The One Thing in Your Spice Cabinet That Can Keep Bugs Away, Experts Say (2024)

FAQs

The One Thing in Your Spice Cabinet That Can Keep Bugs Away, Experts Say? ›

Cinnamon can repel bugs.

Empty your pantry and vacuum the shelves. Wipe the shelves with soapy water and then a 50/50 vinegar and hot water solution to clean them. Store your food in airtight containers and clean up spills right away to prevent future infestations.

Bay leaves can help to deter some bugs from hanging out in your home. Place these in your cabinets to help keep pests, like co*ckroaches, ants, and weevils, away. You can also try putting them in your containers as well.

Some herbs, including mint, basil and rosemary, can act as natural repellants to bugs. By planting an outdoor herb garden, you can actually do more than supply yourself with plenty of garnish by creating a natural barrier for bugs.

In addition to its plethora of benefits listed above, clove oil is also an insect repellent. Traditionally, a few drops of clove oil used to be put on one's bed sheets at night to keep the bugs away.

Use caulk to fill gaps, cracks, holes, and other openings in the kitchen cabinets. Check along the inside cabinets, apply the caulk in a line, then use a scraper knife to smooth the caulk over the area. You'll want to use a waterproof caulk for this job, especially around the sink cabinets.

Dried food products should be inspected regularly, especially before use, for any signs of infestation. Add bay leaves to canisters and packages of dry goods like flour, rice and other grains — their pungent scent repels many pantry pests.

Store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly in sealed receptacles. Only purchase food in sealed packages that show no sign of damage. Add a bay leaf to canisters and packages of dry goods like flour, rice and other grains- their pungent scent repels many pantry pests.

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.

Does cinnamon and clove repel mosquitoes? ›

The findings of this study have shown that clove and cinnamon essential oils exhibit repellence and toxicity effects against An. gambiae and may be considered as a potential tool for controlling mosquito-human contact.

Some people actually use cinnamon, cloves, to repel bed bugs, ants, among many other household pests in Singapore.

Use Essential Oils

Besides citronella, a few oils you can use to create a bug-repellent barrier are peppermint, tea tree, lavender and eucalyptus. Not only do these oils help eliminate bugs surrounding your outside living area, but they are also ideal for relaxing aromatherapy.

Ways To Repel co*ckroaches From Your Home

Due to their strong sense of smell, co*ckroaches dislike several pungent herbs and spices, including cinnamon, citrus, thyme basil, citronella, basil, mint, garlic, coffee grounds, peppermint, and bay leaves.

Lemongrass contains an oil called citronella, a common mosquito repellent. Swap your summer glass of lemonade for a chilled glass of lemongrass tea or carefully use lemongrass oil on your skin for a quick mosquito repellent.

Pop your spices into the freezer for at least four days. If you buy your spices in bulk, you can let them live in the freezer and simply rotate out small amounts to live on your spice rack. The freezing temps will wipe out any living bugs, although the dead ones won't be sifted out of your spices, unfortunately.

A: Home Defense MAX Insect Killer For Indoor & Perimeter1 can be used in food storage and preparation areas; however, all food processing surfaces and utensils must be covered during application, and thoroughly washed with soap and water before reuse.

Most dried food products can be infested by insects

Pantry pests are most likely to infest products that have been opened but they also can get into unopened paper, thin cardboard, and plastic, foil or cellophane-wrapped packages. They may chew their way into packages or crawl in through folds and seams.

To maximize your efforts and eliminate any weevils roaming around, clean your kitchen with warm soapy water and follow up with a vinegar spray. This should get rid of any pesky pests sticking around.