13 Natural Pest Solutions That Don’t Work as Well as You Think

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The rise of eco conscious living has the people turning more to natural solutions for the normal household dilemma, including pest control. It’s nice to know you can use safe, non toxic methods to keep unwanted guests out of your home. After all, not all ‘natural’ remedies work as they are advertised.

However, there are some of the age old natural pest control methods that sound great in theory but don’t quite pan out in practice. Here’s a handpicked few of those popular natural pest solutions that while well meaning, may not be as strong as they’re selling it to be.

Chili Powder for Squirrels

The theory here is that squirrels hate the spiciness of chili powder and will keep away from places where it’s sprinkled. This might work at first, but it doesn’t last long; once the powder is dispersed, the effect disappears. Rain or wind can wash it away, and it’s also a bit of a messy option. Little spice doesn’t deter determined squirrels, especially hungry squirrels.

For Insects, Diatomaceous Earth

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Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made from the fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms that’s often suggested as a method to kill insects by dehydrating them. DE works on direct contact, but can be a little bit of a pain to use effectively. This stuff has to be reapplied all the time, especially if it gets damp, and it works differently on different insects and environments. It also won’t stop pests that crawl through it.

Essential Oils for Spiders

Do Use Essential Oils for Added Benefits — Photo Credit: Pixabay

Peppermint, lavender and tea tree are popular essential oils to try to keep spiders away. These oils do have a strong aroma and will deter some insects, but spiders aren’t usually deterred in the same way. Essential oils help some people, but most of the time spiders will find another way into your home and you’ll have to reapply the oils without much real protection.

Lemon Juice for Ants

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The idea that ants hate the smell of lemons and will keep out of the home by avoiding the entry points if you spray lemon juice around seems very popular. Fresh lemon juice only just deter ants for a moment; it has temporary effect. The scent fades quickly, and ants will often return with a vengeance, especially if there’s something sweet in your pantry. Plus, many ant species will totally ignore the juice, or just blow right past it.

Garden Pests and Coffee Grounds

Scattering used coffee grounds around plants is supposed to keep pests away. It may be a small deterrent for some bugs, but it won’t keep pests out for long. The grounds slow down many insects and even some critters like slugs and snails, but pests that are determined to get through them do and this method is less effective than you might hope.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Gnats

Gnats are trapped using apple cider vinegar traps, but they are far from foolproof. Unfortunately, even though the sweet scent does catch the gnats, these traps are not as effective as people are led to believe. If it’s not appealing enough, many gnats will still find ways to escape or just not bother with the trap. It might kill a few gnats, but it won’t stop them from breeding and coming back.

Mint Plants for Mosquitoes

In repelling mosquitoes, it is often suggested that you plant mint around the garden. It’s true that mosquitoes don’t like the smell of mint, which this The Spruce article attests, but the plant doesn’t emit enough scent to keep them away unless you crush the leaves. It is very temporary, even then. This method won’t be as effective as it sounds unless you intend on making a mint paste and slathering it all over the place.

Garlic Spray for Mosquitoes

For years people have suggested garlic spray as a natural repellent for mosquitoes because of their powerful smell. The scent doesn’t last long though and will disappear quickly in an outdoor setting. That’s to say you’d be spraying repeatedly, with only a small radius of effect. Garlic just doesn’t pack enough punch to keep these mosquitoes at bay, unfortunately, mosquitoes are resilient little things.

Banana Peels for Aphids

Plants can be devastated by aphids, and some gardeners think rubbing banana peels on plant stems will repel them. However, there’s not much science to back this up. It doesn’t take long for aphids to get used to the smell, even if they might not like it. Oh, plus, leaving banana peels out can also attract other pests and you have a new problem, while you didn’t solve the other problem.

Eucalyptus for Mice

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Many tout eucalyptus oil as a natural method to keep mice away. It does smell pretty potent, which might make mice initially flee, but it’s not strong enough to chase them away entirely. It wears off quickly; mice also tend to be very tenacious. They’re likely to return to food sources regardless, as it’s a minimal deterrent at best.

Cucumber Peels Used to Deter Cockroaches

The idea here is that cockroaches hate the smell of cucumbers and will run away from where they smell it. In truth, cockroaches are not picky. Fresh cucumber peel might make them pause for a second, but it’s not going to put them off going in your kitchen. Once the cucumber dries out, it becomes even less effective, so if you don’t plan to reapply fresh cucumber peels, it’s not really a reliable solution.

Baking Soda for Cockroaches

If you mix baking soda with sugar and leave it out as bait, it’s often touted as a natural cockroach killer. Reliant Pest Management attests that baking soda has a lethal effect on cockroaches, but the method seldom works. While cockroaches do need to eat enough baking soda to make it fatal, it isn’t a reliable means of reducing cockroach population unless you’re willing to leave out fresh bait all the time.

Vinegar for Fruit Flies

Vinegar is a common ingredient in fruit fly traps, but it’s not a magic bullet. As you can imagine, fruit flies are definitely drawn to the smell of vinegar and can still get out of most vinegar traps easily. Vinegar has a strong smell too, which doesn’t deter other pests, so it won’t help you with flies that aren’t after your fruits. Vinegar makes only a little dent in the fruit fly problem for many people.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.