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Have you tried many commercial insecticides that promise to keep those nasty bugs away?

Well, while most of them are expensive, some don’t do the job! Did you know that you can find safer, cheaper, and natural alternatives in keeping those bugs away?

Here are 45 DIY easy ways to repel bugs away, don’t forget to give us your feedback!

1)Bay leaf

Did you know that bay leaves aren’t just excellent with sauces and soups? They are also very good at repelling insects!

When you sprinkle dried bay leaves around your home, they can be as potent in repelling insects like cockroaches, ants, and even fleas!

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Karolina/Pexels Source: Karolina/Pexels

2)Use clear plates and cups

If possible, use clear plates or cups. This will make it easier to see any bugs that are invading your food or drink. What’s even better is those clear plastic tumblers with tops that you can get from the dollar store.

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Anny's Plastic Tableware Source: Anny's Plastic Tableware

3)Place dryer sheets in your pockets

You might want to hand out dryer sheets at your next BBQ. Some say that putting these in your pockets will repel bugs. Learn how to make your own at Wellness Mama.

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Pest Hacks Source: Pest Hacks

4)Build a bat house

Consider building a bat house. Bats are known to eat 1,000 to 3,000 mosquitoes in one night. You can learn how to make one in the following tutorial but make sure you research all the facts on this and figure out the best place to put one on your property.

[Source: Modern Builds]

5)Use borax to get rid of fleas

Borax kills fleas and their eggs for up to a year. Dust and vacuum up as much dirt as you can. Sprinkle some borax on your carpet, the creases in your furniture, closet, and places your pet hangs out. Brush it into your carpet with a small hand broom. Vacuum up anywhere you still find visible borax. Let the borax sit for 36 hours and then vacuum it up to get rid of the dead fleas.

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Hunker Source: Hunker

6)Remove standing water

Mosquitoes love to breed in pools of standing water. So make sure you drain and get rid of stagnant pools of water in your yard. If you have a birdbath or pond make sure you change the water regularly or add an agitator or aerator.

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AMDRO Source: AMDRO

7)Use a lemon balm plant to deter mosquitoes

While lemon balm is typically known for its healing properties, it’s great for attracting known pollinators such as bees and butterflies – pollinators are must for any garden! – and for repelling mosquitoes. To quickly scare away mosquitoes, crush a lemon balm in your hand and rub it on your exposed skin. Mosquitoes will leave you alone. Be sure to grow lemon balm in an easy-to-reach location. That way, you can grab a leaf to use whenever you need it. To learn how to grow lemon balm, please click here.

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FLickr/Katie Strieck Source: FLickr/Katie Strieck

8)Use salt to get rid of fleas

If you have fleas, sprinkle a little salt on your carpeting and allow it to sit overnight. The salt dries them up, killing them. The next day, vacuum your carpet to remove the salt and the now dead fleas.

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Fleas B Gone Source: Fleas B Gone

9)Bring utensils inside when finished with them

Anything that has food on it or touched food should be covered. In addition, they should be brought inside immediately after they are no longer in use. This includes dishware, serving forks and spoons, and grill tongs.

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BBQ Guys Source: BBQ Guys

10)Use Apple Cider Vinegar to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Apple cider vinegar really is a miracle remedy. Gnats and fruit flies are already attracted to the stuff, but heat up 1/2 a cup and they won’t be able to resist it! Add a few drops of dish soap to make the liquid heavier, and therefore harder to escape.

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Broadcast Sunny Source: Broadcast Sunny

11)Seal and isolate your garbage cans

Toss garbage in tightly sealed garbage cans. Be sure to place the garbage cans away from guests. Bugs tend to hang out near garbage cans, so you want to keep your guests separate from the bugs.

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Ask! Wet & Forget Source: Ask! Wet & Forget

12)Use onions to deter pests

No one likes the smell of onions, including bugs. Try slicing some up and putting them in a bowl of water to keep bugs away. You can also plant onions in your yard.

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Fitness Genes Source: Fitness Genes

13)Use baby powder to get rid of ants

Baby powder is a great way to eliminate your ant problem. More importantly, it’s very safe and humane. Many of the ant-killing products you find in the stores contain borax, which can be a harmful chemical, especially if you own pets. Sprinkle a bit of baby powder wherever you have ants. It’s a bit messy, but your ant problem will immediately disappear. Then, vacuum the area afterwards to clean up the mess.

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Musely Source: Musely

14)Avoid wearing dark colors

Most of us wear light-colored clothing in the summer to stay cool. But this can also help keep bugs at bay. Insects are said to be attracted to darker colors.

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Independent Source: Independent

15)Coconut oil is also very good in repelling bugs

We all know that coconut oil is already considered a superfood, but did you know that current studies show that it’s also a very potent insect repellent?

According to studies, several specific fatty acids present in coconut oil can make it a very strong repellent vs. DEET.

It can repel common insects like mosquitoes, bed bugs, ticks, bed bugs, and even biting flies.

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moho01/pixabay Source: moho01/pixabay

16)Use Diatomaceous earth to get rid of ants

Food-grade diatomaceous earth is fossilized marine phytoplankton remains that are powdered. It’s sharp edges cut through the exoskeletons of ants and dry them out, killing them. You can sprinkle it where ants enter and hang out in your home like windowsills, under the refrigerator and cabinets, near the garbage and other areas. Leave a thin layer once a day until they are gone.

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Diatomaceous Earth.com Source: Diatomaceous Earth.com

17)Wild and fragrant Bergamot

Who loves Bergamot?

It’s one of the many favorites when it comes to oils, and they have a valid reason. Aside from being a natural insect repellent, it also gives you a mood boosting lift! Just make sure to keep it out of the sun!

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Wikipedia Source: Wikipedia

18)Use borax to get rid of ants

Since worker ants eat liquids and the queen and her babies eat solids, you have to mix up two remedies to end your ant infestation. For solid ant bait, combine one part borax and three parts powdered sugar. Sprinkle this mixture onto flat surfaces for the worker ants to take to the queen. For a liquid bait, combine 1/4 cup of borax and 3/4 cup of honey or maple syrup. Drop globs of this onto an ant trail or anywhere you see ants coming in.

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Newz Magazine Source: Newz Magazine

19)Avoid wearing scents outdoors

Some bugs, like yellow jackets, are attracted to floral and fruity fragrances. So, you want to keep things like scented shampoos, perfumes, and scented candles to a minimum when you’re outside. Otherwise you’re pretty much just asking winged creatures to join you.

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iHerb Source: iHerb

20)Use vinegar to get rid of ants

Get a spray bottle and pour in equal parts of water and distilled vinegar along with a few drops of lemon essential oil. Shake it up and spray in places where ants accumulate and enter your home. They hate the smell of vinegar and will avoid it.

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Listerine Foot Soak Source: Listerine Foot Soak

21)Use cinnamon to get rid of ants

Take a half of a teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil and mix it in with a cup of water. Wet a cotton ball with the mixture and swab areas where you’ve seen ants every day. Ant can’t stand the smell of it and will avoid it. You can also place cinnamon cloves in areas, like windows and doors, to prevent the ants from coming into your home.

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The Parsimonious Princess Source: The Parsimonious Princess

22)Use peppermint to get rid of ants

Ants also hate peppermint because it prevents them from being able to smell other smells. Pour 10 drops of peppermint essential oil in a spray bottle filled with a cup of water. Spray this mixture twice daily to repel ants. Another alternative is sprinkling dried peppermint around your home, garbage areas, doors, entryways, or in your garden.

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LetHow Source: LetHow

23)Rinse food and drink garbage before throwing it away

All empty food and drink containers should be rinsed before they are disposed of. This will keep pests from smelling the food and flocking to it.

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Creative Inspirations Paint Source: Creative Inspirations Paint

24)Plant a citronella plant to repel mosquitoes

Citronella oil is a common ingredient in most bug repellents. It has a strong odor which masks mosquito attractants. You can plant citronella in large pots. They typically grow up to 5 to 6 feet tall, so make sure you have ample space in your yard. For more details on how to grow citronella, please click here.

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Healthy Natured Source: Healthy Natured

25)Plant a Basil plant to deter mosquitoes

Basil is a great herb for cooking, especially with pasta, but it turns out, basil is a great mosquito repellent. Basil is one of the most pungent herbs, and it gives off a scent that mosquitoes really dislike. Therefore, planting basil is a win-win. Not only do you get a great mosquito repellent, but you also get a natural herb to use for cooking. For more details on how to grow basil, please click here.

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Twoeggz Source: Twoeggz

26)Keep a Peppermint plant nearby to keep away mosquitoes

Peppermint is more than just a flavor of gum or body wash. It’s got a great scent, and it is also a natural insecticide. If you see mosquitoes in your home or backyard, crush a few peppermint leaves to release the scent and scare them away. For more details on how to grow peppermint, please click here.

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Flickr/Grace Source: Flickr/Grace

27)Clean up messes promptly

Don’t get it later, get it now. If someone spills something or you see a pile of crumbs, make sure you clean it up ASAP. If not, you’ll find some new unwanted insect guests at your BBQ.

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Etsy/FakedFoodDecor Source: Etsy/FakedFoodDecor

28)Plant a Lavender plant to keep away mosquitoes

Mosquitoes absolutely hate lavender. The scent has the added benefit of promoting a calm, soothing sensation while it keeps those pesky mosquitoes away from your home. You can repel mosquitoes by planting lavender around the home, or you can crush the leaves and rub the oil on your exposed skin. Either works! To learn how to grow lavender, please click here.

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Flickr/Anne Source: Flickr/Anne

29)Use Catnip to keep mosquitoes at bay

Catnip is a welcome addition to any garden – your cats will thank you for it. It’s widely considered as one of the best natural insect repellents. Catnip contains a chemical known as nepetalactone. The best part: catnip is relatively easy to grow. To learn how to grow catnip, please click here.

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Flickr/K8 Source: Flickr/K8

30)The grand wormwood

Artemisia absinthium or also known as the grand wormwood, is a bitter plant. It was used as a way to wean kids from nursing.

You can craft a tea out of the grand wormwood leaves and use it as a repellent. Many also use it as a spray form to drive back flies and fleas inside your house. It’s beneficial to your garden plants as well.

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wikipedia Source: wikipedia

31)Use red wine to get rid of fruit flies

Combine 1/2 cup red wine with 1 1/2 cups water and pour into a jar. Cover the top of the jar with plastic wrap, poke some holes in it, and place the jar where you see fruit flies congregating the most. You may have to empty the jar a few times and create a new solution, depending on the severity of your problem.

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Pinterest Source: Pinterest

32)Use a mixture of milk, pepper, and sugar to get rid of fruit flies

If you have extra dairy on hand, heat up two cups of milk, and then add 8 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of ground pepper. Then just leave the mixture in a shallow dish near the problem area. The pests will flight right in, but because the mixture is heavy, they won’t be able to get out.

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goingevergreen Source: goingevergreen

33)Use overripe food in your trap to get rid of fruit flies

What better way to attract gnats and fruit flies to your trap than by putting what they love most at the bottom of it: fruits and veggies! You may need a larger jar for this solution to work, but the concept is the same: smash up the fruit gone or leave it whole, and set out where fruit flies tend to congregate in your home.

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Food Network Source: Food Network

34)Repair any holes in screens

One of the main ways bugs slip in our home is through screen holes. So, you’ll want to check all the screens in your homes for holes. If you find one, make sure you repair it right away as demonstrated in the following video.

[Source: ADFORS]

35)Use a bag of water with pennies inside to deter flies

To make this ingenious fly deterrent, fill a heavy-duty freezer bag with water, table salt, lime juice, and add a few pennies. Hang the bag above a door or anywhere you have a fly problem. Make sure the bag is hanging in a place where it can reflect light. When the water and the coins reflect back into the flies eyes, it causes an unpleasant sight and causes them to have a hard time focusing on where they are flying. The flies eventually learn to avoid the area.

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Hunker Source: Hunker

36)Use citrus to repel spiders

To keep spiders away from your living space, mix water and unsweetened lemon juice in a spray bottle. Next, wipe your counters, and spray your doorways and windowsills to keep them outside. In the garden, spread lemon, lime, or orange peels to deter spiders.

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Mirror Source: Mirror

37)Use a fake wasp nest to drive away wasps

You can use a fake wasp nest, sold at many retail and home improvement stores, to keep these territorial insects out of your yard. Put one in the front and back yard to ensure that wasps stay away.

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Hometalk Source: Hometalk

38)Plan your outdoor activities to account for pests

Mosquitoes like to come out at dusk and dawn. So you’ll want to plan your outdoor cooking accordingly. Citronella is known to keep them away, as is garlic, and lemon eucalyptus oil. Check out the following video to find out how to make your own citronella candles.

[Source: Adventurely]

39)Use mint leaves to repel moths

To repel moths, place a handful of dried mint leaves in a sachet and place it among your clothing. You can also place loose leaves in your clothing for the same effect.

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Natural Food Series Source: Natural Food Series

40)Place sliced cucumber to get rid of ants and flies

Sliced cucumber is a great deterrent for both flies and ants. Just leave the slices in areas that these two pests like to frequent in your home to keep them far away.

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Flickr/Karen and Brad Emerson Source: Flickr/Karen and Brad Emerson

41)Use cinnamon to deter pests

Cinnamon not only tastes good but it will keep the bugs away. Sprinkle a line of cinnamon where bugs are invading. They won’t cross it. You can even use this to keep bugs out of the sandbox.

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NoBIGGIE Source: NoBIGGIE

42)Rosemary isn’t just for cooking

Who doesn’t love Rosemary?

This gorgeous flowering plant is often being used for enhancing flavors in steaks, lambs, etc. Did you know that it’s also a natural mosquito repellent?

So go ahead and add Rosemary in your garden and see how effective it is in keeping bugs away; plus, you can always have this fragrant herb in your recipes.

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Karolina/Pexels Source: Karolina/Pexels

43)Put your food in containers

Bugs love to go after our yummy food. So, you’ll want to put all your food and beverages in well-sealed coolers and containers when not in use. If possible, try to serve your food and beverage inside and use outdoor spaces for eating and entertaining.

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