ANTS
Vinegar. Wash countertops, cabinets, and floor with equal parts vinegar and water to deter ant infestations. Flour and Borax. Mix 1 cup flour and 2 cups borax in a quart jar. Punch holes in the jar lid. Sprinkle the contents around the house foundation. Keep borax out of the reach of children and pets. Bone meal, powdered charcoal or lemon juice. Set up barriers where ants are entering. They will generally not cross lines of bone meal or powdered charcoal. If you can find a hole where ants are entering the house, squeeze the lemon juice in the hole or crack. Then slice up the lemon and put the peeling all around the entrance. Spearmint, Southern-wood, and Tansy. Growing these plants around the border of your home will deter ants and the aphids they carry.

FLEAS
Vacuum, remove the vacuum bag, seal it, and dispose of it immediately outside your home. Vinegar. A ratio of 1 teaspoon vinegar to 1 quart water (per 40 pounds of pet weight) in their drinking water helps to keep your pets free of fleas and ticks. Fennel, Rosemary, Red Cedar Shavings, Sassafras, Eucalyptus, or Pennyroyal. Spread leaves or shavings of these plants under and around the pet’s bed.

ROACHES
Close off all gaps around pipes and electric lines where they enter the house by using cement or screening. Caulk small cracks along baseboards, walls, cupboards, and around pipes, sinks, and bathtub fixtures. Seal food tightly. Rinse food off dishes that are left overnight. Do not leave pet food out overnight. Hedge Apples (Osage Orange). Cut hedge apples in half and place several in the basement, around in cabinets, or under the house to repel roaches. Flour, Cocoa Powder, and Borax. Mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons borax, and 1 tablespoon cocoa. Set the mixture out in dishes. CAUTION: Borax is toxic if eaten. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Borax and Flour. Mix 1/2 cup borax and 1/4 cup flour and fill a glass jar. Punch small holes in jar lid. Sprinkle powder along baseboards and door sills. Caution: Borax is toxic if eaten. This recipe may not be for you if there are young children or pets in the house. Baking Soda and Powdered Sugar. Mix equal parts and spread around infested area.

MOSQUITOES
Eliminate pools of stagnant water. Avoid wearing perfume, bright colors, flowery prints, and bright jewelry as these items attract mosquitoes. Burn citronella candles to repel insects. Plant tansy or basil around the patio and house to repel mosquitoes.

MOTHS
If you can see moths, these aren’t the ones to worry about. Moths that cause damage to clothes are too small to notice. It is the larvae of these moths that eat fabric. Prevention. Store items in a clean condition; moth larvae especially like areas soiled with food stains. Rosemary, Mint, Thyme, Cloves, and Ginseng (optional). Chicago area weavers and spinners use 1/2 pound rosemary, 1/2 pound mint, 1/4 pound thyme, 1/4 pound ginseng (optional), and 2 tablespoons cloves. Mix and put in cheesecloth bags and place in closets or drawers. Dried Lavender or Rosemary and Mint. Make sachets of dried lavender or equal portions of rosemary and mint. Place in closets, drawers, or closed containers to mothproof garments. Rosemary, Sage, Mint, Dried Lemon Peel, and Cinnamon. Mix handfuls of first three ingredients. Add a little lemon peel and a pinch of cinnamon. Place in muslin bags.