The plant that helps keep insects and rodents away from your home, here's how you can use it
The smell of bay leaves is unbearable for some animals. Photo: iStock
Both rodents and insects invade people's homes for the same reason: they seek food to survive. However, this becomes a problem for the home's inhabitants, as these animals can transmit diseases.
These situations tend to occur more frequently during the colder months of the year, which motivates rats to explore warm places to protect themselves from low temperatures and have a high availability of products.
Rodents seek shelter and food. Photo: iStock
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In the case of flies, they usually appear at any time of day, mainly because they have a highly developed sense of smell, making it easier for them to detect the smell of food.
However, allowing these flying insects to land on food is not a good idea, because when they come into contact with any preparation, the animal regurgitates digestive juices to break down and suck out the nutrients.
Although it may seem impossible, bay leaves are a natural solution for pest control , as their properties keep rats, flies, moths, cockroaches, weevils, mosquitoes, mites, and ants out of homes.
This plant, native to the Mediterranean region, has unique properties such as the intense fragrance of its leaves and the production of essential oils , which can be used in different areas of the home.
The bay tree is also known as a shrub. Photo: iStock
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One of the most common tips is to pick a few leaves from the shrub and place them in the corners of small spaces like cupboards, closets, drawers, shoe racks , or any other place where things are stored and you want to avoid the presence of pests.
Another effective alternative is to use the compounds in their oils, since cineole, eugenol, eucalyptol, and methyl eugenol are substances with strong odors that are unbearable for some animals.
Flies have a highly developed sense of smell. Photo: iStock
It's also possible to make a homemade repellent to effectively reduce the presence of rodents and insects. To do this, you'll need bay leaves, water, and a spray bottle.
- Place a pot of water and aromatic leaves on the stove to boil.
- When the infusion is ready, it should be left to rest until it cools.
- Then, it is important to strain the mixture to remove any residue.
- Pour the liquid into a spray bottle or spray it in areas frequented by pests.
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