We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post. At no additional cost to you, clicking in these links go to support our blog. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Every house has pests. Even though they are commonly found in American homes, that does not mean that they are wanted, especially when it quickly turns into an infestation. There are dozens of home conveniences that can be implemented to drive those pests away. Here are some natural remedies you can try instead of going out and buying some bug spray.
Getting Rid Of Ants In Your Kitchen
Try mixing half white vinegar with half water in a spray bottle. When you see any ants, give them a good spray and wipe up the area. The vinegar is too much for the ant’s sense of smell and they will be sure not to return. The only downside to this is that your home will reek of vinegar. You could also try sprinkling cayenne pepper, cornmeal, or brewed coffee grounds in and around the area where the ants are coming from. This trick will also disrupt the ants’ sense of smell, but without making your entire house smell like vinegar.
Cayenne pepper, cornmeal, or brewed coffee grounds will put a stop to the ants smelling your food in your home as well as their fellow ant. The texture of these materials will also act as an ant force field as many of them will avoid the area.
One other natural remedy is to use dish soap spray. All you need for this is dish soap and water. Mix those two ingredients together, making sure to fill the spray bottle three-quarters of the way full with water and adding 10 to 20 drops of dish soap. It is important that the dish soap that you use is made with natural ingredients. Give that mixture a good shake and spray the areas you are seeing ants trailing or frequent.
You could also sprinkle boric acid or borax powder around outside entrances and alongside any visible trails as well as dust infested areas with boric acid mixed with an equal amount of flour, cornmeal, or sugar inside your home. The ants will think this is food, take it back to their nest to feed, and will die. When you do these remedies, make sure that your pets and children are kept away from these areas.
Getting Rid Of Flies In Your Kitchen
Making fly traps and is probably one of the easiest ways to get rid of flies in your kitchen. Create a jar fly trap using a jar, apple cider vinegar, dish soap, plastic wrap, and a rubber band. Fill the jar with an inch’s worth of apple cider vinegar then add a couple of drops of floral dish soap. Use the plastic wrap to cover the jar, making sure to secure it with the rubber band. Poke holes in the plastic wrap and voila! Now the flies have a way to get inside the jar with a slim chance of leaving it.
You could also make a fruit trap. This is especially great for capturing fruit flies. Cut a piece of fruit of your choosing about an inch thick then place it into a bowl with the cut side facing up. Cover that bowl with a plastic wrap and secure the wrap with a rubber band or tape. Using a toothpick, poke holes at the top. Put the bowl with the fruit in an undisturbed area of the kitchen and watch those fruit flies flock. Fruit flies can always come back somehow though. To keep them gone for good, be sure to always keep your fresh produce sealed.
Getting Rid Of Indian Meal Moths
These little critters are more commonly found in your kitchen and pantry. They can lay their little eggs in flours, cereals, grains, seeds, candies, and dry pet food. Meal moths will spoil your food by taking over your pantry with their webs, feces, and skin. To get rid of them there are a couple of tricks you can try. Always wipe down your cans and bags with a hot soapy washcloth. This will prevent them from spreading to the rest of your food when you come in from the grocery store. You can also sprinkle bay leaves throughout your kitchen cabinets as strong smelling leaves will stop meal moths from infesting your kitchen pantry.
Getting Rid Of Cockroaches
You can use a wine bottle to trap the roaches by filling the bottom of an old wine bottle with something sticky like syrup or peanut butter. From there, line the inside of the wine bottle top with cooking oil. Roaches will be seduced by the sweet smells and contents inside the wine bottle, but once they are inside the wine bottle, they will not be able to climb up the walls of the wine bottle because it will be too slippery.
Another option is to use the catnip plant as its strong smell is hated by cockroaches. To achieve this, fill small bags with fresh catnip or cotton balls that have the catnip essential oil, nepetalactone. Put those satchels in the areas you have seen the roaches.
Getting Rid Of Fleas In Your Bedroom
Ridding your bedroom of fleas because of your pet has never been easier with these natural remedies. Use a herbal flea spray consisted of four cups of vinegar, two cups of water, four ounces of lemon juice and two ounces of witch hazel. Mix these ingredients together and put them in a two-liter spray bottle, spraying it on everything and everywhere in your apartment. Special attention should be given to your carpets, furniture, and pet bed. Keep in mind that you should spray everything after you have vacuumed the entire house as well as wash any belongings on the hottest washing setting.
You can also opt to use salt as salt can dehydrate the fleas, killing them. All you need to do is sprinkle finely ground salt on your carpets and leave it on your carpet for a day. After 24 hours, vacuum it.
You can also try boiling four cups of water and remove it from the heat. After that, add six thinly sliced lemons, chopped rosemary leaves, and three to four drops of Geranium essential oil. Mix everything together in the hot water, cover, and leave overnight. The next day, strain the water and transfer it to a spray bottle. Use this rosemary and lemon spray throughout your home to repulse the fleas.
Getting Rid Of Bed Bugs In Your Bedroom
Bed bugs can be extremely difficult to get rid of without the help of the pest authority of Chattanooga, or wherever you are local. If you have already scheduled an exterminator to treat your home and they are not able to come immediately, you can use these natural remedies in the meantime.
Use steam cleaning and a hairdryer to expose bed bugs and their eggs to high heat as high temperatures can kill them. If you steam clean areas where you find bed bugs with temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also use baking soda to try and get rid of bed bugs. Sprinkle the area and surrounding spaces with baking soda. The baking soda will absorb the moisture in the bed bugs and will kill them. You just have to let the baking soda sit for an hour and then vacuum it up. Do this every few days to make sure all the bugs are gone.
Getting Rid Of Crickets In Your Bedroom
Crickets are commonly found in your home and are drawn to warm humid environments. To get rid of them you can make a trap with molasses. Fill a jar half-way with the molasses and that is it! The sweet smell of the molasses will lure them into the jar, but it is so sticky they will not be able to leave, trapping them.
You could also make a chili spray using two cups of boiling water and adding in half a cup of red chilies, red chili powder, or chili sauce. After that step is completed and you have mixed it all together, strain the liquid, and then add two more cups of water. Put all these ingredients in a spray bottle and there you have it. Be sure to spray the outside perimeter of your home to keep the crickets away. Be careful not to spray this inside the house because you could stain your furniture or rugs because of the red.
Getting Rid Of Spiders In Your Bedroom
Having spiders in your bedroom can be terrifying, but they hate citrus scents. To get rid of spiders in your bedroom naturally, rub a citrus peel along the baseboards, window sills, and bookshelves. You could also create a spider spray by mixing water and a few drops of essential oils. These oils can be eucalyptus, citronella, lavender, peppermint, tea tree, cinnamon, citrus and cedar as all these scents repel spiders. Spray the areas where you find spiders and you can kiss them goodbye. The most effective time to do this is when you have experienced rain or cold water.
Leave a Reply