In summer, with beautiful weather comes many things like spending more time outside, more barbecues, rooftop parties, picnics, beaching, pooling, etc. It’s all good until the sun sets, and then comes the mosquitoes and bugs.
Due to scent, light, heat, and humidity, humans are usually prone to mosquito bites. Different species of bugs and insects attack as soon as the sun sets or comes crawling into your indoors. And that is why many people use chemical sprays to get rid of them. But, unfortunately, some insect repellents can harm people with severe allergies and even cause health issues, not to mention the harmful effects to the planet.
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How To Bug-Proof Your Home
You can keep bugs and pests away from your home by taking the following actions:
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- Ensure to take out the garbage daily, wash dishes, and wipe up spills immediately. Sweep and vacuum floors regularly. Avoid disarray, including stacked magazines and newspapers, as it makes easy hiding places for bugs.
- Keep your kitchen and bathrooms dry. Wet areas serve as both breeding grounds and drinking fountains.
- Store firewood away from your home as it frequently houses insects like termites and ants.
- Watch out for standing water in treehouses, fire pits, playsets, and other breeding grounds for mosquitoes that catch and hold water should get stored regularly.
- Seal cracks like cupboards, baseboards, and sinks with silicone caulk. Vents, windows, pipes, roofs, and chimneys are just areas where pests can come through.
Here are some natural bug and insect spray oils and scents to help keep the bugs at bay by mixing some drops of essential oils in a spray bottle to repel crawlers and flies of all sorts.
Peppermint Oil
The peppermint oil repels ants and also repels spiders. In addition, Peppermint keeps most pests away, like aphids, caterpillars, beetles, fleas, flies, lice, moths, and mice. You can apply this oil by soaking cotton balls in the oil, putting them where the insects gather. Apply the oil directly to the affected areas or diluting it with water and spraying the places you’re trying to protect. For example, if you mix the oil, mix ten drops of peppermint essential oil and 16 oz. of water, then fill it in a spray bottle.
This oil can also keep the spiders out of the home areas where they visit most. In addition, it makes the house smell wonderful.
Lavender Essential Oil
When you think of lavender, restful and relaxed sleep are usually the first things that come to mind. Lavender essential oil is well known for its healing effects on aromatherapy. Its healing properties help to soothe and prevent insect bites and stings.
The lavender essential oil helps control an infestation of flies, fleas, black beetles and can even help one from being bitten by mosquitoes and other insects. These particular healing features of lavender are ideal for preventing insect bites and soothing insect bites and stings. So along with its soothing qualities and lovely floral aroma, lavender is also effective at battling bugs.
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
In addition, eucalyptus oil is a practical component in mosquito repellent. This oil is a well-known and popular natural bug repellent. It is hazardous to aphids, mites, whiteflies, and earwigs. If you’re suffering from these pests, create your mixture with one lemon eucalyptus oil to sunflower oil or witch hazel. Also, keep this mixture away from children under three years.
Rosemary
Rosemary, one of the sweetest and most potent herbs, is a natural pest and bug control. It works wonderfully against them, and when you’re grilling outside, you don’t need to worry about getting it in your food as it’ll only enhance the flavor. Instead, keep some on hand near you while outdoors, or even crush some up and rub it on you. Now you’re safe from mosquitoes, flies, and bugs.
Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a great essential oil to have on hand as it has so many uses. It offers insecticidal, antifungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It can kill bacteria externally, relieve body aches and muscle pain, and ward off insects. In addition, it’s perfect for repelling bugs, flies, fleas, and mosquitoes. Insects can’t stand the smell of lemongrass.
Use it by heating it with about a half cup of water and adding about 20 to 25 drops of lemongrass oil and then put it in a spray bottle and spray all of your indoors. You can also get rid of fruit flies. They seem to come in endless numbers because they can lay as many as 500 eggs at a time on rotting food, damp rags, ripened fruits, and other kitchen items.
Spray the solution generously anywhere you see them, like counters, your refrigerator, cabinets, and so on. Use it every day to prevent them from coming back.
Conclusion
Of course, no matter how you seal or clean your home, some insects and bugs are bound to make their way inside your home. Bugs don’t like essential oils, and depending on the type of critters you want to keep away, certain oils work better than others.
