Dealing with various household pests is a constant struggle. Chemical pesticides are an obvious solution, but these are toxic and can cause allergies.

Here are some natural remedies to control and prevent common pest problems in and around your house, as according to indiatoday.com

keeping flies away

• While cleaning the kitchen counters and table tops, sprinkle salt on a damp cloth to wipe the areas. This will keep flies away.
• Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the water used for mopping floors to keep your house free of flies.
• Place small sachets of crushed mint around the house. It will discourage flies from entering your house.
• Plant mint (aromatic plant) in small pots, and place them on your kitchen counters and near the windows. It will prevent the pests from flying in.

Dealing with ants

• Add a few drops of mustard oil in corners and entry points in your house along their trail.

• Draw white chalk lines on entry trails, ants don’t cross these lines, because they don’t like the powder sticking to their feet.
• Squirt lemon juice in cracks where ants hide.
• To keep away the ants from the sugar pot, put a few cloves in it.
• Dip a string in castor oil and tie around the neck of honey bottles.
• Set out cucumber peels or slices in the kitchen or at entry points. Ants have a natural aversion to cucumber.

Measures

• Keep sweet items such as jam, in tightly closed containers.
• Keep counters free of crumbs and sticky spots
• Keep your doors and windows netted. Don’t let garbage collect anywhere near your house.