~Eco-Friendly Living~

~Household Pests~

     One of the best ways to prevent pests from taking over your home is to remove whatever is attracting them.  Avoid using chemicals in the form of pesticides and sprays - these are unnecessary if you keep pests away in the first place.  There are many common-sense, natural ways of dealing with household pests.

Ants

      Find out where ants are coming in and sprinkle mint, chilli powder, pepper or borax across their trail.

      Put pennyroyal rue or tansy in your kitchen cupboards or on shelves to keep them away.

      Plant mint near windows and doors as ants don't like the smell.

Ant Nests

      Mix one part borax with one part icing sugar.  Scatter it over a piece of wood near the nest.  The ants are attracted by the icing sugar.  Borax will poison the ants but is harmless to humans and animals.

Cockroaches

      Make a mixture of flour, cocoa and borax and leave it out in shallow dishes.

      Bicarbonate of soda mixed with icing sugar can also be used.  Make sure these are kept out of the reach of children and pets.

      Sprinkle cockroach-infested areas with pyrethrum powder (derived from the pyrethrum plant).

Fleas

      Flea eggs can hatch in 2-12 days in warm conditions, but in cool temperatures may remain dormant for months.

      If fleas have invaded your home, you'll need to clean out the whole house, vacuum regularly and sprinkle oil of lavender or pennyroyal around infested rooms.  Empty the vacuum cleaner after each use.

      Controlling fleas on your pets is the first step to preventing household infestations.  Give pets herbal baths and use a flea-comb regularly.  Rub your pet with a mixture of olive oil and a few drops of lavender, thyme, pennyroyal or eucalyptus oil.  Wash your pet's bedding and replace it with old cotton sheeting or paper.

Flies

      Keep all food and garbage covered and clean the rubbish bin regularly.

      Don't place your compost heap or piles of manure close to the house.

      Hang up sprigs of lavender, mint, pennyroyal, or rue to keep flies away.  Rub the leaves often to release the smell.  These herbs can also be planted near windows and doors or in pots in the kitchen.

      Install fine mesh fly screens where necessary.

Mice

      Hang sprigs of mint or tansy in your kitchen cupboards or on shelves.

      Block up possible entry holes in the pantry or in cupboards under the sink.

      Keep all food in containers.

      Cover all rubbish tightly.

Moths

      Moths don't like the smell of lavender - hence the old-fashioned lavender bag.  Natural camphor or cloves, mint, sage, wormwood and rosemary will also prove effective.

      Clean all clothes, bedding and furnished fabrics before storing them - moths breed in dust and dirt.

      Rid clothes of moth eggs by hanging them in the sun for a few hours or putting them through the clothes dryer.

      Clean out drawers, wardrobes and chests from time to time, checking clothes for any signs of moths.

Mosquitoes

      Mosquitoes breed in standing water and multiply very quickly.

      Cover all water vessels and rain gutters.

      Garden ponds or swimming pools should be located away from the house.

      Use slow-burning mosquito rings or coils (made of pyrethrum).  Keep windows shut for best results.

      Hang mosquito nets above beds to keep mosquitoes out.  Install fine mesh mosquito screens on your windows and doors.

      Also, try pennyroyal, basil, mint, chamomile or tansy as natural repellents (rub yourself with the leaves).

Mites

      Mites attack the soft, warm parts of the body and bite, causing itching and swelling.

      Keep bird cages clean.

      Dust and vacuum regularly to prevent mites.

Weevils and food moths

      Small moths in your cupboards are a sign of weevils and food moths.  Check the dried food in your cupboards regularly.

      Place a bay leaf in your food containers to keep weevils and food moths from laying eggs in flour, rice and pulses.

Insect Repellents

Try the following:

      Vinegar rubbed on exposed skin.  The smell will disappear as it dries but the taste will linger and insects find it repellent.

      Citronella (although some people find the smell hard to take, it compares favourably with commercial brands).

      Vegetable oil that has been infused with pennyroyal.

      Tea-tree oil rubbed on the skin.