For certain pesticides used at home, the scientific literature has highlighted various worrying effects: carcinogenic nature (probable or possible), disturbances of the hormonal, nervous or immune systems, effects on development and reproduction. As a precaution, we avoid pesticides conventional and we adopt preventive actions and natural solutions.
Against ants, the idea is to deprive them of food and water by keeping food in airtight boxes, emptying the trash regularly, not leaving dishes lying around in the sink, cleaning the floor regularly. the kitchen and the cat or dog’s bowl. Gaps and cracks are sealed with putty to prevent them from entering. There are also natural repellents against ants, to use at home (and not outside where ants have a role in the ecosystem):
Lavender, in a bouquet or in the form of essential oil;
A little pepper where the ants come in;
Baking powder sprinkled along their path;
White vinegar sprayed on their way.
To dislodge ants from an inaccessible place, make a solution with 3 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar.
Are mosquito repellent weapons harmless?
Used in the house, sometimes distributed continuously with devices plugged into electrical outlets, pesticides degrade very slowly and permeate floors, carpets, furniture, walls … mosquitoes are composed of diethyltoluamide (DEET), a toxic molecule. In an article published in the journal BMC Biology, a team of French researchers sounded the alarm about this molecule which could have harmful effects on the nervous system. According to scientists, DEET may inhibit the secretion of acetylcholinesterase, a key enzyme in the central nervous system. Also pay attention to natural products which are sometimes only natural in name. Some incense, for example, contains synthetic products and pesticides.
The solution ? The good old grandmother’s recipes:
Traps made with a little water, heated sugar and baker’s yeast, all placed at the bottom of a bottle of water;
Mosquito nets over the bed and on the windows;
Java lemongrass or lemon eucalyptus essential oils (ET). Or, more subtle, this mixture: 2 drops of essential oil of Atlas cedar or Lebanese cedar, 2 drops of essential oil of lemon eucalyptus, 2 drops of essential oil of rose geranium or true lavender (recipe extracted of “My to-do list of essential oils”, by Sylvie Hampikian).
What to do if cockroaches invade the apartment?
Kitchen, bathroom, cupboards under the sink, back of baseboards, boiler room, garbage chutes …, so many places that cockroaches love. In addition to the repulsive nature of these little critters and their negative connotation, the presence of cockroaches also poses the problem of allergy. Some people are indeed allergic to a protein found in eggs, exoskeletons (which cockroaches shed with each molt), the digestive tract and cockroach droppings. At stake: nocturnal cough, eczema, chronic allergic rhinitis,asthma, allergic conjunctivitis.
Only simultaneous treatment of the entire building (common areas and apartments) by a pest control professional can overcome the cockroach invasion. In the meantime, we can try these few remedies, natural and safe:
Make traps with boxes at the bottom of which we place cornstarch and water;
Use ready-to-use commercial traps with a sticky surface and food bait.
To limit the invasion of cockroaches, we also follow these basic rules:
Ventilate every day and maintain a maximum temperature of 19 ° C;
Deprive them of food: empty and clean the trash every day, clean the house regularly to avoid food waste, store food products in airtight boxes, clean cupboards regularly;
Fill holes in walls, baseboards, and any other small spaces that cockroaches can pass through. Place a mosquito net in front of the vents.
Which moth repellant to favor?
Naphthalene (or naphthalene) being classified as “possible carcinogen” by the Circ, its use in moth repellants has been prohibited since 2009. It has been replaced by paradichlorobenzene, classified by the Circ … in category 2B (possible carcinogen) )! Among the natural products on the market, only traps based on pheromones (sex hormones) and repellents based on essential oils seem safe.
As for grandmother’s remedies, we rely on cedar wood that we find in organic stores in the form of shavings, discs to hang on hangers or small balls to place in the heart of clothes. Also to be tested: camphor, lavender or bay leaf. As a preventive measure, care should be taken to store only clean linen in your cupboards, to regularly shake and air your linen, and to place linen intended for long-term storage in airtight covers or boxes.
