You probably already have a few of these natural repellents in your pantry.
By Briana Riddock Updated May 02, 2018
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The kitchen is a natural breeding ground for insects. Crumbs that fall to the floor or get stuck in the corners welcome unwanted pesky critters into your home. Even fruits that are left out for a little too long attract those annoying fruit flies that seem to multiple within seconds. Obviously, the last thing that you want to do is spray your kitchen—the place where you prepare your food—with harsh chemicals to get rid of bugs. The good news is, you don’t have to; there are a handful of common pantry items that can help in evicting the creepy crawlers from your home. And with the increasing variety and accessibility of non-toxic products on the market, you can also purchase natural bug repellent sprays that are safe to use around your family and pets.
As a general preventive measure, it’s important to seal any visible openings in your home that leave space for bugs to enter. Open spaces can include gaps around your door frames, cracks in the window seal and any small holes in the wall. Even a leaky faucet, open drains, and loose pipes can be an entry point for bugs, so tighten up. They get in wherever they fit in—and anyone who’s ever struggled with an insect infestation knows, they are determined. Also, regularly taking out the trash, sweeping the floors, vacuuming carpets, and cleaning out the garbage disposal will help keep the pests away. If you dread the sight of creepy crawlies scurrying across the kitchen floor when you flip the lights on, try protecting your home with a few of these natural remedies.
Bay Leaves
Bay leaves have the surprising power to repel many pests that may hide in your pantry. Bugs despise the pungent smell of the leaves in both fresh and dried from. To protect your pantry's dried goods, be sure to store them in thick, airtight plastic containers topped with a bay leaf. You can also add dried bay leaves to food items stored in plastic bags such rice, grains, and cereal.
Hot Pepper Wax Insect Spray
This natural spray uses the power of capsaicin extracted from cayenne pepper, along with refined paraffin wax, to repel bugs. The spray is most effective again soft-bodied insects like aphids, cabbage loopers, beet armyworms, spider mites, and whiteflies. The product is delicate enough to spray on houseplants and can easily add a layer of protection in hard-to-reach corners around your kitchen. Capsaicin can be irritating to your eyes, so remember to wear protective wear as you apply the spray.
Essential Oils
Essential oils have practical uses in the kitchen when you mix them into a water-based solution. Lemongrass, citrus, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, citronella, catnip, and lavender oils all possess properties that repel bugs. The oils can be used individually or combined to make a simple anti-bug potion. Mix about 1 cup of water with 25-30 total drops of oil into a small spray bottle. Shake well and spray crevices in your kitchen where the bugs might be entering from. Bonus: Your kitchen will smell lovely.
Basil
Buy a basil plant for both pest control and culinary purposes—it’s the best of both worlds. You can easily find basil plants in a local garden shop or in the produce section of most grocery stores; simply transfer it to a small pot and keep it on your kitchen counter. Basil is wonderfully fragrant and tasty in recipes, but many insects can’t stand the smell and are naturally repelled by it. (Fun Fact: Rosemary bushes planted outdoors have a similar effect on mosquitos.)
Vinegar
It’s not exactly a secret that vinegar is a tried-and-true cleaning agent in the kitchen. When you combine white distilled or apple cider vinegar in a bowl or glass with a few drops of dishwashing detergent, you have a natural remedy against fruit flies. Cover your container of the solution with plastic wrap or foil and poke small holes into the surface with a toothpick in order to create a trap for the flies.
Diatomaceous Earth (Food-grade)
Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring substance sourced from fossilized diatoms (plankton). It has numerous valuable uses, such as purifying water, detoxing the body, improving bone density, and removing toxins from the skin. And most importantly (for the purposes of this article), diatomaceous earth helps to kill insects in your home because of its ability to dry out the external layer of a bug’s “skin” causing it to dehydrate and die. Diatomaceous earth is safe for human consumption, however, be sure to purchase from a reputable source with a food-grade label.
FAQs
Clean & Sweep Regularly
Good housekeeping helps keep bugs away, especially in the kitchen where food crumbs can accumulate. Empty trash cans regularly, and vacuum weekly. Don't forget to clean your kitchen-sink and bathtub drains; drain flies will live in there and fly out to look for food.
What is the best homemade insect repellent? ›
For a "foolproof recipe" that banishes mosquitoes, combine 1/3 cup witch hazel and 1/3 cup water with 40 drops of eucalyptus essential oil. "Mosquitoes detest the strong aroma of eucalyptus, so this easy homemade mosquito repellent is sure to be a winner," says Harlow-Ellis.
How do I keep my kitchen bug free? ›
Eliminate all moisture sites, including leaking pipes and clogged drains. Seal cracks and crevices on the outside of the home and around the kitchen, especially around stove and water pipes. If you suspect a pest infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest professional to inspect, identify and treat the problem.
What do bugs hate the most? ›
Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.
How to get rid of bugs in your kitchen? ›
The key to keeping pests out of the kitchen is to eliminate their access to food and water sources, which they need to survive. This can be done by practicing excellent sanitation in the kitchen: Make sure to wipe up all crumbs and spills on the floor, kitchen counters, cabinets and refrigerator in a timely manner.
What smell do bugs hate the most? ›
Citronella, lavender, eucalyptus, and peppermint are scents that bugs hate the most. These scents repel bugs due to their overwhelming and unpleasant smells, as well as their insecticidal properties. Citronella is scientifically proven to repel bugs and is commonly used in bug control.
What is the number one natural insect repellent? ›
Citronella
Citronella is a common natural and effective essential oil that works against mosquitoes. Made from a mix of herbs, it's an ingredient in many mosquito repellents. When outdoors, citronella candles can provide up to 50 percent extra protection.
What is the old fashioned insect repellent? ›
DEET is an old-fashioned insect repellent which was registered for public use in 1957. It is derived from coal tar and is the most well-known insect repellent.
What is the strongest insect repellent? ›
Picaridin (mosquitoes, ticks, flies): Effective against the greatest range of insects, this chemical is a synthetic version of a repellent found in pepper plants. Maximum protection is provided in formulations with 20 percent picaridin.
How do I get rid of little bugs in my kitchen sink? ›
Make a natural cleaning/fly killer mixture.
Mix together 1/2 cup of salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. Pour the mixture down the drain. Let sit overnight, then flush the drain with hot water in the morning. This should kill all flies and the organic material they've been feeding on.
Vinegar kills any pantry bugs that may still be hiding in your cupboards and deters them from coming back. Do not use pesticides, bleach, or ammonia to wipe down the pantry. These chemicals will prevent infestations, but can be dangerous if they touch any of your food.
Does baking soda keep bugs away? ›
Baking soda is often used as an alternative pest control solution for pests such as co*ckroaches, bed bugs or ants. But the reality is that baking soda for pest control is not effective. Baking soda does not dehydrate insects or cut them despite claims to the contrary.
How do you make homemade insect repellent? ›
Make an All-Purpose Insect Repellent
- 2 cups witch hazel, ½ tsp. Lemongrass or citronella oil, and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar.
- 1 cup isopropyl alcohol, 1 cup water, ½ tsp. catnip oil.
- 1 cup alcohol or witch hazel and 10-20 drops of essential oils such as lemongrass, peppermint, or lemon eucalyptus.
- 1 qt. vinegar, ½ tsp.
Peppermint essential oil might just be the holy grail of natural pest repellents to leave around your home's entry points, as it can help keep away ticks, spiders, roaches, moths, flies, fleas, beetles, and ants. Use sachets of this oil near your doors and windows or try making a diffuser or spray.
Do dryer sheets repel bugs? ›
Other university studies demonstrate the effectiveness of dryer sheets to repel certain insects, including mites, food-infesting beetles, German co*ckroaches and weevils. These studies, however, do not show any significant impact as a mosquito repellent.
What homemade solution kills bugs? ›
Use one part vinegar (apple cider or white) to three parts water to create a sprayable solution. Add a few drops of mild dish soap to help the solution stick. Add to a sprayer bottle and apply to the base of infested plants. Treat the leaves directly if heavily infested.
What smell makes bugs go away? ›
Eucalyptus and Citronella
Citronella oil has a yellowish-brown color and smells of grass and trees. On the other hand, eucalyptus oil is derived from the leaves of a eucalyptus tree. Citronella and eucalyptus oil may differ in color and source but share the same insect-repelling properties.
Does vinegar get rid of bugs in house? ›
Vinegar can sometimes be effective; however, using vinegar for pest control is generally a short-term effort to control pests since it is not effective as a long-term treatment against serious pest infestations and will not keep pests completely away from your property.
Does vinegar keep bugs away from your house? ›
Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. Vinegar is one of the best ingredients to make a pest control spray. It is effective in repelling ants, mosquitoes, fruit flies, and many others. Creating a mix is quite simple and is considered safe for humans and pets.
