natural bug repellents

Yesterday was a BBC day. I whizzed off to Glasgow in the sunshine to do my bit on the airwaves on the McAulay & Co show on BBC Radio Scotland. I go on the show once a month and talk about home hints. This time it was the irritating subject of those pesky bugs that can ruin summer for you both in the home and outside.

Here are Seven Top Natural Bug Repellents ;

1 Cut some lemons in half and stud the inner flesh with about 5 cloves. Place in a bowl in the kitchen to help keep buzzers at bay.

2 A basil plant on the kitchen window will also deter them from entering, as will the gorgeously fragrant scented geranium plant.

3 Make a trap for those annoying little fruit flies that can bug you all summer in the house. Leave about 1/2 an inch of wine (oh I know feels like sacrilege doesn’t it, but this is all in a good cause gals!) in the bottom of a bottle and add a teaspoon of honey or sugar. Shake to mix. Now make a simple funnel out of paper and stick this into the neck of the bottle with the narrow part of the cone inside the bottle. Fold over the edges. The fruit flies will be attracted to the sweet smelling booze and literally fall into the trap. Rest assured they will die happy (and pissed!).

4 Use this old Spanish trick of hanging half an onion studded with cloves in the kitchen. Doesn’t look pretty but does the job!

5 Save your orange peel and stud it with cloves. Leave to dry and have this in bowls around the house like pot pourri, looks pretty and flies hate it!

6 When out and about mozzies can be a real pain (literally!) so why not make your own totally natural insect repellent;

In a small plastic spray bottle (the sort you get in the chemist for repackaging travel toiletries) pour in water and add a teaspoon of vodka. Now add 10 drops each of the following essential oils (remember they must be pure essential oils and not fragrance oils which are just chemical smelly stuff and of no use at all);

Peppermint

Geranium

Lavender

Lemon balm (melissa officionalis)

Shake well and then spray lightly on yourself or just in front of you and walk through the mist. Carry in your bag and use when the mozzies and midges are out and about.

7 Grow plants in your garden that are natural deterrents. Use these to hang in bunches in the house and just run your hands through them and rub on your skin when you are out in the garden.

Catnip

Lemon balm

lavender

rosemary

There you go, just a few little pointers to help enjoy the summer months without being bothered too much by bugs.

Karon x