With the current heat wave comes the bugs. Mosquitoes, ants, roaches, silverfish; they're all coming in waves into your home when the mercury goes up. Sure you want them gone now and they're lots of chemicals available for doing it fast, but we don't want to do it in a way that can damage your health or our eco-system. Thankfully, they're great alternatives to the harsh chemicals.
Borax-Works as an insecticide against ants, roaches and fleas. Pour directly into any ant nest found or any other cracks the bugs may be coming through. Find at your local hardware store or the cleaning section of your grocery in powder form.
Diatomaceous earth-aka DE. Great for controlling roaches, silverfish, ants, flies, fleas, box elder bugs, scorpions, crickets, and many other insects in the home. Also can be used against bedbugs, though this could take weeks of application. Can be used in garden to take care of slugs. Use to fight fleas, ticks and lice on your pets too! Purchase at flower nurseries or greenhouses, and hardware stores. Use only food grade diatomaceous earth, pool grade will be useless and is DANGEROUS.
Vinegar-Great for getting rid of the fruit flies that want to eat all your tasty summer fruits. Mix 1/4 cup any type of sweet vinegar like apple cider or balsamic with a few drops of dish soap. Leave out in a cup or bowl for a day or more in your kitchen or wherever else you have fruit flies.
Remember to watch out for standing water in and around your home to protect against mosquitoes. Also remember roaches love moist humid, areas and keep foods that attract bugs in plastic containers.
There are lots of great plants that also repel insects, check some out here and here, and mosquitoes here.
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