Bugs and pests make your home an unpleasant place to be in. To drive them away, you have to use some kind of bug repellent, usually store bought. These chemical sprays are not only deadly for the pests, but are also harmful for you. You can make natural bug repellents at home by yourself, which are equally effective. They are cost effective, and you have the satisfaction of knowing that the sprays will not harm your family and pets. Here some effective natural bug repellents you can make at home:
Easy solutions to chase ants away
Cucumber
Cucumber slices placed strategically at the points of entry of the ants might keep them away as many ants seem to have an aversion to cucumber.
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is fatal for ants, as they cannot digest it. They eat the cornmeal and as they cannot digest it, they die. It takes about a week but it works and the advantage is that it is completely harmless.
Mint
Mint tea bags are also another way to chase ants away – just put them in the areas which you see too many ants.
DIY natural mosquito repellents
Mosquitoes are the worst pests, and are carriers of many dangerous diseases like malaria, dengue, zika etc. So, if you are bothered by mosquitoes, you should take steps to protect your family and yourself. Instead of using store bought DEET based repellents, you can make a few mosquito-repelling solutions for your children and yourself. These are must haves when you are going camping, hiking, trekking or just having a good time in your backyard.
Lemon and eucalyptus oil
This is one of the most famous and effective natural solution for mosquitoes. According to a study, a mixture which contains 32% of lemon and eucalyptus oil can provide protection for up to 3 hours.
To make this solution, mix 1 part of lemon and eucalyptus oil with 10 parts of sunflower or witch hazel oil. But one caution: you cannot use this solution on children less than 3 years of age.
Eucalyptus oil
Create a fly free zone by soaking a rag in eucalyptus essential oil and keep it where flies bug you most.
DIY Flypaper
Take a tablespoon each of sugar and brown sugar and one-fourth cup of corn syrup and mix this in a bowl. Cut some strips of kraft paper(brown), and soak them in the mixture. Let the soaked paper dry overnight, and in the morning you can hang them with some string.
Sweet basil
Place some pots of sweet basil near your home’s entrances. Both flies and mosquitoes will stay away. When you go for picnics, cut some big bunches of the basil and take with you to keep bugs away in the open.
Cinnamon oil
Cinnamon oil can kill mosquito eggs and is an effective repellent for Asian Tiger mosquito. Make a diluted solution by mixing 24 drops of cinnamon oil with 4 ounces water. You can spray this on your clothes, plants, upholstery etc. Be careful of strong solutions of cinnamon oil, which might cause skin irritation.
Keeping flies away with natural repellents
Make some sachets containing bay leaf, clove, crushed mint and keep them in different spots in your home to chase flies.
Lavender
Lavender has antiseptic, antifungal and analgesic properties. And lavender flowers, when crushed, produce a fragrance as well as an oil which can repel adult mosquitoes. Due to its other properties, lavender oil can soothe and calm the skin.
To use lavender as a mosquito repellent, you just have to crush some flowers and rub them on your skin. Or rub some oil onto a clean piece of cloth and rub this on your skin.
How to keep spiders away
Peppermint, lime, tangerine and other citrus oils keep away spiders, as they do not like their taste.
Thyme oil
To make thyme oil repellent, mix four drops of thyme oil to a teaspoon of a base oil, such as jojoba or olive oil. And to make a spray, make a mixture of 5 drops thyme oil and 2 ounces water.
Throwing some thyme leaves onto a bonfire can keep those pesky mosquitoes away, when you go camping.
All these natural method of chasing bugs away are effective and safe. Keeping your home dry, storing food in tight containers will also help to keep bugs away.