Pest Control Remedies – Part 1 of 2
Its that time of year…spring is in the air. 
Unfortunately, now pests become a priority concern. This is one of those hidden, complicated, and oftentimes, loaded discussions. As a mom, trying to balance good pest control versus chemical exposure risks is a tricky proposition. In part one of this series, I am going to discuss some options for the home. Next week, I will cover some options for our body’s protection:
- Garden Pest Control: I’ve read through hundreds of natural options to control plant bests. The most effective formulation with real results is a garlic-mint spray. Simply blend fresh mint leaves or use spearmint or peppermint oil. Add garlic cloves to your mint in a food processor, then add a couple cayenne pepper dashes and a drop of dishwashing liquid. Bring the whole concoction to a boil and let sit overnight. Strain it into a spray bottle and spray plants.
- Ant Control: There’s actually some scientific data supporting coffee grounds as an effective remedy for ant invasions. This option deters a variety of insects, but fatal for ants. Here is the best part! The recommendation is to recycle used coffee grounds, so it helps the environment at the same time!
- Termite Control and Serious Invasions: This one is a “middle of the road” natural solution, but it beats chemical insecticides, and, it’s very effective. I’m talking about boric acid. Boric acid kills termites and is fatal to most insect types. It’s so effective, that in the South, its part of a movement towards green housing construction. Most new construction requires boric acid wood treatment up to 24 inches from the ground. When ingested, boric acid is poisonous to human and pets, but harmless otherwise. When carefully used, boric acid is a strong perimeter pest control solution. This makes boric acid a superior choices to conventional chemical pest control.
- Fruit Fly Traps: This solution is surprisingly effective, and you likely already have everything you need today at home. First, you will need a bottle or other kind of container with a shaker or funnel shaped top, so that flies can get in but not out. Then, fill the bottom of a bottle with apple cider vinegar or vinegar and chopped apple pieces and get rid of that buzzing in your ear.
- Dust Mite Oil Repellant: Try mixing either clove, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint or rosemary oil into a spray bottle of water. Then, mist your bed lightly and allow the bed to air dry. Mites detest these scents and will stay away from them. By choosing to add basil or lemongrass oil, you gain the extra benefit of flea and lice control as well.
As always, please leave questions, comments, or suggest other topics that you would like to understand better!
