Orange oil is especially effective at keeping ants away, as well as other household pests such as crickets and spiders. Orange oil is also effective against biting or stinging insects such as wasps, fleas, lice and ticks.
According to The Ashton Homestead, the orange peels contain a natural insecticide called D-Limonene that will repel everything from slugs, ants and fruit flies to dogs and foxes. The smell of citrus puts them off, giving you pest-free plants for (almost) free.
If they're still rolling around in your fridge, it's about time to get rid of them - but if you don't want to waste them, here's five ways you can use the peel around your house. 1. MAKE IT INTO A NATURAL INSECT REPELLENT. It's said that roaches, ants, and other pests can't stand the smell of orange oil.
The results of the investigation on what color will repel the greatest number of cockroaches, indicate that red light repels a greater number of roaches than the other five colored lights and the control group of no light. Green light deterred the second most roaches followed by white, yellow, and blue.
The best way to keep cockroaches away permanently is to make the home less inviting. Make sure to keep the home clean, clean up food messes, take out trash at the end of the day, seal any cracks or gaps around windows, doors and the foundation, and fix any issue that might lead to high moisture content within the home.
Orange Peels
Also, aphids and ants really do not like the scent of oranges, so you can bury the peels shallowly in your garden soil, or shred pieces of it and scatter that across your garden. Additionally, similar to one of the many uses of eggshells, you can use half of an orange peel to plant a seed!
Many people love the sweet fruits of oranges and then simply discard the peel and throw them away. Well, it is time you stop doing that as you could benefit from those peels. Orange peels are actually a wonderful medicinal herb that is frequently used to improve slow, stagnant, and damp digestion.
It's easy to keep spiders away using natural products. These eight-legged creatures hate the smell of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. They also don't like peppermint oils, tea tree oils, eucalyptus, and vinegar. Using any of these around your home will keep spiders away.
Bugs are naturally attracted to bright colors like white, yellow or orange. Colors like green and blue won't register as vividly when seen in the UV spectrum, deterring bugs away from these colored objects.
As such, the smell of citrus that remains on leftover peels is what will ultimately drive pests from your garden. By boiling orange peels in hot water, the liquid retains most of the fresh citrus smell, which is incredibly effective at keeping pests away, including mosquitoes, aphids, slugs, or even biting fleas.
Bright colors like yellow, orange, and blue can attract bees as they resemble flowers. The more reflective the color is, the more a bug will be attracted to it. Avoid bright colors as they will attract pollinating insects to your walls.
The monoterpene limonene in orange peels attracts pests and microorganisms.
It's obvious that something has been working on the peel, because the top layer has been removed, leaving a bit of scarring on the peel. Most likely culprits are grasshoppers, katydids, crickets or weevils. Birds can do damage, but they will usually punch a hole in the fruit.
Boric acid Some people find this to be the best option to kill roaches. Boric acid can work too, the only downside is that sometimes roaches will go away as soon as they smell boric acid.
While most people think of littering as throwing trash and plastics out along the side of the road, officially anything that you leave on the side of the road can be considered litter no matter if it is decomposable or not.
To the Hawaiian fellow who was seeking to shock the cats who are spraying on his cars. All you have to do is place some citrus peels in the area where they pee. Maybe rub or spray some OJ or lemon juice in the exact area where they pee.
According to chef and garden expert Laura Ritterman, pests are repelled by the smell of citrus that lives on your leftover peel, and thus deters them. 'Orange peels are great for your garden, as they can help to add nutrients to your soil – aiding in the growth and maintenance of your plants,' Laura explains.
Use chopped up orange peels near your plants
'Spread these pieces or scrapes near the base of the plants. The pungent smell of orange peels can help deter some pests and rodents away from the plants,' Kevin explains.
Did you know that ants hate orange peel? They are also not that keen on red peppers.
Orange Peels
If you've ever peeled an orange, you know how strong the peels' scent can be. Some say the scent is strong enough to scare away insects. Many insects are averse to citrus smells, but drawn to sugar.
Sprinkle boric acid in areas the roaches frequent; when they walk through it, it sticks to them. They later ingest the boric acid, which then kills them. When using boric acid, be sure to limit your exposure; don't place it anywhere that children or pets might find it, as it's toxic when ingested.
Smells that roaches hate: a quickfire summary
Oregano, rosemary, mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass and catnip are great herby options. Citrus oils work brilliantly too. And surprisingly, lower concentrations – 2.5 parts per hundred – seem to work best as deterrents. Just don't bother with lavender.