Top Tips for Eco Friendly Pest Control
With over 80% of homes experiencing some pest control related issue every year, the cost of pest management can be a burden on a home budget. Finding the right DIY solution can be cheaper, better for the environment, and better for your family’s health. Finding an eco-friendly pest solution can keep your pets and kids safe while keeping bugs away.
Lots of household items that are tasty and healthy to us are poisonous and deadly to pests. By using these natural household solutions, you can reduce your carbon impact and reduce the number of chemicals that are put into our air and water. As climate change increases the number of pests that invade human habitats, natural solutions will become increasingly imperative.
If you’re experiencing critters and crawlers intruding on your space, eco-friendly pest control solutions can help you deal with them immediately. Try these 8 pest management tactics to solve your problems.
1. Salt Spray
Salt spray can be as complicated or as simple as you want it to be. You can use Himalayan crystal salt or common table salt.
Warm up a gallon of water and add two tablespoons of salt. Mix it up until its completely diluted. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle so that you can use it to treat your pest infestation.
If you have plants or areas of your home that are infested with spider mites, a salt spray will do the trick.
2. Tobacco
If you’ve got issues with insects, you might be able to treat them with tobacco. In high enough doses, it can be as harmful to pests as it is for humans.
Mix together a cup of cut raw tobacco in a gallon of water. Stir it vigorously for a few minutes and then allow it to set overnight. You should wake up in the morning to find that you’ve got a gallon of light brown water.
If the hue of the water is too dark, add some water to dilute the mixture. Strain the tobacco and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Use this spray to deal with caterpillars and aphids.
It can be used around most homes and in most gardens. Avoid using it on any plants of the “solanaceous” variety such as tomatoes, eggplants, or potatoes. The tobacco will harm the plants.
3. Mineral Oil
Mineral oil is a great item for finishing wood and has lots of other household uses. It’s also very powerful as an eco-friendly pest control solution. By mixing just 15-30 milliliters of oil to about liter of water, you’ll create a mixture that can take care of insects.
When insects hit the mixture, they’ll become dehydrated and be deterred from any area where you spray it. This is a great solution to keep termites away from your home.
4. Eucalyptus Oil
This is an eco-friendly pest control solution that can make your home smell great too. If you’ve got areas of your kitchen or garage that you can’t keep insects away from, sprinkle some drops around that region.
This organic solution to pest control will keep flies from landing and making your home their own. It will keep away bees and wasps too, which is great for anyone who has allergies.
5. Citrus Oil and Cayenne
If you mix together pepper and essential oil from a citrus plant, you’ll end up with a mixture that beats bugs back.
All that you need is a half of a tablespoon of cayenne pepper and 10 drops of citrus essential oils. Add the two to a cup of warm water. Add it to a spray bottle and shake it up.
Spray it around to keep pests like ants out of your space.
6. Orange, Soap, and Water
If you’re being irritated by slugs, ants, and roaches, you can cobble together a solution with things sitting around your home.
Take 3 tablespoons of castile soap and mix it with a few drops of orange citrus oil. Add them together in a spray bottle filled 2/3 with water. Shake them up and then you’re ready to spray.
Find areas inside or in your garden where you’re trying to control pests and you’ll notice that they run and hide when you’ve sprayed your mixture around.
7. Diatomaceous Earth and Chili Powder
If you have chili powder or a few dried out chilis, crush them into a fine powder. Then add a cup of diatomaceous earth and mix them up.
Be careful to cover your hands and mouth when you’re mixing this together or you’ll end up in a sneezing fit. Add two liters of water to the mixture and let it all sit overnight.
In the morning, it’s ready to be sprinkled around your problem areas. If it’s mixed well enough, you’ll have a potent mix of things that keep rats, insects, and other critters from sneaking into your garden or the edges around your house or garage.
If your issues persist, call in a professional like Reynolds Pest Management for more solutions.
8. Onions And Garlic
Think of pests as vampires, for the way they sneak around at night and sometimes actually suck your blood.
Mince a few garlic cloves and a medium-sized onion. Chop them up vigorously by hand or with a food processor. Add them to a quart of water and shake them up. After an hour, add a half of a tablespoon of soap and a little cayenne for kick.
The pepper will keep away the larger critters and be too hot for insects to step over. Add it to a spray bottle and keep it refrigerated. It should be potent for about a week.
Eco-Friendly Pest Control is Fast and Cheap
With so many eco-friendly pest solutions available from household products, you might never have to spend another dime on chemical sprays again. If you’re careful, you’ll be able to create an allergy-free home and keep pests away permanently.
If you’re interested in other DIY solutions for home issues, contact us for more tips today.