Here at I Breathe I DIY our favorite place to be is outside. If outside is your favorite place to hang, you know how frustrating it can be swatting at pests while trying to relax or enjoy a meal.
You can use a repellent on yourself, but that doesn’t keep them off your food or drink.
Sure, you can go and buy your typical tiki torch, candle, or other chemical repellent, but why when you can make your own, unique torch in a bottle? The supplies are minimal, it will last for months, and bonus!, it’s refillable.
To begin with you will need a large glass bottle with a wide base. A rum handle works beautifully. You want to make sure your bottle has a metal lid, and if (which is likely) there is a plastic seal inside the lid you will need to remove it.
A wick is your next essential component. This can be your basic wick, but you want it thick and long enough to almost pass the halfway point of the bottle while giving an inch for burning.
To fit the wick to the lid, simply drill a hole in the top of the lid just smaller than the wick. This will ensure a snug fit of the wick and not allow it to fall through. A nail or screwdriver and hammer works if you don’t have a drill, just ensure you carve out a big enough hole.
Push the wick into the opening and pull it through, leaving just less than an inch for the flame on the top. It should fit snugly. Set that aside.
Now we fill the jar. What are we filling it with you ask? Why stones and citronella oil. The stones you can find at your local dollar store. You want them small enough to fit past the neck of your bottle and movable enough to push the wick in. We used two bags for our jar. You will want to fill the jar just over halfway to prevent your torch from tipping over. We used a paper funnel to aid in the filling of the jar.
TIP: Angle the jar so the stones are not incredibly loud when filling it.
Next we fill the jar with the citronella oil. Using the funnel again, pour the oil to a couple of inches below the opening. You can now insert the wick and screw down the lid. The wick will disperse the oil, lifting it to the top. Make sure to do this outside as the oil is very fragrant. Allow 10-15 min for the the wick to do its thing and wick the oil up to the top.
You are now ready to light and enjoy! Happy summering!!
