BUGS and insects can blight your summer – so get them to buzz off with cheap, natural repellents.
Citrus fruit, vinegar and some fresh herbs can help you give mini biters the heave-ho.
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KEEP IT CLEAN: Bugs such as ants and fruit flies are attracted by food scraps, so clean up spills and keep leftovers covered.
Wipe out your food bins with hot, soapy water and spray surfaces with a half- and-half mixture of water and vinegar.
Washing out your main dustbin will keep little nasties at bay during the warmer weather.
HELPFUL HERBS: The string smell of herbs can help in your fight against nuisance bugs.
Growing rosemary, mint, basil or lemon thyme close to where you sit outside will make the area less appealing to mosquitos.
Ants dislike the smell of peppermint.
Dominic Lees-Bell, cleaning expert at the Tap Warehouse company, suggests mixing 15 drops of peppermint oil into a mug of water, then pouring it into a spray bottle to use on infested areas.
Spices are also a powerful deterrent.
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Lay a line of cayenne or black pepper where ants are entering your house to send them into reverse.
FRUITY FAVOURS: Citrus fruit is also helpful for homes blighted by bugs.
Ants can be deterred with some lemon peel placed close to where they enter your home.
Mosquitos also hate citrus smells.
Cut a lemon in half and stud it with cloves to make it extra pungent.
You can also mix lemon or lime juice with water in a spray bottle and use it to wipe areas where bugs tend to gather.
SHUT YOUR TRAP: The smell of vinegar is attractive to fruit flies.
Fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar, cover with plastic wrap, and poke several small holes using the nib of a pencil or pen.
The tiny critters will fly into the trap and be unable to escape.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
