Herbal remedies for home pest control

The Smithsonian Institution claims that there are about 10 quintillion individual insects alive, and more than 90,000 different named species call the United States home. With so many bugs in the world, you need effective ways to control insect populations in your home. You can turn to commercial products for this, but there are much more environmentally friendly and economical methods of pest control you can try first

Research

Begin insect infestation by getting lean on what type of infestation you have. Some simple questions that help you identify insects are: Can insects fly? What color is the insect? How big is the insect? Where does the insect appear to be congregating, hiding and feeding?

Take this information and use websites and databases like InsectIdentification. org and DavesGarden. com to search for your insect. Books such as "Photographic Atlas for Entomology and Guide to Insect Identification" (James Castner) and "A Field Guide to Insects" (Donald J. Borror and Richard E. White) are also good starting points.

heat and cold

Some types of insects, such as bedbugs, are quite sensitive to heat and cold. If there are defects in your furniture or other fabric-based items, leaving them in extended cold may work. Heat treatment sometimes kills eggs and larvae, so try money-laundering the items in warm water and dry them at the hottest temperature safely for the item. Hot steam cleaners can work with items that are not very thick.

spices, plants and food

According to Eartheasy. com, many insects react negatively to certain foods and spices. For example, the site recommends the use of cucumbers, cayenne, lemon and garlic to ward off ants. Hedge apples, bay leaves and catnip all deter cockroaches, and cloves and eucalyptus repel flies. These simple steps are all non-toxic methods of pest control that, along with keeping your living room clean, can send insects scurrying out of your home.

soap and other products

Some insects, especially soft-working insects, cannot tolerate soap. According to WS Cranshaw of Colorado State University, this is because the soap adversely affects the cell membranes of the insect and speeds up dehydration by removing the protective wax-like coating many insects have. Put some soap or detergent with some water in a spray bottle, shake vigorously to mix, and then spray directly on any insects you see. If your insects on plants, you can still use this method, but a soap designed to use insecticides is safer for your plants than regular detergent or hand soap.