Creepy crawlies are every homeowner’s worst nightmare. While habitually disinfecting the entire house with pesticides is an effective way to get rid of home infestations, pest repellents can be dangerous and even life-threatening if inhaled or ingested, especially for the kids. Here are some non-toxic and environment-friendly remedies you can use to thwart invasion from those bothersome bugs.

Irksome mosquitoes: Stagnant water and gardens are mosquitoes’ robust breeding grounds, therefore clear away overflowing gutters, puddles and any not in use water buckets, and properly cover your overhead and underground water tanks, swimming pools and even half-consumed soda containers. It’s wise to regularly mow your lawn and invest in good quality house screens / window nets to keep these flying pests out. Some plants also have mosquito-repelling properties, so seek those out.

Frustrating flies: House flies flourish in garbage. They lay eggs on rotten / leftover food, animal and human defecation, sewage fluids and soil. Hence, keep your food counters clean and cover unconsumed food with aluminum foil. Store dry ingredients like sugar, flour, spices in sealed plastic bags or tightly capped glass containers. Take the trash out often and don’t leave used dishes sitting in the sink for long periods.

A home-made solution consisting of a quarter portion of dishwashing soap with water prepared in a spray bottle is effective in debilitating flies.

A little effort and you can get rid of pests without the use of pesticides

Disciplined ants: Though Homo sapiens have historically learnt a lot from ants, these little creatures still remain unwelcome in human abodes. They feed on all types of snacks but are especially attracted to sugary rations like sweets, fruits, juices, etc. They nest in warm, damp locations like cracks between walls, under floors, wooden cupboards, home entrances and their army will multiply manifold in no time if you ignore their existence.

Sprinkle boric acid or borax powder on visible ant trails. Add some flour and sugar to boric acid and sprinkle the mixture near their nests. Boric acid will wipe out their entire nest very quickly.

Creepy cockroaches: These night-time intruders can be half an inch to 1½ inch long. They breed in dark, warm and humid places like bathrooms, kitchens, heating pipes but can practically survive anywhere. Cockroaches are attracted by all kinds of edibles in the house, so keep your cooking and food storage areas clean, dry and hygienic. Good housekeeping practices like taking out garbage regularly, doing dishes after each meal, keeping the dining table clean and scrubbing the kitchen drains will keep these pests in control.

In case you have a huge battalion of roaches, try this cockroach-killing recipe for relief: mix a very small quantity of butter with a table spoon of sugar, boric acid, flour and water. Form a dough and make small balls. Place them where you’ve seen cockroaches like sinks, kitchen counters, ovens, around the stove, etc. The crawlies will munch the balls and eventually perish from your dwelling.

Frightful fleas and ticks: Ticks suck human as well as animal blood, might carry Lyme disease (infection caused by bacteria of the Borrelia type) and always need an anchor to bring them into the house. In case you or your pet has caught ticks, remove them immediately with a pointed tweezer and apply over-the-counter alcohol ointment / lotion for ticks. You might develop a bull’s eye mark on your skin with fever and muscle-ache. Place the tick in a plastic bag so your physician can see it, and treat you accordingly.

Similarly, you can develop fleas in your hair, while pets can develop them in their fur. Wash, comb and examine your pets frequently to keep fleas at bay. Vacuum your carpets and wipe the wooden furniture clean as fleas can hide and nurture there.

Nasty mice and rats: The dirtiest of all house pests are the mice and rats. They might carry life-threatening diseases like Typhus and Hantavirus in their bodies and faeces and can infect your surroundings. The best way to prevent them from entering your home is to fill the holes left between walls and floors, repair broken sewerage lines / caps, and mend old ceilings and pipes. Store garbage in tightly sealed containers and throw away old wood planks or furniture because they serve as rodent clubhouse. The most effective way to keep rodents away is to repair the house and keep food out of sight as they are attracted to food. When they don’t get food they naturally will leave the place.

Rats cannot stand the smell of peppermint (might be harmful for kids), the sight of human hair (will dirty the house), moth balls (very dangerous for kids as they look like small, white candies), ammonia (has pungent smell which could be bad for residents), cow dung (horrible smell), pepper (might irritate residents), onions / baby powder (could be used, but wouldn’t guarantee killing rodents).

Pets such as dogs or cats, and catch-and-release gadgets can also serve as rodent repellents.

Keeping your house bug-free is mostly about observing proper hygiene and cleanliness. Maintain a tidy and organised house, and it will hardly suffer from any infestations.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, June 7th, 2015

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