No one wants little creepy crawlies in their home…but let’s face it, sometimes they sneak in no matter how hard we try to keep them out! Especially during the beautiful times of the year where we all want to keep our windows and doors wide open! Whether its ants marching across the kitchen counter or fruit flies buzzing around your fruit bowl, bugs can be plain annoying and unsanitary.
The good news? You don’t need harsh chemicals to keep your home pest-free. There are plenty of natural, eco-friendly (and effective) ways to repel bugs and keep them out of your sacred space. Let’s dive into some of the best methods for keeping your home bug-free the healthy way!
1. Essential Oils: Your Secret Weapon
Essential oils aren’t just great for relaxation, they’re also an effective way to repel bugs. Amen to that! Many essential oils have natural insect-repelling properties and they’re a safe alternative to chemical repellents. We love. Check out our other essential oils blog post for Pet Safe Essential Oils for Cleaning
- Peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, citronella, tea tree, and lemon oils are all known for their ability to repel insects like ants, mosquitoes, spiders, and flies.
How to Use Them:
- You can make your own DIY bug spray by mixing a few drops of essential oil with water in a spray bottle. A common ratio is about 10-20 drops of essential oil to 1 cup of water. Shake well and spray around windows, doorways, or areas where bugs tend to enter.
Bonus Tip: You can also diffuse essential oils in the air to keep bugs at bay. A diffuser is a great way to spread the scent throughout a room while keeping it smelling fresh!
2. Vinegar: The Multi-Purpose Bug Buster
- How It Works: The strong smell of vinegar is a natural deterrent to many insects, including ants, fruit flies, and spiders. It’s especially helpful in areas where bugs tend to congregate, like kitchens or bathrooms. Bye bye little critters!
- How to Use It: For ants, mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle and spray along ant trails or where you’ve seen them. Literally SO EASY! For fruit flies, place a small dish with apple cider vinegar (with a drop of dish soap) near the area where they’re swarming. The fruit flies will be attracted to the vinegar, and the soap will trap them.
3. Diatomaceous Earth: The Safe Bug Killer
- How It Works: DE works by physically damaging the exoskeletons of insects. When they come into contact with the powder, it dries them out and kills them.
- Where to Use It: It’s safe to use around pets and children (just avoid inhaling it), and you can sprinkle it around areas where you’ve noticed insects, like under sinks, in the pantry, or along baseboards.
Bonus Tip: Diatomaceous earth is also effective for eliminating bedbugs, fleas, and cockroaches (thank goodness there is a way to repel them), making it a must-have in any natural pest control arsenal.
4. Citrus Peels: A Natural Repellent
- How It Works: The oils found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits act as a natural deterrent to insects. You can use the peels or citrus juice to repel pests.
- How to Use It: Leave citrus peels around entry points like windowsills and doorways, or rub fresh lemon juice along baseboards and windows. A little witchy I know, but like how cool is this magic trick? You can also make a citrus-infused spray by combining citrus juice with water in a spray bottle.
Bonus Tip: If you’re dealing with fruit flies, place a small bowl of citrus peels near where they tend to gather. This will draw them in and keep them away from your food.
5. Herbs and Plants to Repel Bugs
- Bugs Hate These Plants: Basil, mint, rosemary, marigolds, lemongrass, and citronella are all known for their ability to ward off insects like mosquitoes and flies.
- How to Use Them: Plant these herbs in your garden, on your windowsills, or in pots around your home. You can also make your own natural repellent spray by steeping these herbs in water, straining the liquid, and spraying it around your home. So earth-mama of you.
Bonus Tip: Planting herbs like basil and mint near windows and doors not only helps with pest control, but also provides fresh, aromatic herbs for your cooking!
6. Cedarwood: The Natural Moth Repellent
Cedarwood is known for its pleasant, woody scent—and it also doubles as a natural moth repellent!
- How It Works: The scent of cedarwood is a natural deterrent to moths, fleas, and other bugs. It’s especially effective when placed in closets, drawers, and other areas where clothes and fabrics are stored. Because another winter will not go by with your favorite sweater being attacked with little holes!
- How to Use It: Place cedarwood chips, blocks, or essential oil-soaked cotton balls in areas where you want to keep bugs away. Cedarwood also works well in closets to prevent moth infestations.
7. Seal Entry Points and Keep Your Home Clean
Okay obvious BUT truly the best way to avoid bugs is to prevent them from entering your home in the first place! Simple steps like sealing cracks and cleaning up food spills will go a long way in keeping pests out.
- Seal Cracks and Gaps: Inspect doors, windows, and any cracks in your walls or floors, and seal them up with caulk or weatherstripping. This will help prevent bugs from sneaking in like little unwanted party crashers.
- Keep Food Sealed: Store food in airtight containers, and clean up crumbs and spills immediately. Bugs like ants and cockroaches are attracted to food sources, so minimizing the temptation will help keep them away.
Bonus Tip: Regularly take out the trash (or have hubs do it) and make sure trash cans are tightly sealed. This helps keep pests from being attracted to your home.
8. Cucumber: An Unlikely Bug Repellent
Believe it or not, cucumbers are natural bug repellents! Weird, right? They work especially well against ants, cockroaches, and spiders. Yeehaw to that!
- How It Works: The chemical compounds in cucumbers, particularly cucurbitacins, act as a natural repellent to bugs.
- How to Use It: Place fresh cucumber slices or cucumber peels in areas where you’ve seen bugs. You can leave them in corners, on countertops, or around the edges of doors and windows.
Bonus Tip: If you don’t want cucumber slices laying around, you can rub fresh cucumber directly on the surfaces where you see bugs, or even make a cucumber-based spray.
Getting rid of bugs naturally doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t require harsh chemicals. With a few simple ingredients like essential oils, vinegar, and diatomaceous earth, you can safely repel and eliminate pests from your home. Whether it’s keeping ants away, preventing mosquitoes, or stopping fruit flies in their tracks, these natural methods are not only effective, but they’re also safe for you, your pets, and the environment. YAY to clean, happy spaces!!
Remember, the key to a bug-free home is prevention…so keep things clean, seal up entry points, and use natural repellents to stay ahead of any potential pest problems. And if you need a little extra help maintaining a clean, pest-free home, you know Mindful Mop is here to help with all your cleaning needs! Always 😊
