A Dozen 10-Minute DIYs for a Pest-Free Home

Ants are as big of a nuisance inside the house as they are at the picnic. To keep them away from your food prep surfaces—and everywhere else, for that matter—deter them by washing countertops, floors, walls, and other surfaces with a mixture of equal parts apple cider vinegar and water.

Related: 10 Plants to Grow for a Pest-Proof Yard

It might seem like a shame to waste a good brewski, but beer will help rid your garden of slugs practically overnight. Take a wide-mouthed plastic or glass container, then bury it about two-thirds in the ground and fill'er up about a quarter of the way with beer. The fermented yeast in the drink will attract slugs, causing them to fall in and drown. Empty the container every day or so and refresh the beer until your slug problems are a thing of the past.

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A mixture of ½ cup rubbing alcohol and 1 quart of liquid soap can make an effective pest control spray to get rid of whiteflies, aphids, mealy bugs, scale insects, and thrips. Fill a spray bottle, shake, and spritz directly on your plants. Let sit for 20 minutes, and then rinse the plant thoroughly to avoid damaging the leaves. But save this garden maintenance 'til dusk; in direct sunlight, this can burn the leaves. Spray every three days for two weeks, until the bugs are gone.

Related: 10 Forgiving Houseplants You Can Grow Anywhere

If beetles are giving you trouble in the garden, whip up this recipe to protect your plants. Soak 2 cups of chopped tomato leaves in a pint of water overnight, strain to remove the leaves, then add another pint of water and 1/4 teaspoon liquid soap. Spray foliage and soil with this diluted mixture as needed. This solution also works against earworms and maggots.

Related: 6 Common Houseplant Pests—and How to Get Rid of Them

Nematodes—tiny parasitic worms that live in the soil—as well as caterpillars and grasshoppers can wreak havoc on your vegetable garden. But molasses “tea” can be the natural solution for helping preserve your produce. To make, dissolve 3 tablespoons of molasses in 4 cups of warm water in a spray bottle, and shake well. Spray on your plants and the ground around them every few days to keep these pests at bay.

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Save your pet from endless itching—and your home from picking up the biting pests, too—with a little DIY repellent. Simmer 2 cups of water, a sliced lemon, and fresh lavender sprigs in a saucepan for 30 minutes, strain out and discard your larger pieces, then add 2 tablespoons alcohol-free witch hazel to the cooled recipe. Transfer it to a spray bottle so that you can mist and rub the solution into your pet's fur before he heads outdoors.

Related: How To - Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home

Save your friends and family from stings this season with a homemade wasp trap. Cut a recycled water bottle in half, inverting the top (the bottleneck) and slipping it inside the bottom half like a funnel and tape together. Then fill with a seasonally appropriate bait: In spring, wasps go for grease from cooked meat with water and a little dish soap, but in summer they're more attracted to sugary fruit preserves with water and dish soap. The buzzing pests will fly in easily, but won't be able to leave out through the funnel's small hole.

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