Here in the Conejo Valley, the birds are chirping, the days are getting longer, and… the pests are starting to arrive! And man, do they know how to put a damper on our lovely Southern California weather. Here are some of my favorite natural DIY remedies DIY bug-busting tips to keep those warm spring days bug-free.

Ants

There’s really nothing worse than finding these little buggers in the nooks and crannies of your home. In my house, they like to travel in the walls and often come out of the most random places, like light fixtures and shower handles. Ew! Here’s how I fight them:

1) Deter-Ant

For an easy way to keep ants at bay, try a simple spray consisting of apple cider vinegar, dish liquid, baking soda, and water. This is especially useful if ants tend to invade your plants, trash areas, kitchen, etc. Step-By-Step Directions

2) Antonyms and Cinnamons

Another good tip for keeping ants away is sprinkling ground cinnamon around the perimeter of your house (windows, doors, etc.). The cinnamon stops them in their tracks.

3) Protein-Packed Poison

For really severe ant problems, you can bait and poison them with a mixture of borax, sugar, and peanut butter. (This is a great tip, but make sure to hide it in places where kids and pets can’t get at it, as it is poisonous if eaten!) Step-By-Step Directions.

If the peanut butter method doesn’t work, try this cornmeal baiting method instead.

4) Ant-Tea

If you can locate ant hills outside, pouring a kettle of boiling water over the nest. It’s quick and effective way to kill the colony, stopping the ants at the source.

Mosquitos, Flies & Moths

Ants are one thing, but our little, winged friends really know how to ruin a nice evening out on the porch and leave us scratching our heads (or arms… and ankles…). Here are a few suggestions:

5) Lavender’s blue, dilly, dilly…

Basil and lavender act as natural insect repellents. You can keep bunches of these lovely-smelling plants near doors where bugs usually get in. And lavender buds in a closet work really well to repel sweater-munching moths. Bonus Tip: Here’s a yummy basil-and-lavender lemonade recipe if you have extras!

6) Shut Your (fly) trap

For a no-hassle, chemical- and plant-free fly-buster, why not build a reusable fly trap out of repurposed trash! I’ve made some pretty rough versions of this to combat house flies or fruit flies, and this seriously works. Plus this solution has the added benefit of keeping the flies alive, just in case any of your kids (or you!) have a fascination with 6-legged creatures. Step-By-Step Directions

7) Herb Cocktail

The oils from rosemary, mint, and basil can all be extracted and combined with cheap vodka to use as a bug-spray. Step-By-Step Directions

I hope these 7 tips come in handy as you begin your battle against the bugs during the rest of the spring months. And if you find yourself in need of a storage unit to store your sporting gear, holiday decorations, or other seasonal items you want to get out of the way for summer, give your friendly Hollywood Storage Center storage consultant a call.
This was a guest post from Amanda, a Storage Consultant here. She’s one of the friendly folks you might meet when you look into one of our self-storage units. Thanks, Amanda!

If you try any of these remedies, let us know how they worked for you!