The birds are chirping, your windows are open, and you’ve put away the winter jackets – It’s springtime, baby! I’ve been looking forward to this moment for 121 days, but who’s counting?
There’s just one little problem… Pests like ants, mice, raccoons, and bears are enjoying Spring, too. Some like to invade your home. Others like to invade your garbage cans and dumpsters. Either way, taking precautionary measures can help you enjoy the warm weather without visits from pesky intruders. Here are a few ways to naturally prevent pests.
Ants
Now is the time to prepare for ants marching into your home (queue Dave Matthews). They can sneak their way in through tiny holes or cracks, and before you know it, you’re outnumbered by a lot.
Keeping your home clean is the best way to naturally prevent pests who are looking for food and shelter. For ants, make sure to store ripe fruits and veggies in the fridge and take the garbage out frequently. You can also use the following natural remedies to “ant-proof” your home:
- Sprinkle cinnamon where you commonly see ants. You can also use cinnamon essential oil for the same effect, minus the mess.
- Citrus peels are a great resource to keep ants away due to their acidic oil. Any ants that come in contact with the oil won’t survive, and the others will be cut off from the pheromone trail, losing the food source. Here is a great citrus spray recipe.
- Peppermint and lemongrass not only keep ants away but also deter other insects. You can use these herbs to make an infusion, or simply use the essential oils.
- Coffee grounds are deadly to ants. Spread your recycled coffee grounds around entry points for an extra seal.
Mice
Mice are kind of cute… from afar… outside your home. Right now they are creating little mice babies, and you’ll want to make sure they don’t nestle their families in your walls or your attic. They can spread disease, chew walls and furniture, and leave feces – NO THANKS. Use these natural deterrents to keep them out:
- Clean up any spilled crumbs or food immediately. Mice won’t want to create a home where there’s no food source.
- Fill any holes or cracks with steel wool, as mice are unable to chew through it. Do this for any holes bigger than the circumference of a pencil, as they can maneuver through very tiny spaces!
- Cloves essential oil is often used to repel mice. Cloves themselves are not potent enough to be effective, which is why we specifically recommend the oil. Mix it with peppermint or lavender for an extra boost.
Animals That Get Into Your Garbage
What’s worse than waking up and looking outside to see dirty napkins, an empty Lays bag, and scraps from last night’s lasagna strewn across the yard? Not much.
My apologies to Yogi, Smokey, and Winnie-the-Pooh, but bears can be a nuisance. Not only do they make a mess of your garbage, but they can also do some hefty property damage.
Although they are smaller, raccoons, squirrels, and skunks can also create a mess that’ll put you in an instant bad mood. Don’t be that person who is cleaning up trash in their robe at 8AM. Use these natural remedies to repel bears and smaller garbage-eating pests:
- Sprinkle strongly-scented powders around your garbage – cayenne pepper or black pepper will do the trick
- Create a spicy repellent spray by boiling water, cayenne pepper, one yellow onion, and one jalapeno pepper for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and spray it around and on the garbage. [How Stuff Works]
- Spread Epsom salt around the yard and garbage area. This will also repel slugs and make your grass greener!
Have you tried others ways to naturally prevent pests? Please share below!
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Be well!