Eucalyptus Oil
Catnip
Turns out, some insects hate catnip as much as cats love it. The oil in the plant has been proved to be about 10 times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET, which is used in most commercial insect repellents. There are many ways to extract and use the nepetalactone found in catnip to spray on infected plants. (To help you start: Try Linda Diane Feldt's oil-based infusions how-to in the Ann Arbor News.) But whatever DIY method you find, if you're considering spraying it on yourself, be sure to test the solution on a small area of your skin first to see if you're sensitive or allergic.
Cedar
Cedar is a natural insect repellent and works especially well with moths. To keep bugs from chewing through your fabrics and valuables, place aromatic cedar blocks or shavings in your closets, hang cedar chips in cheesecloth or dab infested areas with cedar oil. The scent is what gets to the bugs, so be sure to replace the cedar when the scent fades!
Vinegar
White distilled vinegar is a favorite ingredient among gardeners. The right solution can (among many things) neutralize garden lime, kill weeds and keep pests away. Its natural acidity deters ants (breaks their trail), spiders (try vinegar + coconut oil), moths (catch them by hanging vinegar + molasses in a tin can) and fruit flies (lure them with the sweetness of cider vinegar). According to Adrian Hunsberger of the University of Florida, make an all-purpose bug spray by mixing two gallons of warm water, three tablespoons of baking soda, and two tablespoons each of canola oil, vinegar and oil. It's best to spray plants in the early evening to avoid burning leaves.
Cinnamon
Another ingredient that confuses ants is cinnamon. Sprinkle some powder at their entryway and over their common paths both inside and outside of the house. If your kid's sandbox also tends to have ants, mixing the sand with cinnamon powder should do the trick. Not only will your house be ant-free, it'll also smell freaking good.
RELATED: Classic Cinnamon Buns
Introduce Beneficial Insects
Certain types of insects are harmless to humans and pets and also work as great pest control because they prey on those that are harmful. For instance, ladybugs consume aphids, whiteflies, mites and scales. Nematodes go for cutworms. And praying mantes tend to eat most garden pests. You can lure in the type of insect you need with specific plants (like daisies for ladybugs) or buy live ones online.
Garlic
Bugs seem to despise garlic. Create a spray mixture by soaking three large cloves of crushed garlic and one tablespoon of vegetable oil overnight. Then, strain the mixture and add one teaspoon of liquid soap and one liter of water. Or if you're not really a DIY person, you can also buy one of the many commercially available garlic-based all-natural mosquito repellents.
Note: You might not even need to create a spray for some plants. Plant garlic directly next to certain plants, for example roses, can effectively deter aphids.
We also heard eating lots of garlic a few days before a hiking trip is known to keep mosquitoes away (though honestly, it might keep your partner away, too).
