10 surefire ways to get rid of bugs on houseplants - a list to kill them all (2023)

Connecting with your plants is natural. You are finally alive. They feed them, cut them, feed them and bathe them from time to time. No wonder you fell in love with her.

You have just realized how many mosquitoes, mites, mealybugs, whiteflies and many creatures with multiple legs and double wings infest them and endanger the plant world.

Do you remember the Daleks from Dr. Who?You can sayDestroy(Say it out loud in a robotic voice - or YouTube if you're intrigued)!

Still, there are ways and means of doing things. Some family-friendly and pet-friendly techniques work to get rid of houseplant bugs... others are super toxic everywhere.

Enough of you say?

In order. Let's do it. Choose one of the following methods or combine several for maximum bug-killing power!

10 Houseplant Bed Bug Remedies: The Swiss Army Knife of Bug Killers

For the first time…

1 – There is a Castile Soap solution

And there's a reason for that. All previous internet searches are wrong.(probably).

Explain, you ask?

Well, let's assume for a second that you've read a clown's advice on how to smother houseplant bugs with a soapy water solution. Consisting of… Detergent for dishes.

The problem is... there is no such thing. Liquid detergent is not soap.it is a laundry detergent. Castile soap is a real soap.

Other than that, the ivory soap is the only other thingpure soap typeyou can easily get hold(Who's the clown now?).The rest harm your plants because of the additives.

Additions are things like:

• fragrances, including scented oils, essential oils, and perfumes
• dyes
• moisturizing

However, there is no doubt that any type of watery soap mixture will kill mole insects. It will also remove the waxy coating on the plant's leaves, making dehydration more likely. Get the mixture very strong andkill your plant.

Enough to say... If you want to take a risk, take a risk...(Observe listed precautions).

The DIY way to make your own castile soap insecticide is asimple three-fold process:

• Take a spray bottle. If used, clean it thoroughly.
• Mix one tablespoon of liquid soap per liter of water(that's one quart, two quarts, or four cups).
• Give it a good shake/mix.

Ofit couldSpray your entire plant. However, prevention is better than cure. Just cover one leaf, leave it for 24 hours, and see if the spray did more damage to the plant. If so, try something else. If not, go ahead and use it for the rest.

However, take precautions as the plant will need repeated applications and you don't want to damage it further.

How many applications?Good question…

• For a light infestation, apply a second spray a week later.
• If there are more than a few bugs, do spot treatments every few days. This means inspecting the plant, looking for insects, and spraying them directly rather than drenching the plant. This only works when in contact with pests. You will not be attracted to it as it has no odor.
• If the infestation is severe, you can coat the plant thoroughly with the solution every few days.

Be sure to spray it on chilly mornings because soapy water is only good when wet.

Once dry, it is useless as it cannot affect insects. Ideally, you want the mixture to stay on the plant for as long as possible. Do this by spraying it at low temperatures as it won't dry as quickly.

For this soap spray to work, the soap solution must come into contact with the pests. Once you do,penetrates your membranes, attack your nervous system and cause a complete blockage. Death!

good times(seems to mean).

The bad times are when the mixture is so strong that it damages the foliage to the point of dehydrating the plant. So it wouldn't make sense to kill the bugs. They would go alone, as they had nothing to eat.

Words that make you smarter:

Most smaller insects prefer darkness, so they are found on the underside of leaves. For best results with minimal risk(I'm not saying there's no risk)Rather than covering the entire plant, spray the liquid soap directly onto the bugs you find.

Look closely at the underside of the leaves. It's where they like to hide.

However, for the safety of your plants, trust the experts... The safest way to use insecticidal soap is to use a highly refined version.

Clemson University authors Carlin Munnerlyn and Joey Williamson, along with gardening professor Joyce D. Ubl, report 10 commonly available commercial insecticidal soaps that are much safer than the DIY variety.

These are:

• Bayer Advanced Natria insecticidal soap(see Amazon)
• Bonide Insecticidal Soap
• Insecticidal concern for roses and flowers II
• Earth foam insecticidal soap
• Lilly Miller - Worry-free insecticidal soap
• Natural Guard insecticide soap
• Sabonete inseticida Raid Earth Options
• Safer insect killer soap
• Schultz Garden Safe Insecticide Soap Insecticide
• Whitney Farms insecticidal soap

To use:This was retrieved fromClemson Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet HGIC 2771and last updated: August 12, 2015. Disclaimers apply. It's just a list. It's not a backup.

Still, there are more tricks up its sleeve.

Look at this…

2 - Neem oil: an excellent all-rounder that insects hate

What doesn't sound good about it?

It's pet safe, family safe, organic.(always good for plants), which is capable of controlling hundreds of different species of insects, adults, larvae and their eggs.

will even fightpredatory nematodes.

In other words, it's a dream oil for your plants and look at that...ideal for internal use!

See how to create your ownNeemöl-Spray:

What will you need:

• A stick or bucket big enough to mix the amount of spray you are making.
• An empty (and clean) spray bottle.
• neem oil extract(Link to Amazon) – Best cold pressed.
• olive oil liquid soap(Link to Amazon) for an emulsifier.

For your neem oil...

Try using pure cold-pressed neem oil extract, but by all means because of the active ingredient(Azadiractina) See Moreis more powerful

Then you need an emulsifier.(because oil does not mix with water)and rely on Castile's trusted liquid soap.

The amount needed for 10 liters at 2%(1% is intended for general use)Neem Oil Spray are:

• 200ml Neem Oil
• Liquid Castile Soap 30ml
• 10 liters of water

Adjust focus to the amount you are doing.

For example:5 liters 2%, half to 100 ml neem oil, 15 ml liquid castile soap and reduce water to 5 liters. If you want to make it stronger, say with a heavier plant infestation, increase the amount of neem oil and leave the other amounts the same.

how to join

1. Add liquid Castile soap to warm water.
2. Slowly pour in the neem oil (stir constantly to mix well).
3. Once dissolved, put it in your spray bottle, shake it well and keep stirring. Use it immediately by watering your plant. The mixture is only good for up to 8 hours, after which it loses potency.

You have to know this part...

This needs to be repeated as it is not an instant debugger. Takes time. Wait a week before removing the plant, and continue spraying weekly until the bugs are gone.

Once the infestation is gone, you can reduce the concentration to 0.5% neem oil to use as an insect repellent.

Or there is this organic error handler:

3 - Pyrethrum spray: an instant contact poison for insects

this is pronouncedrum crown cake. Think festive. Christmas cake, wreath on the door and a bottle of cachaça.

Esnot the same as permethrinspray. This is something used to control other insect pests like bed bugs, mosquitoes, and indoor bugs that won't settle on your plants.

Think of it this way:

• When your mistakes bother you. It's permethrin spray.
• If bugs attack your plants, it's a pyrethrum spray.

Like neem oil, it is a contact poison.

If insects come into contact with it, its nervous system is attacked. About to shut down and they die.

But get this... Although it's organic, it's not long-lasting. High temperatures and exposure to ultraviolet light reduce its effectiveness. So, just like neem oil, spray when the temperature is cooler, but instead of doing it in the morning, apply it at night.

It's not good to assume. Because it is safe for indoor use, you can use it in the garden with confidence.

You can not

It also kills beneficial insects. Even more important is the guy on theList of endangered species– bee honey. That means you can't (or shouldn't) knowingly kill them.

Pyrethrum spray is highly toxic to all insects. Useful or harmful to plants. There is no discrimination. As honeybees are often outdoors in pollinated areas, they are unlikely to be a cause for concern indoors.

You can make your own, but you would need to have grown flowers from the chrysanthemum family or the tansy family. The most common is theperennial daisy.

If you do this when the flowers are in bloom (wear gloves, as this is harmful), pluck the flower heads and dry them in a cool, dark place. Thentear it upuntil it becomes natural. For each cup (130 grams), add the ground powder to 2 liters of warm water and leave for a few hours.

Then drain so that only water remains.

Add a teaspoon of liquid Castile soap and a teaspoon of cooking oil, mix everything...

Put this in a spray bottle and you can apply it to your plants.

But it would actually be a lot easier to order a ready-to-use pyrethrum spray bottle online or buy a spray from your garden center. Some garden centers may only sell the powder form. If it's just powder, make the spray by adding some regular soap, cooking oil, and warm water.

Another reason to buy it ready to use: It comes with instructions. Follow them!

This spray is not suitable for families or pets, so always use with caution. Especially if you put it in unlabeled spray bottles.

Or use what you already have...

4 - Alcohol

Vodka, stale beer, rum... you name it.Do not use on your plants..

When people talk about using alcohol to get rid of pests, what they really mean is thatGet rid of snails and snails.

That's why it's called a beer trap.

All you have to do is put the stale beer in a shallow dish, place it where the snail problem is, indoors or outdoors. Snails and slugs are attracted to the sugar content caused by fermentation. You can't help but grab your plate and go.

In the process, they get drunk. You might drown, but either way, take the bowl outside in the morning to bring it back to Mother Earth.

Here's what you should know about alcohol and plants.

first there isthree types of alcohol.

1. Ethanol
2. methanol
3. isopropyl

Isopropyl is sold as isopropyl alcohol. It is as high as 70% concentration. These are antiseptic values. Not like the old Country West antiseptic used to clean gunshot wounds with whiskey.

• Ethanol inhibits plant growth.
• Methanol stimulates plant growth.

However, with ethanol alcohol, the 5% concentrate prevents plant growth, but the 10% concentrate stresses it. A concentration of 25% will kill it.

Isopropyl (isopropyl alcohol) works best. You can alsouse it for so much more. How to clean glass or sterilize anything, including pruning shears and shears.

Even better... It's cheap to buy. Cheaper than a bottle of spirits.

To use it aspest control method, just use cotton swabs dipped in alcohol and rub them on the pests. you hate it Especially mealybugs.

Now, if you don't want to look for bugs and rub every one of them, you can make a spray with isopropyl alcohol.

All you need are the quantities:

• Use for every liter of waterone or two cups of alcohol

Quick reminder: "A quart is a quart, two liters or four cups"

This assumes your isopropyl alcohol is 70%. If it is less concentrated, increase the amount. If it's stronger, reduce the amount you use.

Or you can sign up here,EUIf you already have these things in the kitchen anyway.

5 - Garlic or Pepper Spray - Or mix to kill the bugs

Garlic spray alone, used to treat the leaves of the plant, is effective in getting rid of the insects. By using garlic water on soil plants, you can treat nematode problems and get rid of fungus gnats on houseplants.

AMake the garlic solution, you will need:

• A processor/mixer
• 1 clove of garlic
• A glass big enough to hold a few glasses of water.
• A container large enough to hold a gallon of water
• One (clean) spray bottle for application

Here's what you must do:

• Pass the garlic through the blender until it has a smooth consistency.
• Pour two glasses of water.
• Squeeze the mixture twice
• Pour into a jar, cover and leave in a dark place for a day.
• coe a mistura
• Pour into the larger container and fill with water to bring it up to 1 gallon.
• Fill your spray bottle and apply it to your plant.

Apply your garlic mixture weekly until the pests are gone.

If you want to make it more effective, mix some chopped hot herbs(Jalapenos, Habaneroetc)to your mixture and add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

But listen... This is bad for the pests, but also very unpleasant for you.(If you have a bad memory: read the last sentence 7 more times to help you remember).

Spicy herbs are strong, and when mixed in this way are certainly unpleasant for the throat.don't touch your eyesafter treating them.

Wear gloves and something to cover your mouth and nose (a winter scarf should do the trick).

To allow the peppers to soak in the water, heat, bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes. Then let it cool and mix with the garlic solution.

Ö…you can grow your own pesticides:

6 - Herbs you can grow indoors that repel insects and flies

To holdmosquitosjfliesGet rid of rosemary and insectsmint.

Both spread like wildfire when grown outdoors, but can be grown in pots as well as indoors.

It could also be catnip. Cats love it, but you have to alternate between outside and inside.Catnip needs a lot of sun.

None act as quickly as the others, but once the pests are gone, it's helpful to have them close to the plants so the odors drive them away.

What we perceive as pleasant smells, insects absolutely hate smells.

If you want to try growing herbs indoors, grow them close to your other plants so that the smell prevents other pests from being attracted to your plants.

For another surefire way to kill bugs...

7 - Just use water and a garden hose

Yes! It's that simple: take your plant outside, plant it in the ground, spray it with the strongest spray you can, and get rid of those bugs. playespecially good for aphidswith indoor plants.

You can also use your shower to water your plant.

Here's one for the most common of them all: mosquitoes.

8 - Apple cider vinegar is effective in killing adult mosquitoes - Stop breeding

Mosquitoes, as annoying as they are, are idiots. adults anyway.

You will drown yourself as long as you put the hook in.

This bait... A bowl of apple cider vinegar. You will be drawn to it. Cover with cling film, take a fork and make small holes.

They will crawl into the bowl.so drownbecause they cannot get out of the little hole through which they made their way into the bowl.

There will still be larvae and eggs in the soil, so the problem won't go away. For that comes a trick you'll love: he's a great batsman!

For more information on how to get rid of mosquitoes, seemy detailed instructions.

Let's cover it for now...

9 - Diatomaceous Earth - Only suitable for food if you have children and/or pets

This is a great way to protect your plants and your family, while also tackling a deeper issue: how to get rid of soil bugs. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is deadly to any insect that comes into contact with it.

ANDeasiest way to useIt's... in a plastic bottle.

Just use a funnel to add the powder, pierce the lid several times (narrow holes) and, when squeezing, inflate the powder to cover your plants.Big use of plastics, right?

It is also useful forCover your pan with dustbefore planting in pots. Do this if you want to transplant your plant.

Then add a little more powder to the top soil each time you water. Larvae or eggs do not survive long enough to develop wings.

If that's not enough, here's the hammer:

10 - Bring your own frontline army to fight for you

Now let's talk about getting super angry about bugs. All-out war!Nematode War, I mean.

There are good nematodes and bad nematodes.By the way, it's not a frog either.

And take this: goneproved that useful nematodesCan be used for pest control. Safe for anything but bugs. Farmers needed them and now they use them.

And so can you.

Small roundworms (not the kind you protect your dog with) but the kind that hunt predators.

The same things that lurk in the ground and chew up your plants, thesethe good ones eat them for breakfast, while your plant is nourished and thriving.

24/7 protection! It can't get any better.

One last note:

As soon as you notice a plant with some sort of insect problem... Quarantine it! Separate it from all other plants. Place it in the shower stall or in a room with no other plants.

Always isolate infested plants.

Check out my posts for more tips and tricks on caring for houseplants.profitable ways to indoor gardenjHow to prevent a sick plant from dying!

Before you leave:Now is the perfect time to track your gardening progress, which is exactly why I created a gardening journal. Click the image below to see it in action and get your own copy.