Summertime is here and that means cookouts, porch lounging with your favorite drink, and other outdoor activities. But it also means dealing with mosquitos, flies, and other pests and insects. It’s a real pain.
Below you’ll find 15 natural and easy ways to keep pests away this summer.
1. A Pretty Penny
If you are tired of flies buzzing around your windows, then try hanging a bag of pennies and water outside your window. This Facebook user tried it out and it really worked for them! Make those flies buzz off!
2. Don’t forget the dryer sheets
Are you tired of getting stung, bitten, or harassed by bugs when you’re gardening or hiking? Then keep a dryer sheet in your pocket. It sounds strange but many hikers and campers swear that this actually works.
You can even make your own dryer sheets by spraying a vinegar and essential oils on small strips of cloth.
3. Switch your lights
You may have noticed that bugs love bright lights. Well, research suggests that environmentally-friendly LED bulbs are the least attractive to pests. So try switching out your interior and exterior lights with eco-friendly LEDs. Good for the environment. Not-so-good for bugs.
4. B is for Bite repellent
Did you know that what you eat can change how bugs treat you? Science suggests that mosquitos prefer biting people low in Vitamin B. So make sure you eat lots of citrus fruits, veggies, eggs and other foods rich in Vitamin B.
5. This tip has layers
Tired of mosquitos bugging you at the cookout or your favorite swamp? Then try onions because mosquitos hate the smell. Just chop some onions and add them to a bowl of water. Then give the bowl a nice swirl to release the aroma.
6. Dracula’s preferred scent
Speaking of scents, a lot of home pest control remedies call for onion and garlic. But if you don’t want the smell in the air, then you can use vanilla extract as well. Mix it with some water and you’ll have a sweet-smelling repellent that works just as well.
Lemongrass, lavender, and mint are also excellent options.
7. A fair exchange
Eating lunch outdoors can be a fight for our sandwiches. But rather than swat at insects all day, why not share your food? Try putting a plate of food somewhere far away from a gathering so bugs can leave you alone.
8. It’s all a state of mind
Did you know that when you are sweaty and stressed, that you are more likely to attract bugs? Frequent showers and calming exercises like easy breathing can help.
9. Smelling sweet? Not so neat.
Everyone loves smelling great, but the same sweet perfumes you love can be attracting bugs. So say no to perfumes if you’re planning an outdoor day. If you can’t avoid perfumes and colognes, then try softer neutral scents.
10. Herbal remedies
Gardeners often enjoy growing herbs like mint and rosemary in their yards. Not only are they great additions to your cooking, but mosquitos and other pests hate the smell.
11. Home-made spider repellent
Let’s not forget about your home interior. Spiders love the summer since more flies equal more food and that can leave webs in your windows and around your cupboards. A simple mix of water and white vinegar and a spray bottle can make a mix that spiders will run from.
You may have to repeat doses through the summer.
12. Bubble-wobble
Kids will enjoy this next tip. Get yourself a bubble machine or a toy bubble blower and let the kids have fun. Not only does this give them something to do, but the soapy bubble smell keeps most pests far away.
13. Change how you sweat
We talked about how sweat is attractive to bugs, but did you know you can change what your sweat smells like? If you drink a little bit of apple cider vinegar before you go out, you can make your sweat less attractive to bugs.
Just make sure you read your labels before you try this one out.
14. Suds for bugs
You might not believe it, but sometimes you want to attract bugs to get rid of them. A bowl full of lemon-scented dish soap left outside will attract insects. But the dish soap will trap them so they can’t get away.
It can leave a nasty mess so get ready for some cleanup.
15. Avoid standing water
Bugs, pests, and vermin love standing water. Bird baths, kiddie pools, tall grass, and anything else in your yard that can hold water is like a Hilton hotel for insects. Keep them drained or remove them entirely to make your yard less attractive to pests.
Check out the video below for one final bonus tip on making a genius fly trap!
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