Getting rid of creepy crawlies is our business – there’s nothing we love more than ridding great family homes like yours of unwelcome pests. If you’re between treatments and worried about run-of-the-mill chemicals and sprays found on shop shelves these days, think about trialling these natural deterrents. Note, these tactics won’t eliminate already existing infestations, they’re designed to stave off intrusion in an already pristine home. So after you lay down mouse traps, scatter a few roach motels and spray the windowsills with bug spray, try these gentler alternatives – ideal for kids with allergies!
Cedar
Moths look kind of cute, but they’re also really destructive, given the chance. They have a taste for human clothing doesn’t extend to retail therapy; instead, they view your carefully selected acquisitions as a perpetual buffet, ready for the taking. Since moths hate cedar, keeping a couple cedar blocks in a pouch in your dresser or slung over hangers in your closet will keep your clothing in one piece.
Peel it Off
You’ll never look at citrus the same way again. Lemon, oranges, limes – all citrus peels cause spiders to scuttle the other way. Grate the surface off to get a nice gloss and slather onto your surfaces where spiders have been known to sneak in. Your house will smell great and be spider free without killing the nifty little bug eaters.
Garlic
You won’t be popular with your significant other, your family, your friends or your coworkers. The upside? Mosquitoes will hate you just as much. They won’t be able to stand chowing down on your blood, as your body secretes garlic like a ready-made mosquito busting stench. You can try garlic flakes around the home, but it probably won’t have much effect.
White Vinegar
Now you’ve kept Listerine in business awhile longer, go back to your kitchen pantry and grab the white vinegar, the very same vinegar you may prefer on your fish and chips. Dilute a decent measure with warm water and spray at obvious entry points with a small bottle and spray head. Be careful not to damage carpet though – the brighter the fabric, the heavier the dilution.
Get Cleaning
Sorry to suck the fun out of our organic hour on the Bennetts blog, but the best way to keep bugs out of your home is to clean it. Go through your pantry at least once a week and make sure nothing is decaying or spilling everywhere, wipe up any debris. Don’t leave leftovers around the house – not only do they smell really bad, but they’re like a red light district for a host of pests, including ants and rodents. If you live in a carpeted home, be diligent against dust mites and fleas (if you have pets), treating the carpet regularly and getting down into the fibre.
Do you have any tactics you swear by? Let us know in the comments below.
