The DIY, All-Natural Monster Spray Every Parent Must Have

Okay first, a disclaimer: I don’t know how factual the following story actually is. It’s one of those stories from so long ago, that’s been told over and over again, that it’s almost certainly been elaborated upon over time. But the story I have heard from my husband countless times is this:

He had a very difficult time sleeping as a kid. He was convinced that there were monsters in his closet and underneath his bed. So his parents got the genius idea of filling up a spray bottle with ordinary tap water and telling him that it was “monster spray.” Their idea for monster spray worked like a charm. Little Erik wholeheartedly believed that the monster spray killed all sorts of invisible monsters on contact. And his parents were so proud of their cleverness and invention that they set to work developing a monster spray that could be sold in toy stores. But somewhere along the way, in between developing the product and mass-producing it, they discovered that someone else had beaten them to the punch. In other words, all these years later, my husband’s parents are convinced that they were the original inventors of monster spray!

Fast forward to today. When I first made my version of monster spray, my husband exclaimed, “Yours is way better than my parents!” And hearing that made my day, no… my week. And it’s true. My version is better, and that’s because instead of just plain tap water in a spray bottle, mine has essential oils chosen specifically because they have been shown to encourage feelings of sleepiness and tranquility. Plus, these essential oils, when used appropriately, are safe for use around children (not all essential oils are).

Here’s what you need:

2 two oz. spray bottles or 1 four oz. spray bottle

Lavender essential oil

Roman Chamomile essential oil

1 c. distilled water

1/2 c. witch hazel

Directions: Fill spray bottle(s) with distilled water. Add 10 drops of Lavender and 5 drops of Roman Chamomile to each bottle.

To use: Spray around the room to ward off monsters and in the direction of other invisible creatures. Never spray directly onto children.

To store: Store opaque spray bottle in a cool place for up to two weeks.

A few words about essential oil sprays

Most DIY essential oil linen and room sprays use either vodka or rubbing alcohol to help prolong the scent. Since this recipe is for small children the vodka has been replaced with witch hazel. If you choose to make this recipe for adults as a simple linen spray (which it’s also awesome for, by the way), feel free to sub in 80 to 100 proof vodka.