Bye-Bye Bugs: Natural Repellents for Indoors & Out

A few pantry staples, plants, and clever tricks will prevent ants, roaches, flies, spiders, and the dreaded bane of summer—mosquitoes—from taking over.

Diatomaceous earth powder is a non-toxic organic insect repellent. FotoHelin/Shuterstock

One of the biggest benefits of homemade bug repellents is that, unlike the commercial alternatives with their potentially harmful chemicals, a DIYer can control exactly what’s in them. In addition to being safer for one’s health, these eco-friendly alternatives are very effective against a wide range of insects, offer a variety of application methods, and are budget-friendly. Many are already at hand, and some, such as cinnamon, smell so good that they even add an aromatherapy aspect.

Place cinnamon sticks in closets, cupboards, pantries, basements, and food storage containers to ward off ants, silverfish, spiders, roaches, bedbugs, moths, mosquitoes, fleas, beetles, and weevils. Sprinkle powdered cinnamon at doorways and windowsills to help prevent pests from entering the house in the first place.

Cloves

Got some cloves left over from the Christmas ham? Place them, or some clove-filled sachets, in closets, cabinets, drawers, laundry rooms, and anywhere silverfish and ladybugs tend to infest. Cloves will also repel ants, weevils, moths, flies, and fleas. Their active ingredient, eugenol, is found in some flea and tick shampoos, but you should still keep cloves away from family pets that might find them toxic.

Citrus Solution

Orange peels contain a potent combination of limonene and linalool as well as some natural tannins that flies and ants distinctly dislike. Rub used peels on windowsills and doorways. Soak several peels in a jar of white vinegar for 48 hours, then strain and put in a spray bottle for an effective bug-repelling cleaner.