Using Natural Insecticides In The Home

No one wants bugs in their home. Not only is it disgusting, they can be damaging to stored food and the structure of the home. They can spread disease as well. However, you also do not want to load your home up with dangerous toxic chemicals in order to repel the bugs. What is the answer? Use natural insecticides to keep the bugs out of your home.

Boric Acid

Select natural insecticides that are safe for your kids and pets yet are deadly or repellant to insects. Boric acid is one good example. Mix some boric acid with sugar and then add water. Soak cotton balls in this boric acid solution and place the cotton balls where ants have been spotted. Boric acid is also useful against roaches. Put some in a squeeze bottle and squirt the powder along baseboards, behind appliances and anywhere you have seen a roach.

You can also use boric acid to get rid of termites by mixing it with propylene glycol which is the non-toxic form of anti-freeze. The glycol helps the boric acid seep into the wood to get at the termites. Boric acid can also be used as a natural insecticide for silverfish. Place it in your closet or attic or anywhere else you have spotted the critters. In fact, you can make a solution of boric acid by mixing it with boiling water and then using that to wipe down surfaces in your home. This will act to repel all kinds of crawling bugs.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is another natural insecticide you can use in your home. It is made out of the skeletal remains of tiny sea creatures and plankton and works by puncturing the insect's body which leads to dehydration. This is an effective solution for fighting moths, roaches and silverfish. Diatomaceous Earth also kills fleas, working in as little as one day.

Citrus Oils

You might also want to try natural insecticides made from citrus extracts as these will leave a pleasant smell in your home as well. It is important to only choose a natural insecticide that is not harmful to kids or pets. Just because it is a natural insecticide does not mean it is safe around mammals too. A few natural insecticides are harmful to humans as well. Luckily, there are many choices you can make that will rid your house of annoying bugs but won't harm your family or pets in the least. So be sure to read the labels and follow the directions as carefully as you would for a chemical product and keep your family safe.

Progress to control malaria, more needed

KAMPALA, Uganda, July 29 (UPI) -- Insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor spraying reached 60 million in 2008, but 25 percent of child deaths in Africa are from malaria, a U.N. officials says. Africa - Uganda - Malaria - Health - Mosquito net

Kampala, Uganda, 26 July 2010 - Deputy Secretary-General's remarks to the African Leaders Malaria Alliance

Thank you for inviting me to address this working session of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. In April 2008, the Secretary-General set a goal of providing universal access to malaria control interventions by the end of this year. That target is within reach.

Central help sought to fight malaria

The Maharashtra health department has sought technical support and expertise from the Union government to tackle malaria.

A crown of calathea

I BOUGHT my first calathea plant at Cameron Highlands a few years ago and in spite of the temperature difference, the plant is doing very well in my garden. In fact, it has made heads turn on a number of occasions and many decided to have one in their garden, too.

Artepharm Global Corp.: World Health Organisation Reports Half The Worlds Population Is At Risk Of Malaria

The World Health Organisation reports that half of the world's population is at risk of Malaria, and an estimated 243 million cases led to nearly 863 000 deaths in 2008. The renewed effort to control malaria worldwide and move towards elimination in some countries is founded on the latest generation of effective tools and methods for prevention and treatment...