Summertime often means more bugs trying to sneak their way into your home, making their way into your food and pestering you while you sleep. However, instead of killing or repelling insects with harsh chemicals, consider these non-toxic alternatives.
Ants: Deter ants from smelling food or other ants by spraying entry ways of your home (doors, window sills, any cracks) with vinegar and water, or dust a bit of baby powder. Cayenne pepper or bay leaves placed at entry ways are also known to repel ants and other insects.
Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes hate garlic which has spurred a few different types of ‘garlic sprays’ to pop up in the gardening market. Spray it where mosquitoes usually buzz outside your home. If you are particularly prone to mosquito bites, eat a diet that is high in garlic for a couple of weeks and you are sure to see a difference, but do the rest of us a favor and please brush your teeth!
In addition, mosquitoes really don’t like marigolds, so plant marigolds in your garden and window boxes, and maybe even use a few potted marigold plants for decoration indoors.
Fruit Flies: Flies are attracted to sweet things so rinse out all of your recyclables and make sure your trash can has a tight, clean lid. Keep fruit and candy in the fridge. If the flies are still around, make your own all-natural fly trap by putting an inch of apple cider vinegar in a jar and puncture the lid with a few small holes. The flies go in, but can’t get back out.
Centipedes: Centipedes hide out in warm wet habitats, so move your compost bins outside, unless they are small and tightly sealed. Remember, though, that centipedes eat other pests, so you might actually want a few around.
Moths: These winged creatures can be tricky since they are so easily attracted to lights in our homes. I discovered this all natural moth repellent recipe, which I haven’t tried quite yet, but sounds promising:
½ cup whole cloves
½ cup whole black peppercorns
4 sticks cinnamon bark, broken into pieces
Small squares of cheesecloth or muslin
½ cup whole black peppercorns
4 sticks cinnamon bark, broken into pieces
Small squares of cheesecloth or muslin
Mix the peppercorns, cloves and pieces of cinnamon together. Place a little of the mixture on the center of the squares. You can either tie or sew the squares. Then hang these little natural mixture filled squares in the closet or strew them around in drawers. Another place that might draw moths is the clothes hampers, try putting a couple of squares there to repel as well.
And with that, have a pest-free summer!