Homemade insecticides are natural, cost-effective solutions for controlling insect infestations. It can be particularly useful to small-scale farmers, who may not have the resources to invest in costly chemical solutions. Using materials found around your home, such as coffee grounds, vinegar, and other natural ingredients, you can build an effective pest control solution with a low price tag.

The effects of these DIY solutions may be as good as a toxic solution, but with no health risks. Homemade solutions are the best way to eliminate minor pests without having to turn to toxic chemicals. Natural pest repellents like peppermint oil, garlic, and neem oil are a few of the natural remedies you can incorporate into your home improvement projects. These natural pest deterrents are easily found in any local convenience store or your neighborhoods discount shop.

Some other non-toxic gardening supplies, like Diatomaceous Earth and Boric Acid Powder, can be used to as well. These items can be found in most improvement stores and may be helpful in smaller pest problems around the garden or backyard. DIY pest control is a great way to save money and still keep a healthy environment for your family and neighbors, without using harsh chemicals or costly services from professional exterminators.

One of the most popular methods of all-natural, safe, and effective pest control is mixing undiluted dish soap into hot water in a spray bottle. To enhance the strength of the solution, add a few drops of an essential oil such as peppermint or lemon to give it a nice smell. To make it more potent, add one teaspoon of cooking oil to ensure the soapy residue stays on when you spray it on for a longer period than it would with plain dish soap.

Before spraying on any areas, make sure you first test a non-visible area, and then adjust amounts if needed. Always use a separate container for these mixes, since it will clog the standard spray containers. Homemade P Control solutions usually involve chili pepper oil or chili pepper spray.

To make this spray, combine 2 teaspoons of the pest juices with 2 cups of water, and then dilute by adding a cup of cooking oil. Shake the container to combine the ingredients, and then use it to spray the mixture on any affected plants. Spray all surfaces of plants, including leaves, and repeat every few days until pests are gone.

Be sure to use protective gloves when handling the butter mix, because it may irritate your skin. Homemade P-control solutions are an excellent way to eliminate your pests without using any harsh chemicals. One solution is insecticidal soap.

This can be made from a tablespoon of a mild liquid soap and one quart of water. Another basic pest-fighting soap spray can be made using a mild soap, like Bronners Castile Soap, and a tallow. Mix two tablespoons of Castile Soap with a cup of hot water, and add 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil.

This DIY bug killer should then be put in a spray bottle and used in affected areas until the problem is resolved. Chile Pepper Spray is another effective homemade solution to ridding your home or yard of pests.

Mix two tablespoons liquid dish soap, two teaspoons chili powder, and a quart of hot water together in a large mixing bowl, then transfer into a spray bottle for applying on plants or other affected areas as needed. Bugicidal soap is a popular homemade bug-control solution as it can kill common pests like aphids, mealybugs, and ticks when exposed. A thin spray of insecticidal soap should be used on outdoor plants, flower beds, and vegetable gardens to help kill pests. It may also be sprayed on indoor plants to keep them safe from invading insects.

When applying an insecticidal soap solution, it is important to avoid beneficial insects such as bees or ladybugs, since soap kills these insects along with pests. Also, be sure to avoid spraying flowers or vegetables directly because it can harm them; instead, only spray surfaces of plants such as leaves or stems. By applying insecticidal soap solutions regularly, you will be able to effectively rid your garden of common pests without using any harsh chemicals or insecticides, which may also damage beneficial insects.

This is a great DIY gardening solution called Bug Soap. When combined with a sprayer and applied to leaves, soaps coat pests and kill them. For persistent pests of perennial insects such as sawflies, basil sprays can be mixed with fresh or dried basil leaves and boiling water. Once it is cool, the mixture can be strained out and added to a spray bottle to be used on organic vegetable gardens. Organic garden aisles at your local stores might have additional home-made insect-control solutions, such as garlic spray, which works well for white flies, aphids, spider mites, and others.

However, it is important to remember that whenever chemicals are used, there is a corresponding risk for damage to beneficial insects such as bees or butterflies -- so these products are best treated with additional caution. Homemade pest control solutions can be effective, short-term solutions for dealing with problem pest infestations. Insecticide sprays, organic insecticides, and DIY bug traps are all viable options to keep your yard or home free of pests. While these methods can be effective in the short-term, they do not address the root causes behind pest-caused leaf damage, and they can provide no lasting solution to an ongoing problem infestation. To make sure that beneficial insects are not hurt by chemical insecticides, natural insecticides like neem oil or diatomaceous earth are best used to deter pests without hurting beneficial insects.

Another basic pest control spray mix is with oils that can be made using two teaspoons of neem oil, two tablespoons of cooking oil, a teaspoon of a gentle liquid soap, and a cup of water. To create a spray mix, dissolve a cup of water in a container with neem oil and vegetable oil. Next, add a teaspoon of gentle liquid soap to the mix and transfer into a five-gallon bottle. Shake the bottle to combine all ingredients, and spray the mixture, from the bottom up, onto any plants that might be having pest problems.

Neem oil will work as a bug repellent, as well as providing some nutritional benefits for plants. Also, if there are pests left behind after you have applied this solution, you can add more neem oil or cooking oil, or increase the quantity of liquid soap used in the mix, in order to boost its power.