If you have been troubled for a while now about the disgusting insects and pests that you keep finding in your home, you are not alone. Such pests and insects invade our homes, cause a lot of damage to the furniture, and even destroy our little gardens. It is indeed a bugging job to get rid of these insects. Therefore, most people do not like to employ such methods, which involve chemicals to eliminate these pesky creatures.
If you are looking for natural ways to get rid of insects, you have come to the right place. Below is a list of the ten best DIY natural insect repellents you can use to safeguard your home against unwanted insects and pests.
10 DIY Natural Insect Repellents to Safeguard your Home
1. Sugar ball traps for cockroaches- Cockroaches have incredible survival abilities and are mainly the biggest carriers of diseases. One of the best deterrents for roaches is borax. To make the sugar ball trap for these pets, mix sugar with plain flour in equal parts. Then you have to add two borax parts to the mixture and enough water to have a dough-like consistency. Finally, place small balls of this mixture in the corners of the house where you found cockroaches. Ensure that you use plastic gloves throughout the process, even though borax is a low-risk pesticide.
2. Camphor solution for lizards- If you find lizards creepy and gross, here is a gentle way to drive them away. Dissolve some camphor in water to make a concentrated solution and pour it into a spray bottle. Ensure that you pray this solution regularly in corners and behind shelves to drive away lizards. The odor of camphor gets rid of lizards.
3. Neem potpourri against silver fishes- It is a problem when silver fishes eat through your precious books and pretty clothes. One simple way to take care of these insects is by neem leaves. Wash a fresh neem sprig and place it in your wardrobe and shelves. You can also use neem oil, extract dried neem leaves, and put them in small mesh bags. Place these bags in your cupboard and shelves and replace this ‘potpourri’ every few days to keep silver fishes away.
4. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)- This naturally occurring mineral is composed of fossilized remains of ‘diatoms’ which are tiny aquatic organisms. DE is extremely popular in pest control as it can kid many insects, including ants, fleas, cockroaches, carpet beetles, bedbugs, etc. You don’t need to worry about bugs developing resistance against DE, as this is not a chemical pesticide.
5. All-purpose bug repellent- An effortless way to get rid of almost every pest and insect in your home is to use this mixture. Add 3-4 tbsp of spearmint, lavender, peppermint, and catnip into a cup of water with 2-4 dried cloves. Boil, cool, and then strain this mixture, after which you need to add a cup of witch hazel. That is how you create your own DIY natural insect repellent.
6. DIY mosquito repellent- Aromatherapy is beneficial for haircare or skincare and excellent for keeping pests like mosquitoes away. Essential oils like citronella oil, eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, or lemongrass oil are perfect for creating your DIY insect repellent. Mix one of these oils with a carrier oil like jojoba or coconut oil in the ratio of 1:9 and use it whenever you step away to keep away mosquitoes.
7. Coffee- Who doesn’t like coffee? It is the one beverage that keeps us going on all those stressful days at work. But did you know coffee can also keep away pesky insects and bugs? If you could spare some beloved coffee grounds and sprinkle them around cracks of doors and windows, you will soon find bugs crawling out of your home after a fix of coffee.
8. Hydrogen peroxide spray against fungi- If you notice fungi eating away at the beautiful plants in your balcony or garden, the best fungicide or pesticide would be hydrogen peroxide. Mix half a cup of this pesticide with 3.5 liters of water and store it in an airtight bottle. All you need to do is spray this mixture on the plants where you see fungi growing or other pest infestations.
9. Vinegar- There are two types of vinegar that you can use in sprays to keep away insects. While you can use white vinegar as an all-purpose bug spray, you can also use apple cider vinegar. This type of vinegar is perfect for protecting your plants on the balcony, terrace, or garden.
10. Asafoetida or ‘hing’- A powerful spice in the kitchen, ‘hing’ is an excellent natural pest repellent that you can use outdoors and indoors. Boil a liter of water with 100 grams of hing in it. After cooling it down, spray this mixture on plants to keep away small insects like moths.
Conclusion
Services like professional insect control or pest control services may be helpful in some cases. Still, you should first try the natural methods listed above to eliminate pests in your home.
