Finding insect pests in your house — ants, mosquitoes, spiders, fruit flies, cockroaches, bed bugs, or other creatures — isn’t just an irritant, it’s a disruption of your life. It upsets the balance and purpose of home as a place of rest, and adds one more unnecessary struggle to your life. Insects aren’t just a “pest,” they’re a major problem, and need to be stopped.
However, sometimes pests find their way into your house anyways, despite your best efforts. War comes to you, whether you like it or not. If you’ve done all of the above and you still find pests in your house, it’s time to look at ways to fight them off. But rather than the drug-store options — those cans and bottles with the mysterious chemical names on them — try these simple home remedies. You know what’s in them, and there’s no risk of covering your home with dangerous chemicals.
- Ants — There are a few tricks for warding off ants. Keep a spray bottle filled with soapy water on hand, and douse the ants whenever they show their faces. Then, track them back to the entry point, and if you can’t seal it off, leave one of the following things at their entrance: cucumbers, coffee grounds, cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, or cinnamon. These things are all detestable to ants, and will help ward them off.
- Spiders — Spiders get their own spray bottle. Fill this one with a vinegar and water solution, and spray the little intruders when you see them.
- Fruit flies — Take a plastic cup and pour some apple cider vinegar into it. Cover the top with plastic wrap and poke a hole in it. Then let it sit. It’s that simple — fruit flies won’t be able to resist the smell, then they’ll get trapped.
- Cockroaches — Cockroaches can be fought with the same soapy water spray you keep for ants. In addition, you can scatter catnip throughout your house to keep them away.
- Mosquitoes — It turns out, mosquitoes share more in common with vampires than simply their taste for blood. Get another spray bottle, and fill it with one part garlic juice to five parts water to ward off the blood-sucking pests.
- Bed bugs — Bed bugs are one of the most difficult pests to get rid of, because they can hide inside the crevices of mattresses or upholstery for months before they need to feed again. The best way to get rid of bed bugs, other than hiring professional exterminators, is to put all your clothes and sheets through the dryer at the hottest setting. Blasting the bugs with heat will kill them off.
In summary: first, do everything you can to get rid of the underlying problems. Take away any reason the pests have to enter your house and cut off their entrances. If they’re still coming, then use all-natural solutions to fight them off. Opt for the holistic solution to pest control, and you’ll keep your house safe and comfortable.