Summer is upon us, and with temperatures starting to rise, it’s difficult to escape the invasion of insects. No question of serving as a snack for these horrible bloodthirsty mosquitoes like vampires! But spending the money on repellent products is not the solution either. Would it be possible to swap chemical remedies for natural methods? Absolutely yes. Did you know that certain indoor plants can perfectly repel all unwanted insects from the house? Here are 3 to install in your home to chase them away without care!
Every summer, it’s the same story: as soon as there’s a mosquito lurking around, it’s definitely for you. It seems like your skin is a real magnet for these odious little creatures that torture you all the time. At night, they prevent you from sleeping with their unwanted buzzing and when you wake up, you are rewarded with a multitude of red halos on your body that itch excessively. Tired of these mosquito bites and these unsightly patches that are poisoning your life? This is the perfect alternative to commercial solutions: install a pretty ornamental plant in your bedroom or living room. Not only will it beautify the place, but more importantly, it will banish all these parasites from your field of vision.
Chrysanthemum
In addition to being radiant and smelling pleasant, these stunning flowers produce a substance called pyrethrin, which is intended to repel insects. By placing many chrysanthemums in a vase on the living room table, you will quickly notice that mosquitoes will no longer fly over the area. And it’s not just them who will be chased out of this environment: these flowers also keep away a whole tribe of ants, ticks, fleas, lice, cockroaches and other bugs. And this is thanks to pyrethrins which kill flying and jumping insects. They are also commonly used ingredients in the preparation of various insecticides, such as aerosol cans and pet shampoos.
You can plant these flowers in the garden or in pots inside the house. If you want to make your own insecticide with this insect repellent plant, you must crush the chrysanthemums and then boil them. Pour this solution into a spray bottle and spray it on your clothes. But in small doses and occasionally, because this substance can be carcinogenic to humans.
Lavender
It is one of the most popular and well-known flowers in the world. Lavender is surely many people’s favorite plant. And for good reason, its splendid mauve color and its intoxicating scent always look great indoors. It has even been used for centuries to refresh drawers and cupboards in homes. But if humans are very fond of it, insects, on the contrary, hate it. Its powerful odor quickly ends up intoxicating them. It is therefore the ideal weapon for banishing flies, fleas and mosquitoes from the surrounding area.
Lavender keeps them away thanks to the linalool compound it contains, thus acting as a formidable insecticide. Also, you can place pretty bouquets in different rooms of the house. Don’t hesitate to install some in your bedroom: lavender is so calm and soothing that it will even help you sleep better. You can also put a handful of lavender in a glass filled with water, mix well and spray the solution on your skin or furniture. As an essential oil, it is also very popular for nourishing your skin: there is nothing like sprinkling it on before sitting on the terrace for an aperitif. No mosquitoes will spoil the party!
Marigold or Officinal Marigold
Although its name is confusing, this plant actually solves a lot of problems. With a medicinal vocation, as an infusion, it is very effective in relieving many digestive disorders and premenstrual pain. But, apart from the tasty and life-saving cup of tea, these sumptuous orange-yellow flowers greatly save you from mosquito bites. The smell of marigolds is also very disturbing to many other insects such as flies, fleas and aphids.
How to prepare your homemade insecticide? In an airtight container, mix the petals of these flowers with water. Store this solution for two days in a cool, dark place, shaking occasionally. Then filter this mixture well and pour it into a sprayer. And there you have it, now all you have to do is spray this remedy all over the house. Enough to largely eradicate the mosquito problem!
Rosemary
This versatile herb, which smells of Provence, also contains oils that have proven to be very effective in repelling mosquitoes. In addition to being available everywhere, you can grow it perfectly in your garden, your planter or in a pot!
If you have what we call “mosquito skin” and you regularly attract these nasty little creatures, know that many aromatic herbs also act as powerful repellents. To effectively get rid of these harmful insects, you can plant a whole range of these plants in your garden or in pots, like basil, lemon thyme, rosemary, lemon mint, chives or bay leaf.
