When it comes to pest control, you can spend all kinds of money hiring exterminators or buying smelly (and often toxic) chemicals and sprays for your home, but in some cases, you may not need to go to such extremes. There are many completely natural insect and pest control remedies, many of which our ancestors have been using with great success for countless generations. You will be pleased to know that many of these helpful items can be found in the average home.
Although pest control can refer to dealing with pest birds, insects, and rodents, this article will focus on getting rid of insects.
Control of insects in the garden
Believe it or not, aluminum foil can successfully keep hungry insects and slugs out of your garden. Simply mix strips of aluminum foil into your garden mulch to deter insects and slugs. Also, since aluminum foil is reflective, it will illuminate your plants, giving them a solar boost.
Mothballs are another useful garden insect control device. You’ve probably heard of using mothballs in the closet to protect your sweaters, but you can also use them to kill bugs on potted plants. Just put the plant in a clear plastic bag (i.e. cleaning bag), add a few mothballs, and seal the bag for a week. When you remove the plant, it will be bug-free (and moths will stay away for a while, too). Animals also hate the smell of mothballs, so you can toss some into your garden and flowerbed as well to keep cats, dogs, and rodents away.
Did you know that onions are also a natural pesticide? Here’s an easy mix to make that will repel insects (and animals too) on your flowers and veggies: use a blender to puree 4 onions, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, and a quart of water. Set the mixture aside and then dilute 2 tablespoons of flake soap in 2 gallons of water. Pour the entire contents into your blender, stir it, and this will give you an eco-friendly bug repellent to use on your plants.
Black pepper is another home remedy that works great for garden pest control. If insects are harassing your flowers, plants, and vegetables, simply mix pepper with flour and sprinkle around your plants. The insects will not be as eager to chew.
Lastly, you can make your own rock powder to get rid of garden bugs.
Control of insects in the house
Dog and cat food, which is often left out throughout the day, can be a great temptation for ants and other insects. An easy way to make these six-legged intruders lose interest is to place a rim of baking soda around the pet food bowls. The baking soda won’t bother your pets (although they probably won’t like the taste), so don’t worry if they get a little bit of delight in your food.
Another good household item for getting rid of bugs is vinegar. For example, if your last trip to the farmers market brought you fruit flies and healthy groceries, then you can cheat for flies by filling an old jar halfway with apple cider vinegar. Drill some holes in the top, screw it back on and the fruit flies will be attracted and trapped.
These are just some of the easy ways to use simple household items to get rid of bugs. So when you have a problem, don’t be so eager to buy a can of bug spray filled with chemicals. Look for natural solutions, and chances are good that you will find them!
