it’s been a wet spring and early summer in southwest wisconsin which means the gnats have been extra bothersome. so we were sitting up in the treehouse deck attempting to enjoy the view while swatting gnats.

they were so annoying that we decided to try some organic vanilla extract which we heard was an effective gnat repellent.

it seemed too good to be true. can you really repel gnats, avoid nasty bug sprays, and smell like a freshly baked cookie all at the same time?

sure enough, you can – just put a dab behind your ears and no gnats! the anti-gnat effect doesn’t last for too long – maybe 30 to 40 minutes per application – but it’s a great smelling short-term solution.