Some problems in life can still be solved by the old tried-and-true wives tales, which in the long run could potentially save more money. This is a list that I have compiled of home remedies to rid of insects that I have tried and the results!
If you are curious to find something in particular, press CTRL+F on your keyboard then type in a keyword!
Fleas > How do you know when you have a flea problem? Take a shallow bowl and fill it with water. Next, use Dawn Dish Detergent and gently mix until it changes color slightly. Make sure to not stir up too much to cause bubbles. Set out in a dark spot of a room where you think fleas may frequent. Place a lamp just above the water and allow it to set for 6-8 hours. The idea is that the warmth of the light will attract the fleas to the warm water however the detergent will cause them to drown so they can not escape.
Another easy treatment for fleas is to fill a squirt bottle with 1/3 vinegar, 2/3 water and mix in Dawn Dish Soap. Mist over floors and vacuum and mop about 20 minutes after spraying. This is coupled with keeping all laundry cleaned and animals bathed and treated. Make sure that you understand and are educated on the life cycle of the flea in order to know how long it will take to see progress.
*Please note, if there is a large infestation, you may need to seek alternative methods and contact a professional.
*Please note, if there is a large infestation, you may need to seek alternative methods and contact a professional.
Stink Bugs > Finding yourself with more of the smelly critters in and around your home? Keep a squirt bottle of warm water and dish soap. Mix well and spray on the bugs and around where they frequent. The idea is that the soap lubricates their backs causing them to suffocate.
Ants > Find the best places where ants may be entering your home or where they have taken up residence and mix a solution of about 1/2 a tsp of cinnamon oil with about 1 cup of water. Wipe down the surfaces where you see the ants frequent. You can also sprinkle ground cinnamon in their regular pathways.
I swear by lemon for just about everything dealing with house and remedy, and ants are no exception. They can't stand the stuff! You can leave out lemon peelings, spray down surfaces with lemon juice, soak cotton balls in lemon oil and leave in frequent areas - the solutions are up to you!
Another that accompanies lemon well would be white vinegar. Half and half the white vinegar with water and clean the frequented surfaces and door ways.
Spiders > Having spiders around your home can be very helpful when it comes to keeping other pesky insects at bay, however its not necessarily as welcoming when they find their way inside of your home.
Vinegar. Vinegar. Vinegar! Take about a cup of white vinegar to two cups of water and spray around common entry points such as baseboards, door frames, window sills and the like. The strong smell should help to detour the unwanted guests.
Lavender, Indian Lilac, or peppermint scented oils will also keep those eight-legged pests away. Take a few drops in about a cup of water and spray along the places they seem to frequent and entry points. You can also burn candles in those scents as more of a convenience.
Lemon scented - well, anything really! Insects tend to be detoured at the smell. You can opt to spray actual lemon juice in a small water mixture, grind up dried lemon peelings, light candles, or clean with lemon scented products.
Salt - To KILL a spider, mix about 1/8 of a cup of salt to a gallon of warm water, spray directly on the spider. Salt acts as a natural poison to spiders.
Flies > Spraying lavender scents, burning lavender candles, or any lavender oils left out will detour flies.
Mint, Basil, or Marigold plants and scents detour flies. You may have some in a garden, or left as scent dishes around your home to evict the unwanted annoyances.
Lemon Grass, Eucalyptus, or Peppermint essential oil scents are not favorites of the common fly. Use oil diffuses or sprays to tell those pesky pests to get out!
Where's the vinegar you may ask? RIGHT HERE! Use the same method for fleas by pouring apple cider vinegar in a bowl, mix in some dish detergent - they will become trapped in the liquid and you can toss them out. The same can be done with white wine.
An old folk remedy suggests to hang clear plastic water bags in the door ways and porch ledges to prevent the entry of flies inside your house.
No comments:
Post a Comment