Homemade Natural Insecticide
One of the most effective homemade natural insecticides is good old-fashioned soap. Soaps don't kill large bugs like beetle larvae and caterpillars, but they're highly effective for destroying small soft-bodied insects like aphids, mealy bugs, whiteflies, young boxelder bugs, young scales and some ants. Pure soaps won't damage or kill your plants like more modern bars will. The old-style products don't contain the harmful detergents that cause lethal phytotoxicity that newer brands do. You can quickly and easily make your own natural insecticidal soap with cheap, readily available materials. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 5 1/2 oz bar of soap such as Ivory or Fels-Naptha
- Sharp knife
- Plastic food storage bag
- Vegetable peeler or grater
- Heavy saucepan
- Container with tight-fitting lid
- Household rubbing alcohol (optional)
- Repurposed plastic spray bottle
Instructions
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1
Cut off about one-quarter of a 5 1/2-ounce bar of soap with a sharp knife. Put the rest of the bar into a plastic food storage bag to protect it from moisture and store it with your other soaps.
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2
Use a vegetable grater to shave the soap into 1 quart of warm water. Stir very well.
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3
Heat over medium until the water comes just to the boiling point, stirring constantly. Turn the heat down to low and continue stirring until all of the soap has dissolved completely. Remove the pan from the heat and allow concentrated soap solution to cool to room temperature.
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4
Pour the insecticide concentrate into a clean container with a tight-fitting lid. Label the container clearly and store it in a cool, dark spot.
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5
Combine 1 teaspoon of the insecticidal concentrate with 1 quart of warm water. Add 1/4 cup of household rubbing alcohol, if you wish. Rubbing alcohol is a very effective killer in its own right and will boost the action of your insecticidal soap.
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Pour the solution into a plastic spray bottle. Squirt the insecticide directly onto the pest. Insecticidal soap is a contact killer, so you'll have to give bugs a direct hit with it.
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Tips & Warnings
Fels-Naptha was one of the first commercially available soaps, and you can still get it from your favorite grocery store.
