Critter Prevention
The unpredictable summer weather in San Francisco makes it impossible to stay on top of battling house-invading bugs like ants. We’re never sure when they’re going to stop by. Before you douse your home with toxic RAID, consider this more natural preventative solution.
Ants, like vampires, are averse to the odor of garlic. A few ingredients from your local natural foods market can help you concoct a noxious insect-repellant that you can drizzle around the base of your cabinetry.
The Recipe
- 1/2 cup flaxseed oil
- A handful of garlic cloves, crushed a bit to release their odor
- A few cups of water
- A dash of liquid castile soap (like Dr. Bronners)
First, let the garlic cloves sit overnight in the flaxseed oil. Be sure to cover it to seal in the aroma. The next day, you can remove the garlic from the oil and toss the now-flavorless pulp. Combine the garlic-flavored oil with the water and castile soap in a spray bottle.
Note that this mixture will actually work well to ward off many types of insects. Any soft-bodied insect will go out of its way to avoid a powerfully odiferous irritant such as garlic. You can use it in the garden or as a natural insecticide on houseplants! That is, if you don’t mind the smell of garlic.