplished at pulling off the whole system, so keep that in mind. These stayed attached fairly well for us, although nothing is completely invincible to a determined three year old!
I also tried attaching the smaller diffuser pads to the back of my kid’s shoes and seemed to stick fairly well.
Summary
This definitely isn’t meant to replace every bug prevention method out there, and it’s absolutely not medical advice. For us, this is a more affordable middle-ground option for quick outdoor play, gardening, farm chores, summer evenings outside, and the constant in-and-out cycle that happens all day long with kids. The kids loving picking out their favorite diffuser pad color too. Maybe even something we use along side of the sticker patches, stickers on our shirts and reusable stickers on our heads/shoes.
The girls think the scrunchies are fun, my son and husband tolerate the hat version, and my wallet appreciates the reusable setup a whole lot more but we still keep those mosquito stickers around!