How to Make Your Own Insect Deterrents at Home

Living in Australia, we have so many bugs.

Flies, wasps, cockroaches, fruit flies, mozzies, spiders (big ones), fleas…ewww! So it’s a must to take these pests out of your life.

Here, we have a selection of insect deterrents to keep your home bug-free.

How to Get Rid of Mozzies

Mosquitoes are probably the worst! Apart from being annoying, you don’t want yourself or your kids to be bitten by these bloodsuckers that could threaten your family’s health.

So, we need to get rid of these pesky mozzies by doing these simple mosquito-repellent solutions at home:

1. Remove stagnant water around your home.

Mosquitoes breed and multiply with stagnant water. So to stop mosquito infestation at the source, remove all stagnant water around the house. Some unnoticed places in the house where there is stagnant water are birdbaths, wading pools and pet bowls. So you need to remove the water in these places at least twice a week. You need to also keep the troughs in your eves flowing and draining well. Ensure that your backyard is free from puddles of water.

2. Light up a few citronella candles.

Citronella is an effective anti-mosquito home solution. Just get some citronella scented candles and light some on your deck and outside your home.

3. Put some sage and rosemary on coals when having a barbecue.

When you’re having a barbecue outside and mosquitoes are all around, try throwing some sage and rosemary on the coals. These should keep them at bay.

4. Plant Thai lemongrass.

Thai lemongrass is not just used as a food flavouring, it also helps deter mosquitoes. Just plant some around your patio to help repel mosquitoes.

5. Make a mixture of garlic juice and water.

If you or your kids have sensitive skin, try making a mixture of one part garlic juice with 5 parts of water. Shake the mixture before use and spray on exposed areas of the skin. This will have an effect of around 5 hours. You can also dip some strips of cloth into the mixture and hang the strips around the house where there are a lot of mosquitoes.

6. Use Neem oil.

Neem tree is an effective mosquito repellent. Its seeds, leaves and seed oil has a compound called sallanin that is known to repel mosquitoes. You can buy its extracts known commercially as neem oil which is a kind of vegetable oil that’s non-toxic.

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

Cockroaches are probably the dirtiest, most disgusting pests in the world. They carry with them diseases that you would not want your family to get.

Here are some home solutions to get rid of cockroaches for good.

1. Keep your kitchen and bathroom clean.

Keeping your home clean is the first defence against cockroaches. Wash all the floors and counters with a strong natural soap. You can also vacuum the whole place and dispose the vacuum bag in a sealed container.

2. Use catnip.

Catnip has nepetalacton, a non-toxic substance to people and pets that roaches hate. Put little bags of catnip where there are roaches. You can also simmer the catnip in a small amount of water and spray it around your home.

3. Use soapy water.

Fill a spray bottle with soapy water and directly spray it when you see a cockroach. The soapy water will kill them.

4. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in areas where there are roaches.

Diatomaceous earth is a type of sedimentary rock that leaves tiny cuts in the exoskeleton of roaches and kills them within 48 hours. The cuts will initially dehydrate the roaches making them search for water more but will eventually kill them.

5. Put peppermint oil to areas where there are roaches.

Almost all pests hate peppermint oil. So it’s an effective solution to deter roaches from entering your home.

After cleaning your floors and counters, put some peppermint oil to a clean cloth (not watered down), and rub it over all smooth surfaces. Not only does it get rid of insects, it makes your home smell minty fresh!

How to Get Rid of Wasps

During the warmer weather, wasps are a huge problem. Killing these stinging pests are also tricky. If you swat them, the pheromone that will be released will only attract more wasps. So, how do you get rid of them?

1. Use hairspray.

Hairsprays will freeze the wasp and cause it to fall out of the air. Be careful though as wasps sting when they get hurt.

2. Spray shaving cream into their nest.

Spray shaving cream into their nest entry hole at dusk. Place a plastic bag over the nest and dispose of the entire package.

How to Get Rid of Spiders

Spiders are spine tingling creatures you don’t want lurking in your home. So here are some easy solutions to keep them away from your home.

1. Use peppermint oil.

Even spiders and other creepy crawlies hate the strong scent of peppermint oil. So fill a spray bottle with peppermint essential oil and water, and then spray it around your home.

2. Use white vinegar.

Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and water and spray all the cracks and crevices around your home. It wouldn’t actually make your home smell good but at least, you have repelled spiders in your home.

How to Get Rid of Flies

Another annoying pests are flies with their buzzing and getting inside your house, they are real bane to your home. Here’s what you can do to keep them away.

1. Use mint.

Flies hate mint. So, put small (porous) bags of crushed mint in places around your home.

2. Use strong smelling herbs.

Any strong smelling herb can repel flies. So put some bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus in a porous bag and hang them close to windows and doors.

3. Use eucalyptus oil.

Put a few drops of eucalyptus oil on an absorbent cloth and leave it in the area where there’s a problem with flies.

4. Make your own non-toxic flypaper.

Mix 1/4 cup syrup, 1 tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tbsp brown sugar in a small bowl. Soak kraft paper in it. Let it dry overnight then hang it up around your home.

5. Use fly traps.

You can also buy safe, non-toxic pheromone-based indoor and outdoor fly traps, but be careful as it can also attract more flies to your home.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies can also be as annoying as flies, especially if you have any food or fruit that’s rotten, fermented or ripened. So, here are some home solutions we found to get rid of fruit flies.

1. Mix apple cider vinegar with dish soap.

Fruit flies are attracted to the smell of cider vinegar but the dish soap will kill them.

Mix two tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar, a few drops of soap, and 1 liter of water. Mix all of it then place the container around the area where there are fruit flies.

2. Use red wine.

The scent of red wine is heaven to fruit flies. So to put them to hell, mix red wine with a little dish soap and put it in a small container. Cover the top of the container with plastic wrap and punch a few holes in it. Put it in places where there are fruit flies overnight.

How do you get rid of pests in your home? Share it with us!