Explore these natural remedies for ridding your home of the usual pest criminals.
Silverfish
Silverfish are small insects that love the darkness that cupboards offer. These minute pests are usually half an inch long and feed on starchy items like grains, paper, books and cardboard boxes. Spices with a strong aroma like sage, bay leaves and cloves may great repellants for silverfish. Use these spices as potpourri and hang them in convenient sachets in your cupboards.
Cockroach
The key ingredient to pest-busting cockroaches in the home boils down to two compounds, Borax, a kind of white mineral in alkaline salt deposits and sugar. Place this mixture along baseboards, cracks and under cabinets. When cockroaches consume the mixture, the borax does major damage to their digestive system and causes death. Be aware that borax becomes less effective when it gets wet.
Ants
Ants are pretty much an unwelcomed nuisances in most homes. These insects track food supplies by following the trail left by other fellow ants. The trick to getting rid of them is to clear away the tracks using a vinegar-based cleaner. Vinegar also has a low Ph value and by spraying the mixture on the ants, it kills them effectively. Make your own insecticide spray with 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 cups water and 10 to 15 drops of tea tree essential oil.
Grain Weevils
Weevils are tiny brown bugs that chew through paper and plastic packaging to get at grains. They are usually found in grain supplies and rice storage spaces in our homes. Weevil infestation happens when a female weevil lays an egg inside a grain kernel. The egg hatches and will live inside and feed on the kernel as they grow. Fully grown weevils will emerge from their kernel to mate and perpetuate the cycle all over again.
As a female weevil can lay eggs 254 times, the rate in which weevils multiply is astonishing to say the least. To keep weevils at bay, place a cinnamon stick or bay leaf with your flour, pasta or grains. The strong smell of the spices will repel the insects effectively. When you bring your groceries home, freeze your grains in the freezer for at least a week. This will kill any eggs that might be found in the grains and discourage growth of weevils.
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