Natural Insect Repellents That Anyone Can Make

Insects are a natural part of our lives.

But just because they’re necessary for the balance of our planet doesn’t mean we want a lot of them in our homes. One or two pests might go unnoticed, but when there are more than you can handle, it’s time to take action.

There are a wealth of pesticides available on the market to deal with insect issues, but if you have children and pets these toxic substances might do more harm than good. That’s why it’s useful to have a few natural tricks up your sleeve for getting rid of pesky bugs, like these!

Cockroaches

There’s nothing more disgusting than seeing a cockroach making it’s way across your floors or counters, and after you’ve squished the first one there’s always that sick feeling that more are probably out there. Well the safest first defence against cockroaches is to keep a very clean kitchen and bathroom. If this isn’t working, try some of these:

• Vacuum the entire place well and wash all the floors and counters with a strong natural soap. Make sure after you vacuum that you dispose of the vacuum bag in a sealed container.
• If you don’t have a cat you’ll find that catnip is a natural cockroach repellent. The active ingredient in catnip is nepetalacton, a non-toxic substance to people and pets that works effectively against roaches. You can leave little bags of catnip in areas of cockroach activity, or you can simmer the catnip in a small amount of water and make a ‘tea’ that can be sprayed around your home.

• Get a spray bottle, fill it with soapy water, and keep it somewhere close by. Spraying a roach directly with soapy water will kill them.
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in areas where you know roaches hide out or collect. This type of material, although harmless to people, leaves tiny cuts in the exoskeleton of roaches and kills them within 48 hours. Don’t be surprised if you see more roaches after putting the�diatomaceous earth out though as the small cuts dehydrate the roaches making them search more for water.

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Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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