If you want to get rid of insects, bedbugs, spiders, cockroaches, mice and ants, keep this plant at your home! According to scientific research, there are harmful chemicals found in pest repellants that can be dangerous to you and to your pets. Luckily, there are many plants that are known to repel pests, spiders, mice and ants. Here are some readily available plants and herbs that are known to repel those annoying pests. 1. Lavender Lavender is a plant that has been in use for a long time to add a sweet scent and fragrance to homes and clothe wardrobes. Although the smell of lavender is pleasant to people, spiders and other undesirable insects loathe the smell. Place tied bouquets in strategic areas in your home or plant them in sunlit areas of your garden to keep the area pest free. 2. Peppermint You can get rid of those creepy crawly bugs and mice with a mixture of water and mint. You may like the scent of mint but definitely mice and bugs don’t. Scent of mint irritates mice’s nose and blocks their trail pheromones. Basically, what you need to do is apply a small quantity of peppermint oil to areas where insects and mice might reach, for example, furniture, clothes and even your skin. You can also place cotton bods soaked with a few drops of peppermint oil in the corner of your room or other strategic areas. 3. Rosemary The rosemary plant comes in several forms and is effective as an insect or bedbug repellent. It can be grown in a garden bed or indoors in a container. A simple way of creating a repellent spray from the plant is adding a cup of dried rosemary to water to be boiled, then squeezing the water from the rosemary plant into another container of cold water. Finally, store the rosemary water in the refrigerator and add it to spray or squirt bottles. It’s a walk in the park. 4. Bay leaves Bay leaves are common ingredients in sauces and soups but they can also act as a natural insect repellent. When you sprinkle dried bay leaves around your home, they can be as effective in keeping off annoying insects as some common insecticide sprays would. However, the advantage is that there are no toxins involved and they are safe to be used in homes that have pets and children present. 5. Thyme oil Carvacrol and alpha-terpinena are compounds that come from the essential oil of thyme and are found to have good repellent characteristics. Studies have shown that when thyme oil is applied to the skin, it provides a 90% protection rate against mosquito and insect bites. In case of camping, putting some amount of fresh thyme in a campfire can provide protection for up to 2 hours. Pretty cool, right? 6. Basil Basil is known to add a delicious taste to salads, numerous pork, and chicken recipes. In addition, you can produce an insect repellant or spray using fresh Basil so that your summer fun is not disturbed by pesky insects. This homemade insect repellant calls for a small quantity of Vodka which is used as a carrier. Mix some vodka with the liquid obtained from the Basil and shake gently. The mixture can be sprayed on the skin or clothes to repel those insects that trouble you. 7. Eucalyptus Mice cannot withstand strong odors, and this makes eucalyptus oil a good mean to keep them away. You can simply apply a few drops in the areas where you have discovered mice droppings or you can fill your home with the scent of the Eucalyptus oil using a diffuser. This is pleasant to humans, but a terrible and deadly smell to mice and rodents 8. Catnip There are essential oils found in the catnip plants which have the ability to repel termites and bedbugs. Recent research from the U.S Department of Agriculture shows that termites would not burrow under a soil that has the presence of a catnip plant. Catnip which has a scent that attracts cats is repulsive to termites, ants, and mosquitoes. The plant contains nepetalactone, a terpene that is proven to be very effective at fending off insects. 9. Lemon Grass Citronella is found in Lemongrass as natural oil and has the ability to keep ants, spiders, and other insects away. Whether you are attempting to keep away those pesky midges or bloodsucking mosquitoes, citronella oil can help you keep those bugs at bay. Do you know other forms of repellents we skipped mentioning? Drop a comment below and remember to share with your friends and loved ones to help them live a life free of pests. Click on the subscribe button for more videos. Background music: Youtube Audio Library