I live in a quiet little countryside town in the mountains on the outskirts of San Diego. As beautiful as it is during spring with all the greenery and flowers sprouting, it’s also a season for me to be on the lookout for pesky bugs like ants and aphids trying to invade and infest my home, fruit trees, and garden plants. Because of all our pets and how environmentally conscious and friendly I am, I keep my usage of harsh chemicals as minimal as possible. Because of moving out here and my preference to be environmentally conscious I learned about the power of peppermint essential oil.
I buy peppermint essential oil in bulk, so I buy the 32 oz bottle towards the end of winter to prepare for spring. Once the weather starts to warm, I start spraying the parameters of my house with my 1-gallon garden sprayer indoors and out every 2-3 days, as well as the plants and trees on my property. Anytime I see ants creeping inside my home and trace where they’re coming from, I’ll pour about a dime into a rag and wipe the area with peppermint oil instead of using poison bate. This year will mark five years of living here and using this method, and so far, it’s a success.
I’ll even clean my house by adding a few drops of peppermint oil to my warm mop water or my disinfectant cleaning spray bottles as an extra precaution to maintain a bug-free home. Be warned, if you pour too much peppermint oil, its smell is so potent and strong it can make your eyes water and your sinuses burn until the area airs out. Still, it’s an all-natural alternative I prefer to use over using harsh chemicals that could poison my pets or harm the environment.
- For my home (inside and out), I fill the water in my 1-gallon garden sprayer to the required line and add about 3 cap-fulls of peppermint oil and spray around the perimeters, being sure to thoroughly spray the windows and doorways. I spray every 3 days, which takes me less than 20 minutes, and if I’m too busy, I’ll do it weekly, but I’ll add a few extra drops of peppermint oil.
- I boil about a gallon of water on the stove in my mop water before pouring it into my O’Ceadar bucket and adding a few drops. If you add too much, your eyes will burn, peppermint oil is strong.
* For my garden and fruit trees, I fill the water of my 1-gallon sprayer and add 4 caps-fulls of peppermint oil and a squeeze or 2 of liquid dish detergent. I spray the base of the trees, the plants themselves, and the perimeter of my garden fence every 2-3 days. I spray the soil if you have moles in your area as I do.
Leave a Reply