Nature is lovely, except when it starts to feel like you’re living in a bug motel! I try to steer clear of using harsh chemicals and if you’re like me, this free printable natural bug repellents cheat sheet will help you keep your home bug-free using just good old-fashioned natural ingredients.
You know, I used to think that the only way to keep those creepy crawlies away was to douse my entire house in bug spray. But let me tell you, the smell was enough to make my eyes water! And don’t even get me started on those scented sprays that try to hide all those nasty chemicals by posing as air fresheners. Give me the natural scent of peppermint or lavender any day!
Over time, I found bug-repelling solutions for the most common household insects such as ants, spiders, and fruit flies. So I made this free printable cheat sheet to have them all in one place.
All the methods listed in the printable rely on popular bug-repelling plants, essential oils, and other natural and safe-to-use substances. Just make sure to consult with the vet or pediatrician if you have kids or pets in the house. It’s always good to make sure no harm will come to your treasures!
Natural Bug Repellent Cheat Sheet
There are quite a few non-toxic bug repelling products available on the market but it doesn’t mean even simpler solutions won’t work just as well. Even better, you’ll save some money with very little effort.
Before we explore the natural bug-repelling methods included in this cheat sheet, I have one important advice:
Insects are very persistent and they crawl through the tiniest of spaces, so be sure you seal any openings in your home where you think they could enter.
House Centipede
Okay, let’s talk about those creepy crawlies that look like they have a hundred legs and can sprint across your floor before you can even blink: house centipedes!
They may not be the most dangerous critters, but they’re certainly not welcome guests in my book.
House centipedes thrive in piles of wood, rocks, compost, and even fallen logs. I recommend you get rid of them completely or at least keep them away from the house.
Centipedes need moisture to survive and if the humidity in your home is high, it’s practically an invitation. Using a dehumidifier where needed and ventilating all spaces will go a long way.
📌Diffuse basil, peppermint, lemongrass, or lavender essential oils in your house. You can also place the fresh herbs in tea bags, or muslin sacks and hang them around the home.
Fruit Fly
Fruit flies love food, so they will mostly appear in your kitchen or pantry, but it doesn’t mean you need to keep them as housemates. In fact, there are some natural ingredients fruit flies will stay away from, and you can use them to make sure your kitchen is free of these winged pests.
📌Peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils are perfect for repelling fruit flies. Using a dropper, apply it directly to cracks in floorboards and around windows. Other essential oils you can use include basil, lemongrass, and lavender. Feel free to experiment and see which one works best. Cayenne pepper is another plant fruit flies don’t like being nearby. Just sprinkle cayenne pepper along the outer window ledges and perimeter of the house.
Ant
Ants! Those tiny creatures always seem to find their way into our homes, no matter how hard we try to keep them out. Now, if you just spot one or two ants, there’s no need to panic. But if you’re dealing with a full-blown ant invasion, it’s time to take action!
The good news is that there are plenty of natural solutions to choose from, so you can eliminate those ant colonies without exposing your family to dangerous chemicals or toxins.
📌Make a solution of 50% vinegar and 50% water and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray around windowsills and doorways. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is also an excellent repellent for ants. Lightly sprinkle it on windowsills, under the fridge, under cabinets, and any other place you notice them. Mint works as a natural repellent for ants, so planting it around the home is an excellent idea!
To help you plan your bug-repelling garden, check out my free printable garden planner. It’s perfect for mapping out your herb garden and keeping track of all your planting needs!
Silverfish
You won’t get any bug bites from silverfish, but they are very good at destroying clothes, carpets, wallpaper, books, and old papers. These insects are nocturnal, so they enjoy dark and moist places, making them difficult to spot.
One place where you will notice them more easily is if they choose to nest in any unsealed dry food packets you might have in the pantry. Gross, right?!
Another way to tell if you have an issue with silverfish is if you find yellow spots on synthetic fabrics or small holes and droppings on books and papers.
📌Dried bay leaves repel these guys, so you can sprinkle them throughout the house. Lavender is one of the scents that can get these pests to leave your home too. Make a solution of two cups of water and 20 drops of lavender essential oil and spray it around the home. You can also make a similar mixture with Japanese Cedarwood essential oil and spray it on the affected areas.
House Spider
Those eight-legged creatures can be a bit creepy, especially when you find one unexpectedly in the bathtub! But here’s the thing: most spiders are actually harmless. They’re more scared of us than we are of them, and they’d much rather be left alone to spin their webs in peace.
Unless you’re allergic, their bite is harmless and they can even be helpful little housemates. They’re natural pest control, gobbling up those pesky flies and mosquitoes.
However, if you’re finding spiderwebs in every corner of your house, it might be time to take action. And that’s where natural repellents come in handy. They can help keep those spiders at bay without harming them or your family.
📌Make a solution from one cup of water and peppermint essential oil and spray around affected areas. Other essential oils that spiders seem to hate being around are cinnamon, tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, and rose. You can even plant mint or spread hedge apples around the home to keep spiders at bay.
Earwig
For most of us, earwigs are gross and we’d rather see them outside our homes. They can’t bite or sting you so at the very least you don’t need to worry about that. Also known as pincher bugs, these pesky pests feed on organic debris and natural methods work really well for repelling them.
📌A simple solution of water and dish soap sprayed around problem areas will do the trick. You can also sprinkle boric acid powder in areas pets and children can’t reach.
💡 Expert Tips
Okay, so we’ve talked about some natural ways to send those bugs packing. However, keeping a bug-free home requires more than just a few essential oils and herbs. Think of it as a multi-pronged attack!
We need to be smart and strategic about how we prevent those critters from invading in the first place. So, here are a few expert tips to help you keep your home pest-free:
👉Unsealed gaps where pipes and electrical lines enter the house should be covered. These are places where bugs can easily crawl through. Depending on their size, even larger pests such as mice may fit in.
👉Window and door screens, as well as mosquito nets offer good protection during the warm season when we like to enjoy as much fresh air as possible. Nevertheless, they only work if there are no tears and cracks so be sure to give them a regular inspection and fix any damage you find.
👉Some other tricky places where bugs can enter your home are dryer vents and of course, the chimney. Make sure the seal between the vent and the wall is intact. For the chimney, you can install a cap and screen. This way, you can still use the fireplace without the risk of pests entering your home through the opening.
And while you’re at it, why not give your home a thorough clean with my free printable spring cleaning checklist? It’s a great way to keep things tidy and pest-free all year round, not just spring.
🖨️ How To Grab
I created this free printable natural bug repellents cheat sheet to be pretty and functional at the same time. You can even print and frame it as wall art to decorate your home!
✔️Once you enter your details in the box below and click the ‘Grab It Now’ button, you’ll receive the download link to the PDF in your inbox.
✔️Save it to your device and open it with a free PDF reader app like the free Adobe Reader.
✔️If you’re printing on standard U.S. Letter paper you simply need to click ‘Print’. For other types of paper feel free to adjust the Scale setting and visualize the changes in the preview area.
Hi!
Ginny Collins is a passionate foodie and recipe creator of Savor and Savvy and Kitchenlaughter. Indoors she focuses on easy, quick recipes for busy families and kitchen basics. Outdoors, she focuses on backyard grilling and smoking to bring family and friends together. She is a lifelong learner who is always taking cooking classes on her travels overseas and stateside. Her work has been featured on MSN, Parade, Fox News, Yahoo, Cosmopolitan, Elle, and many local news outlets. She lives in Florida where you will find her outside on the water in her kayak, riding her bike on trails, and planning her next overseas adventure.
Leave a Reply