Natural repellant for household pests?

[asagiyuu]

Namely I have been having a particular problem with ants getting into the cage in the bird room because they are attracted to, of all things, her droppings. Not even her food or water. I have since then resorted to cleaning Hana's cage twice a week and I am vacuuming daily, but that doesn't stop them and I have yet to figure out where they are coming in from. I'm also reluctant to use any chemical repellents of any kind, so are they any natural, safe alternatives to try and discourage these pests? P.S. she has recently seen a vet and had bloodwork done after discovering this problem. As far as the vet is concerned she has a clean bill of health. So I don't think its a matter of a health condition like Diabetes.

 

[riddick07]

Cinnamon, cedar wood, and peppermint essential oils mixed with 50/50 white vinegar and water. Spray it around the cage and doorways to outside where they are located. Don’t spray in the cage though just around it. Used that mix the other month for downstairs and no more ants in that area.

 

[josiahdham]

Just to piggy back on this thread...I live in the south and have a problem with a variety of insects during the hot summer months(imagine everything but roaches!). Are essential oils(mixed with vinegar and water) the best way to go to help keep them out of the house?

 

[bill_e]

I use regular pump spray insecticide like Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer around the outside foundation of my house. Once a year in the spring or early summer and it keeps the ants away all summer.

 

[EllenD]

As far as what to spray directly around the bottom of the bird's cage, or at least around the bottom of the room his cage is in, diluted Peppermint Oil is the safest and most effective thing I've found...my mother, who has a Grey and is a breeder, also has OCD as far as cleaning inside goes, it's bad...but everyone gets ants from time to time in their homes, it happens in the cleanest of homes...And she has always used a spray-bottle of Peppermint Oil and Water, works great, they hate it...

As already mentioned as well, you do need to find the source of them coming into the house, or at the very least go to Lowes, Home Depot, or even Walmart, and buy a big, outdoor spray gallon of some type of pesticide killer that is organic and safe, and spray around the foundation of your house, or if you live in an apartment, use it around the outside of your doors, windows, etc.

Also, spray the Peppermint Oil under your sink/kitchen cabinets, as that's a big source of ants getting in...the nice thing about Peppermint Oil is that is makes your home smell good too...

 

[Oates]

As mentioned above, you should locate the source of them coming to your house. Otherwise, your measures would be not effective. A mix of essential oil and vinegar is the first that comes in mind, which one to choose depends on which bug you want to get rid of. According to this site lavender and tea tree oils are great flea repellents. As for ants try cinnamon, cedar wood, and peppermint oils mixed with water and vinegar.

 

[YSGC]

I'd try putting something sticky on the floor around the cage that ants would get stuck on.
Double-stick tape comes to mind.

Another product I'd consider is a 'sticky mat' used by companies with clean room laboratories.
Placed on the floor at the door, they clean dirt off your shoes when entering the lab.
I suspect that an ant trying to walk on it would get stuck.



Like paper, they come in a pad.
When the top sheet gets contaminated, stops being sticky, you peel it away to expose a fresh one.

It sticks to your floor because the bottom of the pad is also sticky.
If you have carpeting under the cage place some solid surface like an office chair mat or those plastic runners that protect carpets in high traffic areas.

Each pad in the link below has thirty 18" x 36" sheets.
4 pads (120 sheets) cost $40.48; that's 34 cents per sheet.

To lower the cost:
To catch ants you don't need a whole mat.
You just need a rectangular strip a few inches wide around the entire cage.
So I'd use a utility knife to slice the pads into 3" strips and install 4 strips around the cage, leaving no gaps.

To further lower the cost try cutting the strips only 1" wide.
If that works you're good.
If not cut the next strip 2", and so on.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0112HS73...&pd_rd_r=603136df-1857-11e9-a1d6-d7c18bc79752

 

[SailBoat]

As so well stated above;
- One must first start outside of the home. First, clear away any trees, bushes, plants of all kinds from touching the home.
- Second, remove any soil, grasses, plantings, etc... from around the home so that the foundation has at least 6" (150 mm) above the soil. Allow a couple of days to let it dry.
- Chemical Bug Killer is than sprayed on the dry foundation and out on to the soil by at least the same distance.
- Remember to spray the stairs, porches and the sill of the doorways. FYI: Any and all basement windows.

NOTE: Any wood that is sitting in or on soil is an assured highway into your home.

As Ellen stated above "a spray-bottle of Peppermint Oil and Water," as this is also my favorite in home treatment. Remember to start at the outside door openings and around all the exterior walls of the home and then any known problems areas.

And, if you have a basement, remember to spray all wall to floor and sidewall foundation to wood (side walls) areas. Remember to check for basement windows, all piping that pass though the foundation.

Enjoy!

 

[Flboy]

Use baits! If sugar ants,
https://www.domyown.com/sugar-ants-c-1_694.html

Overall,
https://www.domyown.com/how-to-get-...campaign=Thursday+1/10/19:+Rodents+/+Bed+Bugs
I use this site for all my bug issues, for outside spraying around foundation, look at the Demon product! The ‘Home Defense’ product is 3% this poison. Demon is a 40% of the poison! Please be careful!