Pests Archives

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Bug Bite Relief

Hands dabbing a white cotton round onto the skin to soothe an itchy bug bite.

Got a bug bite that itches? Soak a cotton pad in Witch Hazel and apply to the bug bite. Wait a few minutes and the itch will be gone!

Keep critters away from trash cans by mixing 2 tablespoons dish soap, 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, and 1-quart warm water. Spray liberally over cans. Raccoons, especially, hate the smell of many spices and oils, including mint and cayenne pepper.

Soothe Bug Bites and Rashes Naturally

A wet tea bag with a red tag and white string rests on a plain white surface.

Soothe insect bites and rashes instantly with this easy trick. Simply apply cold, used tea bags to the affected area to reduce swelling and redness.

Easy DIY Deer Repellent Recipe

A young spotted deer stands alert in a garden filled with green plants and yellow flowers.

Deer are beautiful animals but they can destroy your garden in no time. Try this natural DIY deer repellent: Combine 3 tablespoons hot sauce, 3 raw eggs, and 3 tablespoons minced garlic and blend in a blender. Add this mixture to 1 gallon of water in a spray bottle and use it to spray your

Keep Squirrels Away From Your Pumpkins!

A gray squirrel climbs into the mouth of a carved orange jack-o-lantern against a white background.

Squirrels enjoy making meals out of your carved Jack-O-Lanterns and decorative pumpkins. Try this natural method to keep them away without harming them: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 teaspoon dish soap, and a small bottle of hot sauce. Fill a spray bottle with the mixture, and spray your pumpkins, inside and out. The solution

Repel Mice With Peppermint

Amber glass bottle of peppermint oil resting on a blue surface with fresh green mint leaves.

Peppermint oil is an effective deterrent and will help keep mice out! Place several drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls and then place them around the house, especially where mice are frequenting and in areas where they are entering your home. Be sure to use 100% pure peppermint oil and replace the cotton balls

Spiders Be Gone!

Spiders crawling on a kitchen wall and countertop with a red dashed line showing their path.

Repel spiders naturally by mixing equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray around your home, concentrating on the kitchen and areas where spiders may be entering. Vinegar, while harmless to humans and pets, contains acetic acid, which spiders are highly sensitive to.

Repel Mosquitos With Dryer Sheets

Mosquito with black and white striped legs landing on a person's skin against a yellow background.

To keep mosquitos and other biting insects at bay, tuck a few new/unused dryer sheets into your pockets.

Repel Silverfish With Whole Cloves

A small pile of whole dried cloves resting on a dark, grooved wooden surface.

While silverfish are harmless, they can be annoying pests. To keep them from invading, try this home remedy: place whole cloves in drawers, in closets, or anywhere you’ve seen them scurrying. These bugs hate the smell!

Repel Mice Naturally

A small brown mouse eats grain on a wooden floor next to burlap storage bags.

Got mice? Cotton balls with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil or peppermint oil, are great mice deterrents. Place a few in areas where you know the mouse has been hiding or eating. They can also be placed in closets, drawers, attics, and near openings to the outside.