Bugs are a very common problem these days, be it any kind of bug. Not only are the bites very annoying and maybe potentially dangerous for your health, but it is also very difficult to actually get rid of the bugs without using the services of a professional exterminator.
Many commercial insecticides and insect repellents contain poisonous ingredients that are toxic to humans. Essential oils are effective alternatives to noxious, synthetic formulas. Essential oils are safe around small children and pets, are free of synthetic fragrances and are not cruelly tested on animals.
Here are some essential oils and ways to rid the bugs using them:
Many commercial insecticides and insect repellents contain poisonous ingredients that are toxic to humans. Essential oils are effective alternatives to noxious, synthetic formulas. Essential oils are safe around small children and pets, are free of synthetic fragrances and are not cruelly tested on animals.
Here are some essential oils and ways to rid the bugs using them:
LAVENDER OIL
Lavender oil have always been used to address bug and mite infestations of all kind (especially bed bugs), and it is usually their strong scent that keeps these tiny critters at bay.
How to use: If you opt for the concentrated form, then you can easily add a few drops of the oil across the corners of the bed frame and the strong scent will last for days; not only will it destroy the existing bed bugs and their eggs, but will also leave a pleasant smell that will certainly appeal to you.
ORANGE OIL
In a world full of biological pesticides which don’t work very well, orange oil stands out because it wipes out or repels entire colonies, and prevents re-infestations, instead of simply killing bugs and insects individually. D-limonene (the main constituent of orange oil) is harmless to humans, but deadly to most bugs/insects because it dissolves the waxy coating on the exoskeleton causing dehydration and asphyxiation.
How to use: You can make an orange oil spray by simply diluting it in water. This oil is so effective at killing bugs, that you should be aware of which bugs you are spraying (if using in your home garden), as this can also kill beneficial bugs and pollinators.
PEPPERMINT OIL
Use peppermint oil to effectively repel mosquitoes and other flying bugs.
How to use: Use a cotton swab to place the solution around your windows, doors and base boards for extra protection.
ROSEMARY OIL
Rosemary oil is a potent repellent for many types of pesky bugs and insects including flies, fleas and mosquitoes. Rosemary is also great for deterring larvae like the cabbage looper caterpillar whose voracious appetite for juicy vegetable foliage can easily destroy entire crops of Brassicas, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, and even some root veggies if left undisturbed.
The best essential oils for bugs are as follows:
- Ants: Peppermint, Spearmint
- Mosquitoes: Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Thyme, Cinnamon, Rosemary, lavender, lemon grasss
- Flies: Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Melaleuca, Rosemary
- Spider: Peppermint, Spearmint
- Ticks: Oregnao, Thyme
- Fleas: Peppermint, Lemongrass, Spearmint
- Cockroaches: Peppermint, Eucalyptus, tea tree oil
- Snails: cedarwood, pine.
- Beetles: peppermint, thyme
- Aphids: Peppermint, Spearmint, Sandalwood
ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND
EO’s like peppermint, tea tree, and citrus have intense smells that bugs especially spiders, as much as we find them pleasant, find them unpleasant and overwhelming. Put 5-7 drops of peppermint oil in a spray bottle (about 16 ounces is good), and fill mostly to the top with warm water. Add a squirt of dish soap, place the top on, and give the mixture a good shake. Test on an inconspicuous area, and then spray in the corners of window frames, along door cracks, or in dark dingy places bugs and spiders may be hiding out.