Insects and garden pests creeping into your garden and yard? Take a look at our favorite DIY recipes for natural pesticides using essential oils and items from you kitchen. If you’re trying to avoid using chemicals for your plants or body this year read these DIY pesticides and share with a friend!

DIY Pesticides Using Oils

Keep your plants healthy all summer with these DIY pesticides!

Whether you’d like to use essential oils, canola oil, or mineral oil, we’ve got a DIY pesticide remedy for your yard and garden. Because oil smothers insects it’s an effective ingredient in natural pesticides and safe enough to be sprayed directly onto plants. Don’t forget the underside of leaves and be sure to reapply after rain.

• Mineral Oil: Combine 1 tablespoon mineral oil, 1 quart water, and a few drops liquid soap in a spray bottle (Be sure the product is soap and not a detergent ). Shake the bottle well and spray directly onto leaves to dehydrate insects and their eggs.
• Canola Spray: Combine 1 tablespoon canola oil with a few drops liquid soap and one quart water in a spray bottle. Shake well to blend oil and water and spray on infested plants.
• Citrus Oil and Cayenne Pepper: The oil in this DIY pesticide won’t smother insects like the two above but it will deter effectively and naturally! Mix 10 drops citrus essential oil, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 cup warm water in a spray bottle. Shake well to blend the oil and water and spray directly onto affected areas.
• Eucalyptus Oil: this essential oil is a great natural pesticide for wasps, bees, and flies. Add drops of oil where you find the insects to repel them naturally.

Other DIY Pesticides

Don’t want to use oil based DIY pesticides? Take a look at these!

If you’re trying to avoid spending money yet still have DIY pesticides that are natural, take a look at this list. Most of these items may already be in your kitchen!

• Salt Spray: This is an effective pesticide from spider mites. Mix 2 tablespoons of salt into one gallon of warm water and spray on infected areas.
• Ground Cloves: Combine 2 tablespoons ground cloves with a quart of water. Insects don’t like the strong scent or taste of cloves and this spray is successful with flying and crawling insects in the garden.
• Egg Shells: Crushed egg shells are a great deterrent for soft-bodied insects like snails and slugs. This DIY pesticide is a great way to add nutrient to your soil. Crush the shells and sprinkle around your garden.
• Veggie Spray: In a blender or food processor combine 4 cloves garlic, 1 onion, and 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper and blend until smooth. Add  these ingredients to a spray bottle containing 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap and 1 quart water. Shake well to blend the ingredients and spray onto infested plants.
• Dead Bugs: The effectiveness of this DIY pesticide is surprising but that doesn’t make it any easier to prepare! Perhaps it’s the anti-cannibalistic instinct of insects but combining ½ cup crushed, dead bugs to 1 pint water provides you with an effective an organic pesticide. It’s organic but not pleasant! Allow the mixture to sit for a few hours or overnight.

The DIY pesticides shared here, and others you can find on the web, that call for hot peppers should be created with caution. Avoid inhaling

For DIY insect repellents that are safe for you, your children, and your pets, check out this recent post that gives essential oil blend recipes that will keep the pests from biting all summer long!

Want more summer tips? This post combines our favorites for warm weather in one place!