How to Keep Insects Away from Your Home
There is nothing more disconcerting than an insect buzzing around your home. Aside from being annoying, insects can also be responsible for the spread of bacteria both inside and outside your home, with some prone to biting you and your family, leaving painful welts on the skin. With that said, it’s clear that learning how to keep insects out of the house is a valuable skill to have. Here are some ways you can do that.
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Install an Insect Screen Door
One of the most effective ways to keep insects away is to use barriers such as screens on doors and windows as well. Installing an insect screen door allows you to take advantage of natural light, natural breeze and the fresh air without having to worry about unwanted insects coming into your home.
Nowadays, you can find a wide range of fly screen doors on the market ranging from modern aluminium screens to insect screen door models made from solid timber, perfect for period style homes. When it comes to how to pick a screen door, as long as you invest in a good quality screen and take good care of it, you can expect your investment to serve you many years to come.
However, different styles and materials of screens will suit different needs better. For example, a screen door made with a wooden frame will give your home a more traditional look, but it’ll also be more susceptible to damage due to harsh weather conditions and wear and tear. Screens made with a metal frame, on the other hand, are significantly more durable and versatile, but they are more expensive as well.
The screen itself can also be made from different materials including plastic, fibreglass or metal fibres like aluminium and copper. Metal screens are generally more durable than all other materials. While they are more expensive, they’re the most popular. Plastic and fibreglass are also highly used, but they have a slightly shorter lifespan than metal.
Many people wonder are screen doors standard sizes? Yes, they are. So, for a traditional screen door, simply measure the door you’ll be pairing it with and buy a screen door in a matching size. For an off-size door, consider getting the next size larger wooden model so you can cut it to fit. Keep in mind that for most, but not all, rectangle screens you’ll need to measure the inside of the doorjamb.
In order to choose the right screen door for your needs, ask yourself what functions you need the screen door to perform. For example, if you have pets, you may need to install a pet access door on the screen. You may also need a screen to help offer protection against the elements. These are all important factors that need to be considered.
Use Scents
If installing an insect screen door is not possible, you can turn to essences to help keep insects away. Flies have a strong sense of smell – this is what helps them find food sources. You can use this trait to your advantage by using scents they dislike, such as basil, peppermint and eucalyptus leaves. Can find leaves, no problem! You can use essential oils instead.
Essential oils are chemicals extracted from plants, so they have the same odour and flavours as the plant they come from. Just sprinkle a few drops of the essential oil on a rag and place it in an area that flies hang out. You can also mix of few drops of essential oil with water and spray around your home. When searching for essential oils online, here are some excellent choices to consider for keeping the bugs away.
Peppermint Essential Oil
While you may enjoy the smell of peppermint and find it refreshing, most insects hate it. This essential oil is most effective against fleas, flies, fruit flies, wasps, gnats, ants, beetles and spiders.
Cedarwood Essential Oil
Insects not only hate the smell of this oil, but it also acts as a natural pesticide that leaches moisture from insects, drying them out and eventually leaving them dead. Cedarwood essential oil is most effective for flies, mosquitos, fleas, moths ants and mites.
Lemongrass Essential Oil
This oil contains a strong lemony scent that helps keep mosquitos away. It’s most effective for mosquitos, fruit flies, gnats, fleas, and ticks. When shopping essential oils online, make sure you get only pure essential oils. Many companies that produce essential oils often include chemical dilutants, alcohol and other filters to keep the price of the product low. Additives and adulteration can not only be harmful to your health but can also greatly reduce the effectiveness of the oil.
Get a Venus Fly Traps
This is another effective solution to help you remove flies from your home. A Venus flytrap can not only add a lot of charm and style to your houseplants, but this carnivorous plant also eats flies. Keep in mind that you should never force-feed your venus fly trap or try to open their leaves when they’re eating a fly, which can take a few days. For this reason, you may want to get more than one plant, so they can keep catching flies while others are digesting.
