Using Natural Insecticides In The Home

No one wants bugs in their home. Not only is it disgusting, they can be damaging to stored food and the structure of the home. They can spread disease as well. However, you also do not want to load your home up with dangerous toxic chemicals in order to repel the bugs. What is the answer? Use natural insecticides to keep the bugs out of your home.

Boric Acid

Select natural insecticides that are safe for your kids and pets yet are deadly or repellant to insects. Boric acid is one good example. Mix some boric acid with sugar and then add water. Soak cotton balls in this boric acid solution and place the cotton balls where ants have been spotted. Boric acid is also useful against roaches. Put some in a squeeze bottle and squirt the powder along baseboards, behind appliances and anywhere you have seen a roach.

You can also use boric acid to get rid of termites by mixing it with propylene glycol which is the non-toxic form of anti-freeze. The glycol helps the boric acid seep into the wood to get at the termites. Boric acid can also be used as a natural insecticide for silverfish. Place it in your closet or attic or anywhere else you have spotted the critters. In fact, you can make a solution of boric acid by mixing it with boiling water and then using that to wipe down surfaces in your home. This will act to repel all kinds of crawling bugs.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is another natural insecticide you can use in your home. It is made out of the skeletal remains of tiny sea creatures and plankton and works by puncturing the insect's body which leads to dehydration. This is an effective solution for fighting moths, roaches and silverfish. Diatomaceous Earth also kills fleas, working in as little as one day.

Citrus Oils

You might also want to try natural insecticides made from citrus extracts as these will leave a pleasant smell in your home as well. It is important to only choose a natural insecticide that is not harmful to kids or pets. Just because it is a natural insecticide does not mean it is safe around mammals too. A few natural insecticides are harmful to humans as well. Luckily, there are many choices you can make that will rid your house of annoying bugs but won't harm your family or pets in the least. So be sure to read the labels and follow the directions as carefully as you would for a chemical product and keep your family safe.

May To-Do list - San Jose Mercury News

May To-Do list San Jose Mercury News A homemade spray can be effective. Add 4 teaspoons of baking soda to a gallon of water and mix in 2½ teaspoons of light horticulture or salad oil, then spray affected plants. Some plants may be sensitive, so spray sparingly. rust on snapdragons, ... and more »

Gardening and lawn care: Homemade insecticidal soap recipes and information - Newsolio (blog)

Newsolio (blog)

Gardening and lawn care: Homemade insecticidal soap recipes and information Newsolio (blog) As an insecticide, soap works by paralyzing the insect, which then starves to death. It is non-selective, in that it kills beneficial insects as well as the bad ones. It must be sprayed directly on the insect. This usually means dousing the plant, ...

Natural remedies safer than pesticides - Tbo.com

Natural remedies safer than pesticides Tbo.com By TRACY HODGE | Central Florida's Agri-Leader Those of us who have landscaping in our yards, vegetable gardens or fruit trees are well aware of the damage insects can cause. Here in Central Florida, there are a variety of pests that may appear at ... and more »

Cherry Lane Darken: Grandma's cleaning secrets were cheap, healthy - The Tennessean

Cherry Lane Darken: Grandma's cleaning secrets were cheap, healthy The Tennessean First, many herbs can be used for antiseptics, disinfectants, bactericides, insecticides and fungicides, as well as for insect repellents. Once you determine the properties of an herb, you can brew a strong tea with it and use it as a spray.

10 tips for guests staying at somebody else's cottage - Macleans.ca

10 tips for guests staying at somebody else's cottage Macleans.ca Or you could bring up a batch of homemade salsa (dump one can of plum tomatoes, one clove of garlic, half a red onion, juice of one lime, a jalapeño, a whack of fresh cilantro and salt to taste into a food processor and whiz it up) with tortilla chips.

Unique uses for common household products: Apple cider vinegar - Newsolio

Newsolio

Unique uses for common household products: Apple cider vinegar Newsolio Empty plastic spray bottles can be purchased for use with homemade household cleaners. These reusable spray bottles are great for the environment, unlike those sold with commercial cleaning products. Using refillable bottles for organic cleaning ...