12 DIY Pest Control Methods

One of the most obnoxious things that you can face after a long day at work, is to come home to your comfortable house to find that you have been invaded by:

• Ants
• Fruit flies
• Flies
• Mosquitoes
• Roaches
• Wasps
• Bees
• Mites
• Beetles
• Gnats
• Spiders

Pests can be extremely persistent when it comes to invasion, and they can be unreasonably resilient to a lot of pest control methods. Fortunately, today we are going to take a look at some simple and effective DIY methods for keeping pests out of your home.

Prevention First

Focus on prevention first, before you start getting into DIY methods for getting rid of pests. The best way to make sure that pests get out and stay out is to make sure that the areas that you suspect they are invading from are clean and tidy.

Make sure that all your counters are wiped down, that the floor is cleaned or vacuumed and swept well. Make sure that you fix all leaky faucets and pipes in your house. Bugs can be attracted to moisture that is collecting in your kitchen, bathrooms, etc. Also, make sure that you have all of your dried food stored away in airtight containers. Folding the serial bag under, tucking the bread bag, or using a chip clip isn’t enough to keep pests away. Make sure that you get yourself some airtight containers that those little buggers won’t be able to weasel their way into.

Keeping a clean home and making sure that food is packed away are some excellent, preventative ways to make sure that pests don’t keep coming back. Now that we have discussed some prevention methods, let’s talk about some fun, natural, and effective DIY methods that you can use to keep pets out of your home.

1) All Purpose Spray to Get Rid of Pests

If you want to make the perfect homemade spray to get rid of a variety of pests around your home, the chances are that you may have all of the ingredients you need right in your kitchen or bathroom. You are going to need a spray bottle, some peppermint castile soap, and a gallon jug of water.

All you have to do is...

• Mix the peppermint soap into the gallon container.
• Shake and/or stir the container thoroughly. Then add some of the content of the container to a spray bottle.
• Spray the mixture around your home in the places that you are having any bug or insect infestations.

2) Coffee Grounds to Get Rid of Ant Invaders

Who would have thought that the cup of coffee that gets you out of bed in the morning would be the first thing that you would use to keep ants out of your kitchen? We Would!Coffee ground a an effective and natural ant repellant that you can use around your kitchen to keep ants out.

All you have to do is sprinkle coffee grounds around your:

• Windows
• Doors
• Cracks in the floor
• Between or under your cabinets- In your pantry
• And anywhere else that you suspect that ants may be getting in

The pungent smell of the coffee should deter the ants from coming into your kitchen, plus, you don’t have to worry about any nasty or strange chemicals near your food.

3) Borax and Sugar for an Ant Trap

As we all know, ants love sugar. Thankfully, that means that we can use sugar and sweet foods to set traps for ants. One simple way that you can make traps for your ant invaders is to add sugar water and borax into mason jars.

Here’s how you do it…

• Pour one cup of sugar water into a mason jar
• Add one cup of borax to the solution
• Spread some plastic wrap tightly over the tops of the mason jars
• Use a pencil, or pen to poke holes in the plastic wrap

The ants will be lured by the sugar, climb into the jars, and the combination of the water and the borax will kill the ants.

4) Get Rid of Fruit Flies with Apple Cider Vinegar

Fruit flies can be extremely obnoxious when you like to keep fresh fruit out around your kitchen. Apple cider vinegar is a super effective method for getting rid of fruit flies and a variety of different insects as well. It is really simple to make an apple cider vinegar trap too.

All you have to do is…

• Add two inches of apple cider vinegar to a normal drinking glass
• Stretch some plastic wrap over the top of the glass
• Poke holes in the the top of the plastic wrap
• Set the glass near where the fruit flies are gathering

The apple cider vinegar will lure the fruit flies into the glass and they will drown in the vinegar.

5) Scare Cockroaches with Beer

As people, many of us are fans of beer, but the good news for us is that this pleasant and relaxing beverage is a huge deterrent for one of the most obnoxious and relentless of all bugs. Cockroaches are those insects that you killing and they just keep coming back. The great news is that all you need is a little bit of beer to get rid of them. All you have to do is place a half a cup of beer in a shallow saucer or plate and place it near the entry points of the cockroaches.

6) How to Get Rid of Silverfish

Silverfish are those annoying little bugs that usually end up finding their way into your bathroom. They tend to love standing water whether it be just a few drops or a little puddle at the bottom of your bath or shower. All you have to do is sprinkle some boric acid in the moist areas that are being invaded by silverfish. Don’t worry, boric acid is a very low toxicity mineral.

7) Mint and Garlic Insect Spray

This unusual concoction is perfect for outdoor pest control, and is really easy to make. The pungent odors of the mint and garlic along with some cayenne pepper are great for keeping pests away from your plants.

Here’s how you can put it together.

• Blend some mint leaves and garlic cloves with some water in a food processor or blender
• Then add some cayenne pepper and a drop of dishwashing liquid to the mixture
• Bring that mixture to a boil
• After you do, let it sit overnight
• Then add it to a spray bottle, and spray it directly on your plants

8) Repel Dust Mites with Essential Oils

Essential oils of all kinds are great for getting rid of persistent pests. Eucalyptus, clove, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender are all great for getting rid of dust mites in your home. All you have to do is add a few drops of any one of these essential oils to water in a spray bottle, and spray it around your home where dust mites tend to gather.

9) Get Rid of Insects with Hot Pepper Spray

Spicy food is another thing that you may enjoy, but bugs do not. You may already have some cayenne pepper or hot chili flakes in your cabinet, and if you do, you are ready to make another

• Mix two to three tablespoons of hot pepper chili flakes into a gallon of water
• Add that combination to a spray bottle
• Add a drop of dish soap to the combination 
• Then all you have to do is spray the solution on your plants and flowers, outdoors, to keep the insects away.

10) Peppermint Spider Repellant

Did you know that peppermint is a great way to get rid of both spiders and ants? If you want to make a really potent and effective spray to keep these pests out of your house, all you need is a bottle of vodka and some peppermint oil.

• Add about one cup of vodka to a spray bottle
• Add two drops of peppermint oil to the vodka
• Mix well
• Then all you have to do is mist the solution around your home where you suspect that the bugs are entering.

11) Homemade Citronella Mosquito Spray

If you still have that bottle of vodka or grain alcohol laying around, all you need is a little citronella oil to make an effective mosquito spray.

All you have to do is:

• Add a cup of vodka to a spray bottle
• Add a couple of drops of citronella oil to the mixture
• Put a drop of dish soap in the mixture, and mix well
• Spray your plants outdoors and anywhere else outside that you may have a mosquito infestation.

12) Patchouli Gnat Spray

Gnats are annoying little bugs that can cluster together and literally cause a fog of bugs. These tiny insects can often be found around indoor gardens as well as outdoors. One of the best ways that you can get rid of gnats naturally is to make another grain alcohol based spray using vodka and patchouli oil. Use the same method as before, and just add two drops of patchouli oil to a cup of vodka. Add one drop of dishwashing liquid, and mix thoroughly. Spray the the plants and surfaces in those infested areas.

Final Thoughts

Now you have a ton of great DIY methods that you can use to get rid of pests around your home!

Did you enjoy this article? If you did, share it with a friend. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to add them to the comments section below.