Citronella oil
Oils, citronella
Does citronella actually work?
Barely, and briefly. Citronella is the most famous botanical repellent and one of the weakest performers in controlled testing, lasting under 20 minutes of complete protection in the landmark NEJM study. It repels mosquitoes; it just stops doing so almost immediately.
When to choose it: Ambience. If you enjoy the scent on a patio evening, fine, but pair it with a real repellent if bites matter.
The scent most people picture as bug spray, and one of the shortest-lasting actives in testing: roughly 15 to 20 minutes of full protection at the concentrations products use.
How it works
Citronella's citronellal and geraniol mask host odors and briefly deter mosquitoes nearby. The oil is highly volatile, so it goes to work fast and wears off just as fast.
Safety around dogs & cats
Comparatively mild around dogs (citronella is even used in dog bark-deterrent sprays), so incidental contact is usually just an irritant for them. For cats it is a different story: it is a concentrated Cymbopogon oil, chemically kin to lemongrass and geranium, rich in geraniol and citronellol that cats cannot clear, so it should never be applied to a cat or licked off treated skin.
Moderate confidence. Ratings from ASPCA Animal Poison Control, the Pet Poison Helpline, and published veterinary toxicology. This is general information, not veterinary advice. If your pet is exposed, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Mosquito protection by concentration: Citronella oil
Complete protection time (dark = lower bound, light = upper bound) on the same 12 h scale used across the site. Modeled from published dose-response data in our research library.
The evidence
A 2011 systematic review of 11 controlled experiments found only brief, modest protection that fades quickly, though formulating with vanillin stretches it somewhat. Later essential-oil screens rank citronella below most botanicals tested, and CDC found no useful tick protection.
- Harnessing insect-derived oils for enhanced efficacy of plant-based repellents against disease-transmitting mosquitoes2026LabLimited evidence
Laboratory arm-in-cage study testing whether oils rendered from edible insects (desert locust, nsenene cricket, and termite) can work as fixatives that slow the evaporation of plant essential oils and so extend their repellency. Three plant oils (citronella, African camphor basil, and lemon eucalyptus) were blended with the insect oils and applied to the forearms of eight volunteers, with complete protection time measured against three mosquito species and skin volatiles tracked by GC-MS.
- Efficacy of Unregulated Minimum Risk Products to Kill and Repel Ticks2024ReviewDefinitive evidence
A CDC review in Emerging Infectious Diseases asking whether the unregulated minimum-risk botanical products sold to kill and repel ticks actually work, against EPA-registered products. Its verdict: efficacy is wide-ranging, often poor, and unpredictable, and real skin-repellency data for them barely existed.
- Plant-based insect repellents: a review of their efficacy, development and testing2011ReviewWell-supported evidence
Review of plant-based repellent efficacy, development, and testing.
- Effectiveness of citronella preparations in preventing mosquito bites: systematic review of controlled laboratory experimental studies2011ReviewWell-supported evidence
A systematic review asking how well citronella actually prevents mosquito bites, pulling together every controlled laboratory experiment that pitted a citronella preparation against a control. Eleven studies qualified, covering citronella oil alone and citronella combined with vanillin as a fixative, all benchmarked against DEET.
- Efficacy of the botanical repellents geraniol, linalool, and citronella against mosquitoes2009Field TrialWell-supported evidence
Field trial of geraniol, linalool, and citronella as diffusers and candles against wild mosquitoes.
- Ability of essential oil candles to repel biting insects in high and low biting pressure environments2008Field TrialWell-supported evidence
Field trial of essential oil candles against biting insects at varying distances.
- Comparative repellency of 38 essential oils against mosquito bites2005LabWell-supported evidence
A large laboratory screen ranking 38 essential oils by how well they stop Aedes aegypti biting treated human skin. It is one of the most-cited head-to-head botanical comparisons, and its main lesson is that most oils lose nearly all their repellency once diluted.
- Evaluation of the efficacy of 3% citronella candles and 5% citronella incense for protection against field populations of Aedes mosquitoes1996Field TrialWell-supported evidence
Field trial of citronella candles and incense against wild Aedes mosquitoes.
Products using it
Quantum Health
Buzz Away Extreme Spray
Citronella oil 0.98% · Clove oil 0.40%
Complete protection
Badger
Anti-Bug Shake & Spray
Castor oil 10% · Cedarwood oil 2%
Complete protection
Maggie's Farm
Maggie's Farm Natural Insect Repellent
Citronella oil 0.95% · Clove oil 0.50%
Complete protection
All Terrain
Herbal Armor DEET-Free Natural Insect Repellent Pump Spray
Cedarwood oil 1.5% · Citronella oil 10%
Complete protection
Kinfield
Golden Hour DEET-Free Mosquito Repellent
Citronella oil 10.00% · Clove oil 0.01%
Complete protection
California Baby
California Baby Natural Bug Blend Bug Repellent Spray
Cedarwood oil 0.5% · Citronella oil 5%
Complete protection
Badger
Bug Repellent Balm Tin
Castor oil 10% · Cedarwood oil 2%
Complete protection
Quantum Health
Buzz Away Insect Repellent
Citronella oil 5%
Complete protection
Murphy's Naturals
Murphy's Naturals Mosquito Repellent Incense Sticks
Citronella oil 1.5%
Coverage & effectiveness
Murphy's Naturals
Murphy's Naturals Mosquito Repellent Incense Cones
Citronella oil 1.5%
Coverage & effectiveness
Skeeter Screen
Skeeter Screen Yard Sticks
Citronella oil
Coverage & effectiveness
PIC
PIC Citronella Mosquito Repelling Coils
Citronella oil
Coverage & effectiveness
Skeeter Screen
Skeeter Screen Patio Candle
Citronella oil
Coverage & effectiveness
Not recommended
No proven mosquito protection
Kate McLeod
The Bug Balm
Cedarwood oil 0.12% · Citronella oil 0.03%
Complete protection
Not recommended
No proven mosquito protection
Venture Wipes
Venture Wipes Natural Mosquito Repellent Wipes
Citronella oil 0.5% · Rosemary oil 0.05%
Complete protection
Not recommended
No proven mosquito protection
Babyganics
Babyganics Mosquito Repellent Lotion – Fragrance Free
Cedarwood oil 0.70% · Citronella oil 0.95%
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed
Greenerways Organic
Greenerways Organic Bug Repellent
Cedarwood oil 0.5% · Citronella oil 7.5%
Complete protection
Not recommended
No proven mosquito protection
Murphy's Naturals
Mosquito Repellent Wipes
Cedarwood oil 1.4% · Citronella oil 0.2%
Complete protection
Not recommended
No demonstrated efficacy
AJOQFKTD
Mosquito Repellent Balls (8 Pack)
Citronella oil 45% · Peppermint oil 24%
Coverage & effectiveness
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +1 more
Quitch
Geraniol Bug Repellent Balm
Castor oil · Cedarwood oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +1 more
No Natz
No Natz Botanical Insect Repellent Spray
Citronella oil · Rosemary oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +1 more
No Mosquitoz
No Mosquitoz Botanical Insect Repellent Spray
Cedarwood oil · Citronella oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +1 more
Skeem Design
Skeem Verbena Aura Citronella Body Spray
Citronella oil · Lemongrass oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +1 more
Cliganic
Cliganic Mosquito Repellent Stick
Castor oil · Cedarwood oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +1 more
Primally Pure
Primally Pure Nature Spray
Cedarwood oil · Citronella oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Potentially not EPA compliant
Para'Kito
Para'Kito Mosquito Repellent Roll-On Gel
Citronella oil 2.475% · Clove oil 0.21%
Complete protection
Not recommended
Potentially not EPA compliant +1 more
Lo & Behold Naturals
Lo & Behold Naturals Lemon & Eucalyptus Bug Spray
Citronella oil 0.53% · Rosemary oil 0.36%
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +2 more
My July
My July Woods Nature Spray Tick & Mosquito Repellent
Cedarwood oil · Citronella oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +2 more
Diptyque
Diptyque Lemongrass & Geranium Summer Body Spray
Citronella oil · Geranium oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +2 more
Erbaviva
Erbaviva Buzz Spray
Cedarwood oil · Citronella oil
Complete protection
Not recommended
Formula not fully disclosed +2 more
H. Honeycup
H. Honeycup Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Spray
Citronella oil · Lemongrass oil
Complete protection
Common misconceptions
Myth: “Citronella candles protect a backyard.”
Reality: Controlled tests show candles reduce bites only marginally. Wind disperses the halo faster than the candle creates it.
Myth: “It's the proven classic.”
Reality: It's the familiar classic. In the NEJM complete-protection-time study, citronella products lasted 10–20 minutes versus 5 hours for 24% DEET.
Regulatory notes
EPA minimum risk (FIFRA 25(b)) approved active ingredient; matched to SRS registry entry.
Safety notes
A 25(b) ingredient with a long record in candles and cosmetics. Well tolerated by most people, though the undiluted oil can irritate skin, so patch-test before applying it directly.
Frequently asked questions
How long does citronella last on skin?
Fradin & Day 2002 measured about 14 minutes at 5% and 20 minutes at 10%, among the shortest complete-protection times of any active we track. Consumer products often use less than 10%.
Why is citronella in so many products?
It's cheap, smells like 'bug spray', and is exempt from EPA efficacy review as a minimum-risk ingredient. Familiarity, not evidence, keeps it on shelves.