Pesticides contain chemicals, so why would you want these outside or inside your home - especially if you have pets? You don't have to always use synthetic pesticides to rid insects from your home. An alternative is natural repellents and products made from plants and flowers.
When the weather starts to change, you might notice intruders in your home. Creepy crawling insects such as ants, roaches, beetles and mites are not what you want lurking in your kitchen pantry, bed or carpets. Although your first reaction might be to use pesticides to rid your yard and home of these pests, it’s wise to consider natural pesticides and repellents that are safe to use around your pets.
Pesticides are designed to kill insects, so they can be harmful to humans as well as pets. Products containing pesticides have chemicals such as organo-phosphates, lead and permethrin, which are not safe to digest. So why would you want to risk exposing you pet to these harmful ingredients?
Insects are essential to the balance of the ecosystem, but they can also be carriers of bacteria and viruses such as the West Nile Virus and Heartworms. You definitely don’t want you or your pet to become sick, so you need to manage household insects with natural repellents.
A simple way to combat pests is to fend them off with carnivorous plants such as the Bladderwort, Aldrovanda vesiculosa, Nepenthes rafflesiana or Drosera Intermedia. You can strategically put these plants outside and inside so they can feed off of the mosquitoes and other flying insects. If you have an issue with bugs getting into your dog’s kennel or outdoor cage, wash it out with Epsom salt. This can repel insects, and it doesn’t contain harmful chemicals.
Another option is to go with essential oils. It’s debatable whether essential oils are harmful to pets. However, most of the literature suggests that essential oils containing synthetic or naturally occurring phenols are not safe for use around cats, as it can cause damage to the liver and skin irritations. To be cautious, apply essential oils such as peppermint outside in places where your cat or dog cannot go. Mixing 10 to 20 drops of peppermint in one liter of water is a solution that can deter bees and wasps. Eugenol oils from trees and plants are effective for deterring many different types of insects.
There are more and more eco-friendly and pet-friendly repellents and pesticides available. However, you need to read the ingredients thoroughly and do your research before exposing your pet to them. If you have to go for a more potent product to solve your insect problem, be sure to block your pet from the treated area until you're able to cleanse the room.