With the emergence of warmer weather come the bugs. They are
climbing out of their hibernating spaces and looking for a summer home – in
your house! But don’t fret; there are several easy and natural ways to keep
common Midwestern insects out of your home.
Three Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants
- Cleanliness. Food dropped on floors or dripped down the side of an appliance will attract ants. Wipe down spills and sweep the floors. Avoid leaving out uncovered food or dirty dishes.
Salt. According to James Mouyassar of 2 Nice
Guys Pest Control, “use the same rock salt you use to de-ice your sidewalks in
the wintertime and make a perimeter around your home along the foundation to
keep ants away.” Note: this method will kill any plants the salt comes into
contact with. Use a cup with a pour spout or something similar to help spread
the salt with more control and less strain than maneuvering a heavy bag. - Orange oil. 1.Citrus oils like orange, lemon and grapefruit contain d-limonene, which is toxic to ants. Spray a mixture of the essential oil and water along their entry points to mask their scent trails or add the citrus oil to a cotton ball and wipe windowsills and doorsteps. Note: Be sure to test any areas you don’t want stained as some orange oil sprays have an orange tint.
Three Natural Ways to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
- Do not leave molded fruit out. 2.According to Todd Schlenke, assistant professor of biology at Emory University, "Fruit flies spend their whole lives searching for the smell of rotting fruit, then get in through cracks in the door or however the smell is getting out of your house." A brown banana peel won’t cause fruit flies by itself but fuzzy or molding fruit will. If you notice any fruit that is molding dispose of it immediately.
Unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Create a trap by
covering a jar with a tablespoon or two of vinegar with plastic wrap. Hold the
plastic wrap down with a rubber band. Punch a few small holes in it. The flies
will go in and not be able to come out. Dump when gross.- Red wine. A potential cause is also a potential solution. Fruit flies love the smell of wine. So leave an open bottle of red wine out with a little wine in the bottom and the insects will fly into the bottle and not be able to fly out.
Three Natural Ways to Get Rid of Spiders
- Peppermint. Spiders despise the smell of peppermint. 3.Spray your area with a mixture of peppermint oil and water to keep spiders at bay. Your home will smell great too!
- Vinegar. Already seen a spider in your home? Similar to peppermint, you can make a mixture of vinegar and water and spray your area, particularly in the cracks and corners. Note: This also works for ants as it destroys the smell of their trail and will help eliminate stragglers.
- Dusting. Literally dusting away the cobwebs and cleaning in the corners is needed to keep spiders from settling into your home. Go over the corners of the ceiling and floors with the hose attachment on your vacuum at least once a month.
