Spray This On Your Sliding Glass Doors To Keep Those Bugs From Sneaking In

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As the weather warms, insects and arachnids come out of dormancy to search for food. If you're like me, you'll probably spend more time than you'd like during the summer fighting off mosquitoes and ants. Of course, there are chemical solutions for combatting pests, but it's sometimes hard to know whether you should spray the inside of your house to manage pests, or go for organic solutions first. Instead of opting for heavy-duty repellents to seal off my sliding glass doors, I tried warding off bugs with a homemade cayenne pepper spray.

Cayenne pepper repels insects because it irritates their central nervous systems. If you don't already have this spice in your pantry, it's relatively cheap and easy to find, and it won't have the same adverse effects that more heavy-duty sprays can. The only other supplies you'll need for this project are an empty spray bottle, water, and a little bit of dish soap. This process only took me about 10 minutes of work, but I did have to wait around a while to let the cayenne fully diffuse into the water. Once I got started, I was able to apply the solution to my sliding glass doors within half a day.

I started by filling a bucket with a gallon of water (the temperature of the water does not matter). Then I measured 4 tablespoons of pepper stirred it into the water with a spoon. Then I added a little bit of dish soap, which supposedly helps the solution better stick to surfaces. Next I covered the solution, placed it out of reach of my pets, and let it sit over night . Capsaicin in cayenne pepper can harm animals.

The last necessary step to this preparation was to pour the spray into the bottle. You can strain the soltion through a rag to filter out any large flakes, but I decided not to. However, I did use a funnel to avoid spilling the liquid. If you have any solution left over, store it in a cool place, in a sealed container.  Then sprayed the solution on the tracks of my sliding door and even along the frame. I had plenty left, so I sprayed some more around windows and regular doors. Just be sure to keep it out of the reach of pets or children. 

It's been a couple days since I sprayed my cayenne pepper solution, and I've noticed fewers ants and ladybugs in the house. I also have some grape vines growing along my fence, so I decided to try spray some of the solution on those to keep the aphids away. It worked quite well. I just had to spray the solution in the evening so the sun couldn't evaporate it right away.

While cayenne pepper is useful, it isn't the only organic solution for keeping pests out of your home. Certain essential oils like bergamot and peppermint, mixed with water, also have proven benefits, as do coffee grounds. Simply spray — or sprinkle — around the area you're noticing the most critters.

If natural remedies aren't proving effective, you can take the necessary steps to prepare for a pest control treatment. You should spray for ants in crawlspaces (if you have them) and around the foundation of your home in the early spring once temperatures reach around 50 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. You can also leave bait traps to avoid putting harmful chemicals into the environment. Terro Liquid Ant Killer Bait Station, for instance, comes in packs of 12 and sells for $10.

However, perhaps the best way I have found to keep bugs out of your home is to keep food out of their reach. This can be a bit of a challenge for people with pets, like myself. A dog bowl full of food can bring ants, so it's best to designate meal times for pets and clean their bowls afterward. I also find it useful to keep food sealed in Ziploc bags on high shelves or in the fridge, which is one of several ways to deter pantry pests from invading your home.