The next time a roach dares to show up in your kitchen, don’t call the Pest Control folks…here are some all-natural tips that will surely help you to keep any pesky intruders at bay, without any of those harsh toxic chemicals!
1. Stock up on Essential oils
- When it comes to eliminating pests naturally, essential oils are your new best friend! Most insects hate the strong smells of oils and herbs and will not come anywhere near them.
- Mix about 25 drops of each essential oil with 1 cup of spirit or water in a spray bottle, and mist liberally all over the house.
- Lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil and lavender oil are the most commonly used pest repellents and can keep insects like mosquitoes, ticks, ants, fleas and flies away.
2. Fly Away, Flies!
Grow basil in pots on your kitchen window, and keep sprigs of dried basil in muslin pouches inside your kitchen cabinets. Flies cannot stand the smell of basil and will stay away.
3. Ants, Get Marching!
To get rid of ants follow these steps:
- Mix borax with powdered sugar and stir well.
- Sprinkle this powdered mix all along the trail of ants, and in a couple of days, they will be gone.
- If the powdered mix is not as effective, then you can add in a bit of honey or maple syrup to make a thick paste, and slather it on the surface where you have seen the ants.
- Ants can also be sent marching by sprinkling used coffee grounds all along the ant trail, especially at entry points like doors and window sills.
- A word of caution here! Boric acid can be harmful to pets like cats and dogs, so keep your kitchen out of bound to your four-legged friends while you try this remedy!
4. Shoo, Spiders!
Spiders will take a wide detour from any form of citrus. You can spray unsweetened lemon juice and water on or around spider webs, and keep dried citrus peels in corners where they are likely to be lurking. Wipe your countertops with lime water once a week to keep your work areas fresh and sparkling.
5. Bugs, Begone!
To eliminate the bugs follow these steps:
- Tiny bugs and ants can be eliminated by wiping down surfaces with a 50:50 mix of natural distilled white vinegar and water.
- While this solution keeps insects at bay, it’s also very effective for cleaning food particles and stains off the kitchen hob, microwave and oven.
- Another little known fact is that white vinegar is a great disinfectant, kills bacteria and cuts grease. As you clean, keep changing the water when it gets dirty.
6. Repel Mosquitoes with Citronella
Citronella essential oil in a diffuser is a great mosquito repellent and has a lovely, calming smell that keeps your home fragrant for a long time. It is one of the essential ingredients in herbal mosquito sprays.
7. Trap Those Rats!
Rat traps or sticky glue trays are the safest way to get rid of rats. Use strong-smelling cheese as bait, keep the traps in corners that are dark and secluded, and little Jerry will get caught in no time at all. All forms of rat poison are extremely toxic; steer clear of them! 
8. Get a Four-legged Friend!
The old adage is indeed true, cats and mice are natural enemies! Mice will never come into a home where there is a resident cat or dog. In fact, most forms of vermin will prefer to keep their distance from your pet, and this is by far the easiest way to keep your home free of pesky intruders!
9. Get Rid of Roaches Forever
- Mix sugar and baking soda in a cup of water and sprinkle this solution in all the nooks and corners where cockroaches hide. The sugar attracts the pests, and when they eat this mixture the baking soda works on their stomach acid and causes them to die.
- Another popular DIY remedy is to mix three parts of fabric softener with two parts of water and spray this on any roaches that you see. The mixture is thick and clogs their air pores, suffocating them almost at once.
- To keep roaches away from stored food, keep several sprigs of bay leaves in and around the cabinets. The aroma keeps cockroaches away.
- A thorough wipe down of all surfaces with lemon juice and water is also effective to prevent roaches from running around.
Once you have eliminated pests using our tips, here’s what you can do to make sure they don’t pop up again!
- Keep your kitchen sinks clean and unclogged by pouring vinegar or boiling water once a week through the drain.
- Keep garbage cans closed and airtight at all times.
- Make sure the kitchen counter is always clean and never leave food out or uncovered.
- Clean the counter with soapy water every night. Add a dash of lime to the mix to disinfect the surface.
- Sweep the floor clean of all crumbs after a meal.
- Block all possible entry points for pests; sanitize and fill cracks and holes and inspect your cabinets and closets regularly to make sure they are pest-free.
- If there is any stagnant water in or around your house, get it drained or spray the surface with oil. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes and by spraying oil the larvae will not be able to breathe.
Stop any further pest invasions right at the outset and keep your home vermin-free!
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