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Use a nontoxic, natural bug spray in lieu of a synthetic varieties to help protect your health, wildlife, and unintended targets like pets from the harmful, possibly lethal, effects of toxic insecticides.

How to make your own nontoxic, natural bug sprays

You can make your own nontoxic (or "less toxic," in some cases) natural bug sprays instead of purchasing chemical bug sprays.

Perhaps the easiest and least expensive bug spray to make yourself is a soap solution. Many insecticides used in organic farming are simply soap solutions. Mix 1-2 ounces of pure castile soap with 1 gallon of water and spray where insects are present.

A natural, low-toxicity substance that is easy to apply is boric acid. Boric acid powder is excellent at killing insects like cockroaches and fleas when applied directly to areas where they live. It should not be used in food preparation areas, but is generally considered nontoxic enough to be safely used around children and pets so long as they do not directly ingest it.[1]

Boric acid can be made into an effective surface bug spray by combining one part boric acid powder with 10-20 parts hot water and then spraying the liquid on the surface to be treated.The following preparation is useful for ant control:

• Combine 1 tablespoon boric acid, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 cup water. Pour the mixture onto cotton balls or pads and place them in the paths used by ants or near their hills.[2]

The following essential oils have proven insect repellent and/or insecticide properties for the insects listed:[3][4][5]

• Bay leaf - flies, ticks
• Camphor Laurel - flies, mosquitoes
• Cedar - fleas, mosquitoes, moths
• Citronella - mosquitoes, flies, ticks
• Citrus/Orange - fleas, ticks
• Eucalyptus - flies, ticks
• Garlic - fleas, mosquitoes, flies
• Lavender - flies, lice, mosquitoes, ticks
• Neem - flies, lice, mosquitoes
• Pennyroyal - ticks, flies, mosquitoes
• Rose Geranium - ticks
• Rosemary - mosquitoes

Note that some of the above oils are considered "less toxic," not nontoxic, and shouldn't be ingested. Mix 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the essential oil with water and spray where insects are present.

Find it! Nontoxic, natural bug sprays

There are many nontoxic, natural bug sprays available for sale, and many that make green claims for their cruelty-free, organic ingredients. Most utilize formulas that are similar to products you can make yourself, but are available ready to use anytime. Products containing either a soap solution or a citrus-oil based solution are good choices. Some popular products containing these and other natural ingredients to consider:

Using a nontoxic, natural bug spray helps you go green because…

• It helps you to control pests like insects without the use of commercial chemical pesticides that can harm you, your family, pets, and wildlife.
• It can prevent other pest problems. For example, using chemical insecticides can lead to resistant populations, and by killing beneficial predators can even lead to rebound population explosions in the future.[6]

In 2001, over 3 billion dollars worth of insecticides were purchased in the US, representing over one-third of the total world market.[7] Nearly $1.3 billion was spent on insecticides for home and garden use, nearly as much as that used for commercial agriculture.

Exposure to small amounts of chemical pesticides can cause serious health problems in humans (especially children) and pets, and even those who do not use pesticides can suffer from their pervasive use. Pesticides may also harm the habitat of endangered species because of drift, runoff, or leachates that may contaminate the water, soil, or vegetation used by the species. Both the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon became endangered because of the use of the insecticide DDT, but populations rebounded after use of the insecticide was banned.[8]

Green claims

With the race to be the first to offer eco-friendly products, especially in the personal care industry, companies are touting their products' green attributes with claims that at times can be confusing and misleading. Making sense of environmentally friendly standards is an important part of being a wise consumer.

What does “organic” really mean?

One murky area is the term “organic.” While the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) maintains clearcut standards for organic food, the same can’t be said for body care products. The industry is in turmoil trying to agree upon a set of standards. Some companies use the USDA certified organic food standard, which requires 95 percent of the ingredients to be organic. Others use the less stringent California state standard for organic cosmetic products, which requires at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients. And still others label their products organic without meeting any external criterion.

In the meantime, a nonprofit standard-setting group called NSF International has released a draft set of rules for organic personal care products and a group of 30 cosmetic companies recently devised their own set of specifications called Organic and Sustainable Industry Standards (OASIS). How it all washes out remains to be seen.

Watching out for all creatures, great and small

While you're contemplating green attributes, you may also wish to join the cruelty-free movement. Just keep in mind: a company may claim that they don’t employ animal testing for their products, but without third-party verification, it’s hard to know whether these statements are in fact completely true. So stick to those products certified as cruelty-free by looking for products with the Leaping Bunny Logo or the Certified Vegan Logo. You can rest assured that no bunnies (or monkeys or cats for that matter) were harmed in the making of these non-animal-tested products.

Glossary

• insecticide: a substance used to kill insects and other arthropods.[9]

External links

• Planet Natural - Natural Born Pest Killers
• Eartheasy - Natural Insect Pest Control
• Radcliffe's IPM World Textbook The IPM "bible"
• Gordon's Key to Insect Orders Comprehensive key to identifying insects
• University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program Useful resource for identifying pests with suggestions for managing them