7 eco-friendly ways to keep bugs out of your home this spring
By Sumiko Wilson on Apr 18, 2016
When you’re shovelling snow and swerving on black ice, it’s easy to idealize warmer months and forget about some of the struggles of spring. But once the snow melts and spring is upon us, we are quickly reminded of some of spring’s downsides, like mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, and the constant battle to keep bugs out of your home.
When it comes to keeping bugs at bay, we instinctively gravitate towards potent pesticides and bug sprays, but they both can have harmful effects on our health and environment.
So here are seven eco-friendly ways to keep bugs out of your home:
1) Lemongrass
When mosquitoes make their comeback this spring, lemongrass is the answer. Mosquitoes are deterred by citronella, a natural oil found in lemongrass, making it a go-to insect repellant and a natural alternative to harsh chemical bug sprays. You should plant lemongrass in close proximity to walkways and outdoor lounge areas.2) Garlic spray
Who knew that a simple solution made of water, dish soap and crushed garlic cloves could be a non-toxic pesticide? A small squirt of this garlic spray can subtly subdue the likes of termites, beetles, slugs and worms (and vampires) without exposing your plants to toxic chemicals. When paired with healthy soil, the spray will cause the garden to draw beneficial insects and work to repel harmful critters.3) Neem oil
This strategy is not for the faint of heart. Neem oil is composed of ingredients similar to insect hormones so insects ingest it as they would natural hormones. The impact is not instant; upon ingestion, the pungent oil disrupts regular hormone function so that insects eventually lose the ability to eat, mate, lay eggs and fly. Although it takes some time, the bugs will slowly disappear in time for summer.4) Aluminum foil
Aphids are notorious garden pests. Although they are small, they make a big impact by piercing plant stems and sucking out the sap, depriving it of the necessary nutrients and posing a major risk to plant life. If you find that aphids are in overabundance this spring, simply place aluminum foil at the base of your plants. The foil reflects light onto your plants and scares aphids away for good.5) Mint leaves
Most chemical bug repellents are characterized by their strong, unpleasant scent. Mint, however, is a sweet-smelling, non-toxic insect deterrent that can effectively repel mosquitoes, ants, and flies. Leaving mint leaves in small sachets around your home, focusing on areas where bugs are particularly problematic, will drive them out of your home and back outside, where they belong.6) Catnip
Roaches are quite possibly everyone’s least favourite insect; they’re unsightly and annoyingly resilient. So if you want to keep them away this spring, catnip will be your secret weapon. There are two strands of nepetalactone found in catnip and they both deter cockroaches. In fact, some posit that catnip is more effective at keeping roaches away than DEET, an ingredient found in most chemical insect repellents. Roaches love high places but hate catnip so strategically placing some catnip on the higher surfaces in your home will effectively keep the creepy creatures out of your house this spring.7) Humane Bug Catcher
When you’re at home and you hear the persistent buzz of an insect, your first instinct usually involves swatting. But next time you can take a kinder approach and reach for PETA’s Humane Bug Catcher instead of a rolled-up newspaper. With a sliding door and roomy housing, the bug catcher is a humane alternative that helps you capture insects and transport them back outside with ease.
