Housekeeping

Medieval Housekeeping

Cleaning with Vinegar

Frugal and Green Housekeeping

Natural Moth Balls alternatives-from Care2





FRAGRANT INSECT REPELLENTS

An early practicle use of sachets and potpourri was to help repel insects and pests from the household and it's contents including the inhabitants.. The addition of one or more of the following ingredients in a mixture or used alone, may help deter the enroachment of insects..
SOURCE: various Yahoogroups

The enemy The remedy
Ants Tansy, fresh flowers
Fleas Fennel, powdered
Fleas or lice Pennyroyal herb or oil (avoid if pregnant)
Flies Tansy, fresh flowers
Insects in linen Costmary, lavender, rosemary,or woodruff
Mosquitoes Decoction of pennyroyal
Moths Lavender or rosemary
Spiders Khus-Khus (vetivert)

Ants:

Spray vinegar on ant trails and around the areas they come into your house. Place sprigs of pennyroyal, tansy, or rue in the cupboards and shelves.

Fleas:

Fleas hate laurel leaves, rue, and winter savory. Crush and place under rugs, sofa cushions, doormats, etc.. Add a tsp. of vinegar to your pets drinking water.

Flies:

Lavender, mint, pennyroyal, peppermint, or rue. Make potpourris out of lavender. Grow any one of these herbs in and / or outside of your house. Hang sprigs in your house.

Moths:

Lavender, lemon, thyme, mint, rosemary, tansy, or wormwood. Make sachets out of any (or a selection) of these and place in linen closets and drawers & closets

Weevils:

Use bay leaves on shelves and cupboards. Put a whole leaf in with your flour, rice and dried beans.

Mice:

Use sprigs of tansy or mint on your shelves, cupboards and anywhere mice have been seen.