Pests like ants, mice, and spiders can be annoying to have around the house at any time of year. One Instagram influencer, Nicole Jaques (@itsnicolejaques), is sharing how homeowners can keep these troublesome critters away from their homes — and in a non-toxic way.
The scoop
Jaques explains in her video that there are numerous ways to keep pests out of your home. She uses cinnamon oil to repel ants from kitchen counters because it disrupts the bug's scent trail so they won't return.
Mice can be kept away with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and peppermint oil because the strong scents irritate their respiratory systems. The Instagrammer places all of the ingredients into a mesh bag and leaves it around her house.
Cinnamon sticks can also repel spiders from building nests in the corners of bookshelves and walls.
If your kitchen is a home for fruit flies, she recommends using wine corks. The tannins in the cork smell strong to the flies, so they won't bother the fruit on your counter. Not to mention, it's a great way to use up these leftover wine corks and prevent them from being thrown in the trash.
"Bye bye pests and hello fall," Jaques wrote in the caption.
How it's helping
Non-toxic is the way to go when trying to repel these pesky critters and bugs from your home. Chemical pesticides can have numerous human health impacts including damage to the skin and respiratory system, as well as killing other species that you don't intend on targeting.
Other users have recommended using peppermint oil and water to repel spiders and mosquitos. Not only will these solutions keep your home bug-free, but they will also leave things smelling excellent.
What everyone's saying
Users were impressed by Jaques' tips. "These tips have worked wonders for true country living," one user said.
Jaques also explained some common solutions for other pests in the comments section. For waterbugs, she recommends scattering coffee grounds, boric acid, or baking soda in all of the areas where they like to congregate.
In the summertime, Jaques recommends covering your body in vanilla extract to prevent mosquito bites and shares that you can use peppermint soap shavings around the outside of your home to prevent the pesky biting insects from flying.
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