19 Non-Toxic Natural Pest Control Solutions You Can DIY at Home
When it comes to keeping your home pest-free, finding a solution that’s safe for kids, pets, and the environment can feel like a tall order. But here’s the good news—you don’t need harsh chemicals to keep bugs at bay. In this post, I’m sharing 19 DIY natural pest control recipes that are as effective as they are easy to whip up using ingredients you probably already have at home. Whether it’s ants in the kitchen or mosquitoes on the patio, you can reclaim your space naturally and with confidence!
Just the other day, a friend reached out in a panic, looking for a non-toxic way to get rid of fleas in their apartment. With small children at home, the last thing they wanted was to use a product that could be harmful. Surprisingly, they didn’t have any pets, but fleas still found their way in—likely thanks to a neighborhood pet or even a secondhand piece of furniture.
I knew just the thing from my stash of natural pest control recipes and shared it with them. It worked like a charm, so I figured you might want to know this trick too, along with a few more natural, non-toxic solutions for dealing with all sorts of home and garden pests.
1. Flea Treatment for the Home
Getting rid of fleas can be costly, with commercial services charging anywhere from $300 to $1,100 for natural pest control. But you can achieve the same results on your own with food-grade diatomaceous earth—a safe, non-toxic solution. All you need is a flour sifter and a 5-pound box of diatomaceous earth to tackle those fleas head-on.
Simply sift the diatomaceous earth onto your carpets, then use a broom to work it into the fibers. Let it sit for 24 to 36 hours, and then vacuum it up. This method is environmentally friendly, but you’ll still want to wear a mask to avoid inhaling the fine powder. Just a quick note—make sure you’re using food-grade diatomaceous earth. The kind sold at pool supply stores won’t work and could be harmful. For best results, I recommend Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth, which you can easily find online or at a garden supply store.
2. Ants: A Natural Defense
When ants invade, there’s no need to reach for harsh chemicals. A simple, natural solution is to clean your countertops, cabinets, and floors with a mix of equal parts water and vinegar. This deters ants and leaves your home smelling fresh.
Another effective method is to create a bug-busting spray by combining equal parts Blue Dawn dish soap and water in a spray bottle. Keep it handy, and when you spot ants or other insects, give them a good spritz. The soap breaks down their exoskeletons, causing them to die almost instantly—no mess, no fuss.
Click here for more effective DIY and natural solutions for how to get rid of ants →
3. Aphid Control
Aphids can wreak havoc on your plants, but there’s an easy fix. Mix 1 gallon of water, 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, and 2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap. Spray this solution on any plants showing signs of aphid damage. It’s a gentle yet effective way to protect your garden.
4. Bugs, Spiders, and Ants
To prevent bugs, spiders, and ants from making themselves at home, treat the perimeter of your house with a natural spray. Blend half a cup of ground lemon (including the rind) with one gallon of water, and apply it with a garden sprinkling can. This solution is mild, environmentally friendly, and keeps pests at bay without breaking the bank.
5. Cockroach Bait
Cockroaches are notoriously tough to get rid of, but this homemade bait is up to the challenge. Mix 1/4 cup shortening with 1/8 cup sugar. Separately, combine 1/2 pound of powdered boric acid (available at most pharmacies) with 1/2 cup flour. Add the dry mixture to the shortening, stirring in just enough water to form a soft dough. Roll the dough into marble-sized balls and place them in roach-prone areas. This bait works better than many commercial options—just be sure to keep it out of reach of children and pets.
6. DIY Fly and Insect Spray
For a quick and easy way to deal with flies and other insects, grab a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Spray it directly onto the pests—while it won’t kill them, it will put them to sleep long enough for you to dispose of them. The fine mist evaporates quickly, making it a safe and effective option for indoor use.
7. Fruit Fly Trap
Fruit flies can be a nuisance, but they’re easy to catch with a simple trap. Pour some apple cider vinegar (not white vinegar) into a small dish and add a drop of liquid dish soap. Cover the dish with plastic wrap, leaving one edge slightly lifted. The flies will be drawn to the vinegar, but once they land, the soap breaks the surface tension, causing them to sink and drown.
Click here for the best hack for getting rid of fruit flies →
8. All-Purpose Outdoor Insect Spray
For a powerful outdoor insect repellent, mix one chopped garlic clove, one chopped small onion, and one tablespoon of cayenne powder with a quart of water. Let the mixture steep for an hour, then add one tablespoon of liquid dish soap. This spray is potent for about a week, so use it liberally around the exterior of your home to keep pests at bay.
Click here for the full recipe and instructions →
9. Garbage Can Pest Control
After washing and drying your garbage cans, sprinkle a bit of powdered detergent or borax inside. This acts as a repellent, keeping flies and other pests away from your trash.
10. Mouse Trap Bait and Repellent
Peanut butter makes the perfect bait for mousetraps, allowing you to catch multiple mice before needing to replenish the bait. But if you want to ditch the traps altogether, try this reader-recommended tip:
“The easiest way to rid a home of mice is oil of peppermint. Put it on cotton balls and place them where you’ve seen evidence of mice. You’ll never see them again! This worked for me when I found signs of mice in my grains-storage cabinet, and they haven’t returned in over 10 years. I also recommended it to a friend dealing with a mouse-infested garage, and she cleared them out in just two days. It was a miracle!”
– Nina, EC Reader
11. Mosquito Repellent
To naturally repel mosquitoes, plant basil around your patio and house. Not only does it look and smell great, but keeping the plants well-watered will enhance their scent, making them even more effective at keeping those pesky bugs away.
Click here for 9 more ways to wage war agaainst mosquitoes →
12. Moth Repellent
Make your own mothproofing sachets by filling small pouches with dried lavender, or equal parts rosemary and mint. Place them in closets, drawers, or storage containers to protect your garments from moth damage.
13. Silverfish Trap
Silverfish are tricky pests, but you can trap them with a simple DIY solution. Pour about 1/4 inch of flour into a straight-sided glass, then run a strip of tape from the bottom to the top on the outside of the glass. The silverfish will climb up the tape, drop into the flour, and won’t be able to escape. Place these traps in rooms where you’ve seen silverfish, and soon they’ll be a thing of the past.
14. Snail and Slug Repellent
To protect your garden from snails and slugs, sink pie pans filled with beer so that the rims are flush with the ground. The pests will be drawn to the beer, fall in, and meet their end. This method not only protects your plants but also serves as a cautionary tale for kids who think it’s cool to drink beer.
15. Snail Barrier
Create a natural barrier that snails won’t cross by spreading a line of sand, lime, or ashes around your garden. This simple method will keep them out without harming your plants.
16. Spider Repellent
To discourage spiders from entering your home, spray rubbing alcohol on windowsills and other entry points. It’s a quick and easy way to keep these eight-legged critters at bay.
17. Sticky Fly Swatter
For those tiny flying insects that always seem to evade your fly swatter, try this trick: Place a few strips of double-sided tape on the swatter. The next time you go after those pesky bugs, they’ll stick to the tape for easy disposal.
18. No-Stain Bug Removal
Instead of squashing bugs on your walls or curtains, which can leave unsightly stains, use a piece of tape to capture them. Simply press the sticky side onto the bug, and then peel it off and toss it—mess-free!
19. Wasp Repellent
To keep wasps away from your home, place toilet-bowl deodorizers near doors, wastebaskets, or windowsills. While this method isn’t entirely natural, it’s highly effective—wasps can’t stand the smell and will stay far away.
Click here for 7 more effective ways to get rid or wasps safely →
Question: What’s your go-to method for keeping pests out of your home naturally? Share your tips—let’s swap ideas.
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Onion, garlic, peppermint sre great for pests but deadly to pets.
Do you have any suggestions about rats? I have had rats every few years or so, and it is getting frustrating!
Do you have any ideas for getting rid of Carpenter Bees? Our porch is infested with them. They scare people that come to my door.
I found a great how-to from Bob Vila, one of my DIY heroes from way back! Honestly, I’d never heard of carpenter bees. But if we had that problem here in Colorado, you can be sure my hubs would be out in his workshop building Bob’s carpenter bee trap! It sure looks like a great DIY solution—and makes a lot of sense. Let us know how that goes …
How to Make a Carpenter Bee Trap
Regarding mice, you need to remember they potentially can be carrying viruses, or be infested with insects that carry viruses (like deer ticks that carry Lyme disease). I have always thought buying new mousetraps is well worth the expense to avoid contact with the mouse and its bodily fluids that might be on the trap. I never reuse mousetraps. I took it a step further and started using a water trap just outside the back of my house, which seems to work so well that I don’t need to use mousetraps indoors anymore. There are plenty of instructions elsewhere on how to build one. I used all repurposed materials to make my two traps. I fill them with rain water, and pour some old bleach into the water. (I purchase new bleach yearly because it loses its effectiveness at the rate of 20% per year.) I bait it with old pb that’s past its expiration date. The whole trap is, therefore, nearly free, and uses up old stuff I would probably have thrown away. Occasionally I get a chipmunk (the nasty things eat my tomatoes, and they can be very destructive, so, good riddance). I also caught one vole, also a pest. I empty the bucket into the woods and therefore never touch the mice. The only downside is the squirrels are probably getting into it and eating the pb. Next task is to figure out a better (water) mousetrap. Overall, they’re very effective. As an aside, I happened to see a centipede in my house today. I never kill them. They cause no harm to humans, but they do eat other insects. They’re our friends, therefore. If you find them creepy, please learn to appreciate them by reading about them, and leave them alone. Free, natural pest controllers, as are spiders.
What good for keeping flies at bay when eating outside? We are surrounded by farms and the flies are awful. Want to get ahead start this year! Thanks for your help!!
Hi Mary,
Do raccoons like beer? I could probably keep our dog and neighbor’s cats out of the beer slug trap but raccoons are another story. 🙂
Thank you,
Tim
How do I get rid of fleas on wood floors? Majority of my floors are wood some laminate and carpet.
I would look to food-grade diatomaceous earth. It is non-toxic which means safe to use and very effective.
Try getting rid of bugs by utilizing recycled coffee grounds around your home in the area from which you think the bugs are emerging.
Is there a Natural pest control for grasshoppers?
Great tips, thank you!!! Do you have any solutions for bed bugs? We were recently given a set of bunkbeds from a sweet neighbor, and although we cleaned them before bringing them into the house, we have seen a few telltale signs. Eeeek! Help!
Sure do. This post: The All-Natural Way to Get Rid of Bedbugs, Insects, and Other Creepy Crawlies
What is a “sure fire” potion to spray in the yard to repel ticks?
How to get rid of garter snakes in the basement?
Hi Mary,
I just wanted to add that I heard recently on a podcast that if you sprinkle Nutritional Yeast on your dog’s food, fleas hate that so they stay away from your fur babies.