Keep a spray bottle of soapy water on hand. Spraying roaches directly with soapy water will kill them.

In an empty one pound coffee can, place 1 or 2 pieces of bread which have been soaked thoroughly with beer. Place in areas known to have roach infestations.

It is a little known fact that roaches like high places. If you put boric acid on TOP of your kitchen cabinets (not inside), if space allows between ceiling and cabinets, the roaches will take the boric acid to their nests, killing all of them. Boric acid is toxic by mouth - keep away from children and pets.

Leave bay essential oil soaked, cucumber slices or garlic in the affected area as deterrents.

Fleas usually gain entry to your home through your pet or visitors' pets. For every flea on your pet, there may be as many as 30 more in the pet's environment.
Before reaching for pesticides, try these safer choices:
Add 10 to 12 drops of cedar essential oil, 4 drops of lemon essential oil and 4 drops of  fir essential oil to 2 cups of baking soda and 4 tablespoons of borax. Place ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Sprinkle on carpets and upholstered furniture. Allow the soda mixture to remain for 30 minutes. Vacuum well to remove all soda residue. The soda and borax absorb soil, oils and odors, leaving your carpets and furniture fresh and clean. The fragrance of the essential oils remains in the carpet or upholstery material and repels the fleas, spiders, lice and mites.

Bathe and comb your pet regularly. Use mild soap, not insecticides. If fleas are found on the comb, dip the comb in a glass of soapy water.

Citrus is a natural flea deterrent. Pour a cup of boiling water over a sliced lemon. Include the lemon skin, scored to release more citrus oil. Let this mixture soak overnight, and sponge on your dog to kill fleas instantly. Do not use citrus oil on cats

Add brewer's yeast and garlic, or apple cider vinegar, to your pets' food. However, it is not advisable to use raw garlic as a food supplement for cats.

Cedar shampoo, cedar essential oil - and a few drops of cedar essential oil added to sleeping mats. Cedar repels many insects including fleas.

Fleas in the carpet? The carpet should be thoroughly vacuumed especially in low traffic areas, under furniture, etc. Put flea powder in the vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas that you vacuum up, and put the bag in an outdoor garbage bin.

Trap fleas in your home using a wide, shallow pan half-filled with soapy water. Place it on the floor and shine a lamp over the water. Fleas will jump to the heat of the lamp and land in the water. The detergent breaks the surface tension, preventing the flea from bouncing out

In the yard or garden, plant fleabane (Fleabane Daisy Erigeron speciosus) to repel fleas. This is an annual growing 16-24" tall with violet, daisy like flowers.

For long-term nontoxic control of fleas, sprinkle diatomaceous earth where fleas may occur. You can also rub diatomaceous earth into the fur of your cat or dog.

The first line of defense against mosquitos is to seal their point of entry. Mosquitos are most active in the early morning and early evening. They seek areas of still air because they are hampered by breezes. Close windows and doors on the side of your house which are opposite the breeze. Then try:

The most important measure you can take is to remove standing water sources. Change birdbaths, wading pools and pet's water bowl twice a week. Keep your eaves-troughs clean and well-draining. Remove yard items that collect water.

Campers often report that the very best mosquito repellent is Pest-Away, a nontoxic DEET-free repellent.

It is easy to make a completely natural, safe and powerful mosquito repellent using essential oils.  

Citronella essential oil is a common natural oil used to repel mosquitoes. The smell of citronella is offensive to mosquitoes and they will avoid it. Citronella essential oil must be reapplied about every 45 to 60 minutes, since this oil looses a lot of its effectiveness after an hour. Citronella essential oil  should be applied in a spray. To apply as a spray it must be mixed with water, 50/50, and poured into a spray bottle.

Lavender essential oil has been used as a mosquito repellent for centuries. Along with its repellent qualities, it is also useful to medicate the symptoms from a mosquito bite. It alleviates the inflammation and the itching. Lavender essential oil can be applied like perfume, a dab of pure oil on the wrists and neck. It can also be mixed 50/50 with water and put into a spray bottle. Then it can be sprayed over your body, mixed with Eucalyptus essential oil, to make a very powerful mosquito repellent.

Eucalyptus essential oil is a great natural mosquito repellent. It works well, has a pleasant smell and is easy on your skin. A solution made from 30 percent Eucalyptus essential oil and 70 percent water provides about two hours of protection. It can be applied like a perfume, dabbing pure Eucalyptus essential oil to the wrists and neck. Pure Eucalyptus essential oil is not as greasy as other essential oils making it a good choice.

Mixing cedarwood oil with other essential oils, such as citronella or eucalyptus essential oil, creates a powerful mosquito repellent. The cedarwood will add about an hour to the life of other essential oil mosquito repellents. Cedarwood oil can safely be used on pets, children and around the house. In higher concentrations it can be used to keep mosquitoes away from certain areas for hours at a time -- it can be applied to chairs or tables for an evening sitting outside. Cedarwood oil doesn't just repel mosquitoes -- it kills them. If they touch or inhale the cedarwood mixture, they die immediately.

An effective natural bug repellent, mix one part garlic juice with 5 parts water in a small spray bottle. Shake well before using. Spray lightly on exposed body parts for an effective repellent lasting up to 5 - 6 hours. Strips of cotton cloth can also be dipped in this mixture and hung in areas, such as patios, as a localized deterrent.

Neem oil is a natural vegetable oil extracted from the Neem tree in India. The leaves, seeds and seed oil of the Neem tree contain sallanin, a compound which has effective mosquito repelling properties. Neem oil is a natural product and is safe to use.

Planting marigolds around your yard works as a natural bug repellent because the flowers give off a fragrance bugs and flying insects do not like.

Use mint as a fly repellent. Small cotton balls with peppermint essential oil, can be placed around the home to discourage flies.

Bay, cloves, and eucalyptus essential oils can be soaked in cotton balls and can be placed by open windows or doors.

Place a small, open container of sweet basil and clover near pet food or any open food in the house.

A few drops of eucalyptus oil on a scrap of absorbent cloth will deter flies. Leave in areas where flies are a problem.

You can make your own flypaper with this simple recipe: Mix 1/4 cup syrup, 1 tbsp. granulated sugar and 1 tbsp. brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut strips of brown Kraft paper and soak in this mixture. Let dry overnight. To hang, poke a small hole at the top of each strip and hang with string or thread.

The best defense against bed bugs is prevention, and this is easily achieved in rooms which have not yet been infected. If there is presence of bed bugs in a room, then a thorough cleaning and vacuuming is required, followed by preventive measures. Frequent travelers should be especially alert to early signs of bed bugs in the home.

The best preventive measure against bed bugs is to apply non-toxic diatomaceous earth in the vicinity of bed bug activity. Be sure to use food-grade diatomaceous earth. Do not use pool-grade diatomaceous earth.

Wash all bedding in hot water (120 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter), adding 10 drops of Tea Tree essential oil. This will kill any bedbugs in the bedding.

The most likely hiding places for bed bugs will be small cracks and crevices closest to where you sleep. The mattress and box spring should be lifted from the frame, and after vacuuming, sprinkle diatomaceous earth along the edges of the frame which holds the box spring. Personal items such as stuffed animals, blankets, etc. should be vacuumed and placed in plastic bags for several weeks.

Cedarwood oil is a great choice for getting rid of bed bugs.  Dilute several drops with distilled water in a spray bottle and generously mist the mattress with the spray after removing all bedding.   Wash all linens with a few drops of X-Plague and several drops of Cleansing oil.  When changing linens, you can also mist the mattress with a spray made from distilled water and several drops of X-Plague.

For extra umph, make the following Bed Bug Spray Recipe:

- 10 drops of Frankincense oil
- 6 drops of Eucalyptus oil
-5 drops of Cedarwood oil

Combine with 4 oz. Distilled Water in a dark glass Spritzer bottle.

To eradicate bed bug eggs, make homemade sachets to place between the mattress and box springs with cornstarch or baking soda in cotton tea bags mixed with frankincense, eucalyptus, and cedarwood.

If you should sustain any bites from bed bugs, use Lavender or Cleansing on the bites.

Prevention

Seal entry points. Solitary wasps in the home can be a nuisance; daily sightings of wasps in the home may indicate inside nest building, and more attention to the problem is required. Searching for and sealing off their point of entry is the best line of defense. Check your house for unsealed vents, torn screens, cracks around windows and door frames and open dampers. Observe the flight path of a wasp, especially in the morning, which may reveal the entry/exit point.

Remove food sources. In spring and early summer, wasps are attracted to protein foods. Any food left outdoors, such as pet food, picnic scraps, open garbage containers or uncovered compost piles should be removed or covered. Wasps imprint food sources, and will continue to search an area for some time after the food has been removed.

In late summer and early fall, the wasp food preference turns to the sweet. Their behavior is also more aggressive. Open cans of pop, fruit juice, fallen apples beneath fruit trees and other sweet food sources will attract wasps. Be sure to cover drinks and open food containers, keep a lid on the compost and avoid walking barefoot near fruit trees. Remove any fallen fruit rotting on the ground.

Avoid swatting. Swatting and squashing wasps is counterproductive. When a wasp is squashed, a chemical (pheromone) is released which attracts and incites other nearby wasps. It's best to walk away from a hovering wasp.

Avoid wearing bright colours or floral patterns. If you look like a big flower, you may be attracting the curious wasp looking for nectar.

Minimize use of perfumes and other strong scents. In the later part of the summer, wasps are attracted to sweet smells.

Wasps building nests in your bird house? This common problem can be minimized by lining the under-roof area with aluminum foil. Use a staple gun to attach. Another option is to rub the under-roof area liberally with bar soap - ordinary soap like Ivory soap will do. One application can last through an annual wasp season.

Make your own Trap:

Use a razor knife to cut the top from a 2-liter plastic pop bottle. Cut just above the shoulder of the bottle. Discard the screw top. Fill with water about halfway. Coat the neck with jam, invert it and set back on the bottle. Use two small pieces
of tape to hold it in place.

Wasps will go down the funnel to get the jam, but will find it difficult to get out. Most will drop into the water and drown.

A few drops of dish soap in the water will make it hard for the wasps to tread water, and will hasten their demise. (You can also add a 1/4 cup of vinegar to the water to discourage honeybees from entering the trap in search of water.)
Note: In the spring and early summer, wasps are attracted to protein-based baits; use jam or other sweet baits in later summer and into fall.

Empty the trap daily! As more wasps are caught, they create a raft on which other wasps can survive for a considerable time. Some of these wasps then find purchase on the plastic of the bottle and eventually crawl out. The longer the trap is untended, the more wasps will manage to escape, which may result in swarming.
The trap will be most effective if set about 4' above ground.

Ever had trouble sticking to a diet?

Crave foods?

Overweight?

Want to snack, especially at night?

These are all indications that you could have some Leptin issues. Leptin is a master hormone in the body that controls hunger and feelings of satiety. Leptin is secreted by adipose (fat) tissue, so the more overweight a person is, typically, the higher his leptin levels.
( “Hmm, let’s get some “Insulin: release!” But we can heavily influence our hormonal responses through the things we do, the stress we undergo, the foods we eat, the weights we lift, and the sleep we get.)

Leptin is the lookout hormone – the gatekeeper of fat metabolism, monitoring how much energy your body takes in. It surveys and maintains the energy balance in the body, and it regulates hunger via three pathways:

• By counteracting the effects of neuropeptide Y, a potent feeding stimulant secreted by the hypothalamus and certain gut cells.
• By counteracting the effects of anandamide, another feeding stimulant.
• By promoting the production of a-MSH, an appetite suppressant.”

Leptin is also directly tied to insulin levels. Many people these days are Leptin resistant and there are many health problems tied to this problem. High leptin levels have been tied to high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease and stroke, as well as blood sugar related problems.

High levels of Leptin and the accompanying leptin resistance can also decrease fertility, age you more quickly and contribute to obesity. If you’re trying to lose weight or improve a health problem, chances are you have Leptin resistance. If you can’t seem to stick to health changes, chances are you have Leptin resistance.

In other words, if you want to make lasting health changes or lose weight and keep it off, you have to fix your leptin. The good news is: if you’ve failed at diets or health changes in the past, it was likely because you failed to regulate your Leptin levels and doing so can help you finally make lasting changes.

As with all hormone issues, Leptin resistance is a complex issue with no singular cause, but there are many factors that can negatively impact Leptin levels including:

• Fructose consumption (especially in forms like High Fructose Corn Syrup)
• High stress levels
• Consumption of a lot of simple carbs
• Lack of sleep
• High insulin levels (vicious cycle here)
• Overeating
• Exercising too much, especially if your hormones are already damaged
• Grain and lectin consumption

This is a complex problem, but not an irreversible one. In short, the (non-negotiable) factors that will help improve leptin response are:

• Eating little to no simple starches, refined foods, sugars and fructose
• Consuming a large amount of protein and healthy fats first thing in the morning, as soon after waking as possible. This promotes satiety and gives the body the building blocks to make hormones. My go-to is a large scramble with 2-3 eggs, vegetables and left over meat from the night before cooked in coconut oil.
• Be in bed by ten (no excuses) and optimize your sleep!
• Get outside during the day, preferably barefoot on the ground, in mid-day sun with some skin exposed. There are many reasons this is helpful.
• DON’T SNACK!!! When you are constantly eating, even small amounts, during the day it keeps your liver working and doesn’t give hormones a break. Try to space meals at least 4 hours apart and don’t eat for at least 4 hours before bed. This includes drinks with calories - but herbal teas, water, coffee or tea without cream or sugar are fine.
• Don’t workout at first. If you are really Leptin resistant, this will just be an additional stress on the body. Let your body heal a little first, then add in the exercise.
• When you do exercise, do only sprints and weight lifting. Walk or swim if you want to but don’t do cardio just for the sake of cardio. It’s just a stress on the body. High intensity and weight lifting, on the other hand, give the hormone benefits of working out without the stress from excess cardio and are great after the first few weeks. Also, workout in the evening, not the morning, to support hormone levels.
• Remove toxins from your life as these are a stress on your body. Getting rid of processed foods, commercial deodorants (now deoderant stick) and comercial soap (use microfiber) will go a long way!
• Eat (or take) more Omega-3s (fish, grassfed meats, chia seeds) and minimize your Omega-6 consumption (vegetable oils, conventional meats, grains, etc) to get lower inflammation and help support healthy leptin levels.