12 Best Natural Pesticides for Home

12 Best Natural Pesticides for Home

Many people focus on the need for pesticides in gardens and crops. But what if you have pests in your home? You don’t want to use something in your living space that may be made from dangerous chemicals. After all, you value your family’s health and well-being above everything. That is why you are thinking of choosing natural pesticides.

So, what are some of the best natural pesticides for your home? When using pesticides inside your home, you absolutely must pick something that is safe to use indoors. Some of the safest ingredients to use inside include garlic, essential oils, spices, and Diatomaceous earth.

Since I get asked about this topic so often, I have decided to provide a detailed post telling you all about it. Today, we’re going to talk about natural pesticides that you can use inside your home. We’ll also talk a little bit about why natural pesticides are often preferred over synthetic ones. I’ll even provide links to some choice pesticides that you can find on Amazon.

Why You Need Natural Pesticides for Your Home?

Whether indoors or outdoors, natural pesticides have become incredibly popular these days. That is because there is a big focus in society about “going green,” reducing your carbon footprint and using chemicals that have been naturally sourced. This means choosing products that are extracted from the ground or plants, versus ones that have been created synthetically in a laboratory.

When using pesticides, you generally have two choices: you can use a single ingredient such as garlic, an essential oil, a specific herb or flower, or you can buy a bottle of manufactured pesticide created from natural ingredients.

When you are buying a manufactured pesticide from the store, you have to be careful to make sure that all of the ingredients in this product are actually natural. Unfortunately, some products advertise themselves as being “natural” when they actually contain some chemicals that have been synthesized in a lab.

Main Reasons to Choose Natural Pesticides Instead of Synthetic Ones

With so many tried and true synthetic pesticides available, why should you choose a natural solution? On Pest Control FAQ, you can reference this article about the pros and cons of natural pesticides versus synthetic ones. For now, we’ll discuss a little bit here about why natural pesticides are a good choice. And for a more in-depth look, you can revisit my other article.

Here are some of the benefits of choosing natural pesticide methods:

Natural Pesticides are Environment-friendly

Ultimately, most people choose to use natural pesticides because they are usually more friendly for the environment. With the increased talk about climate change and global warming, people are constantly looking for more ways to reduce their carbon footprint and “go green.”

Choosing natural pesticides instead of synthetic ones can help achieve that goal. You may also feel safer with a less toxic alternative to the more traditional synthetic pesticides.

Long term solution

Yes, it’s true that synthetic pesticides work better in the short term, and that they can often produce an instant result. But over the long term, pests may develop a tolerance to the synthetic chemicals. This means that they will no longer be affected by them! If you want a long term solution, natural pesticide methods may be what you’re looking for.

Natural pesticides are cheaper

When you are using a homemade solution to repel pests indoors, you might find that it is cheaper than going to the store and buying a bottle of pesticide.

Natural Pesticides are Much Healthier Than Synthetic Pesticides

Using non-synthetic chemicals inside your home is a much healthier alternative for you, your family, and your pets. Remember that even though you want to repel pests very badly, you should never do it at the expense of your health!

Nowadays they are now much more accessible

And with the rising popularity of natural pesticides, they are now much more accessible now than they have ever been. That means that you are more likely to be able to get natural pesticides at any local store, instead of having to drive far out of your way. There are also many sites to order natural products online.

While there are sometimes good reasons to use synthetic pesticides, chances are you are reading this article because you do not want to use them. And if you are now convinced that you would prefer to use natural methods of pesticides instead of synthetic ones, then we have a lot more to discuss!

Something to Keep in Mind When Beginning

Before you use any pesticides to repel pests, ask yourself if anything in your home could be attracting pests. As a rule of thumb, you should remove anything that attracts pests before you begin adding anything that repels them. You could also do both of these things around the same time.

If your house is not very tidy, this could be a major reason why you have a pest problem. This is especially true if you have a lot of food sitting around, food crumbs, or you do not empty your inside garbage cans very often. Ants, roaches, mice, and other insects love to be where they smell food.

And other pests such as spiders, snakes, and lizards are often attracted by the presence of other pests because these smaller pests serve as their food source. You can see how a dirty house will contribute to creating a cycle of pest control problems.

Your journey to removing pests from your home should start by cleaning your house as well as you can. Make sure you always keep food contained, and don’t leave any open containers sitting anywhere!

Sweep up any crumbs, and clean any spills that may attract bugs to your home. Clean areas with bleach so that you erase the smells of food. This will deter any new pests from following these scents into your home.

Here Are Some Natural Ways to Repel Pests From Your Home 

Below, I am going to give you some natural options you can use to repel pests from inside your home. Almost all of the options I have listed can be used with simple ingredients that you may already have around the home.

#1 Garlic

Garlic has a very strong aroma to everyone, and it is also an incredibly powerful repellent for many types of pests. While many human beings may enjoy the smell and taste of garlic, most animals and insects cannot stand it. And thankfully, there are a variety of ways to use this powerful and natural pesticide.

There are many natural pesticides that you can buy that contain garlic. However, it is also easy for you to make one on your own.

How to make homemade garlic pesticide?

To make a homemade natural garlic pesticide, start with a clove or two of organic garlic. The amount of garlic you use depends on how much you enjoy or are bothered by the smell of garlic. To further dilute the smell a little, you can use extra water when you move on to the next step.

Throw your garlic in a blender and add water, some onion, or even a little bit of another natural solution I recommend in this article. Then, you can put this solution in a spray bottle and apply it to areas where bugs may be coming in the home.

You can also buy garlic oil and garlic powder from some sources to spread around. The powder is much easier for some people to use. Garlic is also safe to use in your garden outdoors, to deter pests from coming to your house in the first place. 

#2 Essential Oils

Essential oils have been growing and growing in popularity lately. People use them for a variety of reasons, including health problems, pleasant aromas, mood enhancement, cleaning, and many more purposes. Everywhere you go, you may see more stores offering essential oils for sale, and more people deciding to use them for a variety of purposes.

Believe it or not, but a variety of different essential oils have excellent reputations for repelling a variety of insects and other pests. For example, did you know that ants, beetles, fleas, and flies are often repelled by peppermint oil?

In a similar way, mosquitoes, chiggers, and fleas cannot stand the smell of lemongrass oil. Mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and chiggers are all offended and deterred by the scent of lavender. It is also relatively easy to find essential oils that repel non-insect pests such as mice, lizards, and birds.

Sage, patchouli, citronella, thyme, and more are commonly used essential oils in order to repel pests from inside the home. Most of these essential oils are relatively safe to be touched and smelled by human beings.

Peppermint oil works well against:

  • ants
  • beetles
  • fleas
  • flies

Lemongrass oil works well against:

  • mosquitoes
  • chiggers
  • fleas

The scent of lavender works well against:

  • mosquitoes
  • chiggers
  • fleas
  • flies

However, some essential oils are not safe for pet animals. Make sure that whatever essential oils you use are safe for your furry friends. You also should keep essential oils out of reach of your children, so they do not consume them by mistake. Essential oils may be incredibly harmful to children if swallowed.

#3 Neem Oil

Neem oil has been used for centuries to repel pests. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most powerful bug repellents available. And fortunately, it is considered completely natural, since it comes from a tree leaf.

How To Use Neem Oil Against Pests?

When you decide to use Neem oil as a pesticide indoors, you might have the most luck when you mix it with water in a spray bottle. Then, you can spray this in areas where bugs are likely to come into your home.

Neem oil also is mixed with dish soap to make the spray more effective. You may also be able to successfully use Neem leaves placed near areas pests are likely to be in your home. 

#4 Himalayan Crystal Salt

Everywhere you go, you hear of something else that Himalayan salt is good for. People use this for a variety of things, including salt baths and large Himalayan salt lamps. As you may know, salt is most effective if the pests you’re facing are slugs and snails.

How To Use Himalayan Crystal Salt against Pests?

After all, salt is famous for dissolving slugs. But Himalayan crystal salt is good for repelling other pests, too. In fact, mixing it in a spray bottle with water and diatomaceous earth can be helpful for killing bed bugs.

Himalayan salt crystal by itself or mixed with water as a spray will also be effective if you’re facing pests such as spider mites, fleas, and black scale beetles.

#5  Diatomaceous earth

Even though this is popular for outdoor use, it is still entirely possible to use it inside in some instances, as long as you’re careful. This product can make a very effective spray against bed bugs if mixed with water and Himalayan crystal salt.

Diatomaceous earth has a lot of uses, including treating health conditions and keeping your garden healthy. And it helps guard against insects by dehydrating them to death on contact. This way, you can kill insects and keep new ones from coming back.

It is used to reduce parasites around livestock and poultry. Generally, Diatomaceous earth is safe, but you’ll want to do research and use caution if you have pets in the home. You should also keep it away from children.

#6 Citrus Smells

Citrus is an incredibly effective repellent for pest control purposes. You can often use citrus smells in the form of essential oils as I have suggested above. But if you don’t want to use citrus smells like essential oils, there are also a variety of ways to use them.

This method is especially good if you like the smell of citrus fruits. While these scents may be pleasing to many humans, it repels a number of pest animals and insects.

How To Use Citrus Smells against Pests?

If you have any orange, lemon, or grapefruit peels, you can try letting the peels sit in areas where you frequently see bugs. You can also invest in citrus juices, or blend entire citrus fruits to make your own juices and oils. 

#7 Cayenne Pepper, or Something Else Spicy

Many of us like spicy food. However, cayenne pepper and other hot spices may be incredibly offensive to certain pests. If some pests inhale, consume, or even breathe certain spices, they may be damaging or incredibly painful. And to some pests, exposure to spices such as cayenne pepper may even be fatal for them.

How To Use Cayenne Pepper as a Natural Pesticide?

Chile pepper can also be incredibly effective. When using spices as pest control, simply boil with water and put in a spray bottle when the water cools down. But when applying it, take caution as you won’t want to get it in your eyes, mouth, or nose. Keep your pets away while applying it to areas so that they don’t breathe it in either. 

#8 Certain Flowers Will Repel Pests

If you are willing to add certain indoor flowers to your home, you may be pleasantly surprised to find out that many of them repel pests. Another option is to plant certain flowers outside your home in order to deter pests from entering your home in the first place. Marigolds can be very effective to repel bugs away from your home.

#9 Tobacco Spray

Before people began to use tobacco in cigarettes and dip, it was used for its ability to repel pests away from an area. Tobacco can even be used to kill certain pests, like lizards, since it is toxic to their systems. If you have any pet reptiles such as lizards, you should consider not using this method of pest control. This is because an accidental exposure to tobacco for your pet lizards may kill them.

#10 Mint Leaves or Mint Plants

Stink bugs, bed bugs, fleas, and more pests are deterred away from your home by the smell of mint. And by keeping mint plants indoors or planted outside around your home, you can further repel them from becoming unwanted guests in your house. Mint oils and leaves are easy to purchase at many stores and plenty of online retailers.

#11 Vegetable Oil in a Spray Bottle

If your home is like most, then you probably have a bottle of vegetable oil somewhere in your kitchen. A popular way to kill insects inside your home involves mixing up vegetable oil in a spray bottle with a water solution, and then spraying this mixture directly onto the bugs when you see them. This is because vegetable oil will suffocate insects, killing them.

#12 Buying a Manufactured Natural Product With a Good Reputation

If you do not feel confident about using any of the above methods, then perhaps you would prefer to buy a bottled spray that has been made with natural ingredients. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as the brand and the product have a good reputation.

After all, you want a product that is going to be effective! You also don’t want to buy something that has the word “natural” printed on a label, but the company has included synthetic ingredients without alerting you.

For a stronger effect, you might consider mixing two or more of these methods together. But before mixing anything, always make sure to do your research to make sure it is safe to do so. After all, some chemicals become dangerous if mixed together! You don’t want to create a dangerous chemical combination by combining two things that shouldn’t mix.

Remember: “Natural” Doesn’t Automatically Mean “Safe”

Unfortunately, I have noticed that a lot of people tend to believe that as long as a manufactured product is labeled as “natural,” that means that it is completely safe.

This may possibly lead to people becoming poisoned or otherwise harmed by something that they falsely believed was harmless. Even if a pesticide is natural, it may still be poisonous or otherwise harmful to human beings.

You also need to be incredibly cautious about your use of pesticides indoors if you have pets. Many pesticides can be incredibly harmful to your dog, cat, rabbits, or other pets. This is especially true if you have small pets, reptiles, birds, or fish.

Some of the pesticides you use to rid yourself of unwanted pests may be just as harmful to your innocent pets. When pets are a part of the equation, you must do a more rigorous research on the pesticide you choose to buy.

Before using any pesticide whether natural or synthetic, you must research the safety of the products you are using. In a manufactured product with multiple ingredients, you should research each and every ingredient to make sure that they are all safe. The easiest way to research the safety of ingredients is to use the internet.

Whenever you are using any pesticide, keep the number of the local poison control center on hand in case of exposure. Always keep any and every pesticide out of reach of small children and dogs, just in case they may consume it and become poisoned.

Some Natural Products for You to Try Indoors

Now that we’re this far along, I’ve compiled a short list of some manufactured natural products that you can try. All of these products are advertised as having natural ingredients, and you can find all of them on Amazon. That is why I have also included Amazon rating information here.

Eco Defense Home Pest Control Spray

The first product that you should know about is this home spray developed by Eco-Defense. This natural pesticide has received 3.9 out of 5 stars on Amazon. It comes in a 16-ounce bottle, and it is biobased within USDA guidelines.

It will kill and repel pests such as roaches, spiders, ants, fleas, earwigs, stink bugs, mites, and more. This product is advertised as being both fast acting and safe. The company will also give you a money-back guarantee if you use it and you still have pests after 60 days.

Premo Guard Bed Bug, Lice & Mite Killer Spray

If you are struggling with bed bugs, lice, or mites, the second product I can recommend to you is this natural spray made by Premo Guard. The ingredients in this spray are sourced from Certified Natural Products Association manufacturers.

This product is advertised as being safe and friendly to both children and pets, which is good news if you have either of those. This product has an outstanding 4.3 out of 5 stars rating on Amazon. This 24-ounce spray bottle comes with satisfaction guaranteed peace of mind.

Wondercide Natural Indoor Pest Control Home and Patio Spray

And for a third product, this natural indoor pest control from Wondercide can be used in your home or on your patio. It is advertised as being effective on over 100 different kinds of pests.

This includes ants, roaches, spiders, moths, flies, and much more. This product will not cause any staining around your home, and it is made with organic, essential oils. These oils will provide a pleasant smell. After all, why should pesticides have to smell bad?

Mosquito Repellent Incense Sticks, 100% Natural- Non-Toxic

The final product I have decided to list here is mosquito repellent incense sticks.

These sticks feature essential oils that are obnoxious to mosquitoes, such as lemongrass, grapefruit peel, and thyme oil. These eco-friendly, non-toxic sticks serve multiple purposes since they also will help your home smell wonderful.

Final thoughts: Best Natural Pesticides for Home

Today, we talked all about the use of natural pesticides inside of your home. We covered topics such as why you may prefer natural pesticides to synthetic ones, and some natural methods you can use to repel pests. I even introduced you to a few natural products found on Amazon’s website.

Here at Pest Control FAQ, I want to give you all of the tools you need to live a pest-free life. Whether you are battling bed bugs, birds, or too many lizards coming into your home, I want to compile all of the information that you could possibly need.

For an in-depth article comparing natural pesticides to synthetic ones, you can go here. And if your problem is specifically lizards coming into your home, I have an article for that, as well. 

Related Questions

Do natural pesticides work as well as synthetic ones? Synthetic pesticides usually work faster than natural ones, since the chemicals are stronger. But natural pesticides generally work better over the long term since pests are less likely to develop a tolerance to them. Do your research on the pros and cons of the natural or synthetic products you hope to use to see if they will be satisfactory for your pest problems.

Where can I buy natural pesticides at? Natural pesticides can be found in a variety of places. An easy place to buy them is online. You can also find natural pesticides at organic stores, some grocery stores, and some home improvement and gardening stores. With the popularity of organic gardening, natural pesticides have become easier to acquire.

Why is organic gardening so popular? In recent times, people are very conscious of climate change and global warming. This means that most people are very interested in reducing their carbon footprint by limiting the use of synthetic chemicals. Many people also do not want to use possibly dangerous chemicals on their food gardens.

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