For those concerned about the detrimental impact of commercial pesticides, home-based remedies can be a gentler alternative
Regular kitchen ingredients can keep insects and the damp at bay
The monsoon brings with it moody nostalgia and also an uptick in the number and variety of household bugs. Experts say that many of these lie dormant in the preceding months to spring to life after a rainy shower. While many rely on chemical alternatives, concerns have been raised about their impact on air and water quality, as well as the tendency of these to bio-accumulate inside your body to cause lasting damage. So, if you’ve been grappling with dampness and keeping pests at bay while also being mindful of your health, here are a few tips to help you get started.
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Household critters
“Unlike store-bought remedies, home-made nature-based alternatives serve to repel insects rather than killing them. For me, this makes them a more viable and a gentler solution for both my farms and at home,” explains Varun Goel, founder of Sanesa Farms. He recommends diluting neem oil in water as a spray for plants or around your house to keep flies and other pests at bay. “You could also mix garlic juice with hing (asafoetida) powder or juice. Dilute about 5 ml of this solution in 100 ml of water for use as an insect repelling spray,” he suggests. Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, a culinary expert and consultant chef, adds that basil and mint leaves act as natural repellents. Crushed mint leaves help keep ants at bay.
Varun Goel and Reetu Uday Kugaji
“I grow basil and mint plants in my garden and pluck a few leaves, as required. I also paint a few eggshells and hang them in various corners of my home to deter lizards. Further, I make small pouches of bay leaves and cloves, and hang them in various corners to discourage flies and fleas,” she says. If you’re battling an ant infestation, you can sprinkle salt in the areas from where ants enter your house. For cockroaches, she suggests preparing a mixture of sugar or honey with cornmeal and boric acid powder in equal proportions and placing it in areas that are frequented by the roaches. “The combination of cornmeal and sugar or honey attracts the roaches while the boric acid powder kills them,” she explains.
A pest-free and dry kitchen
Ideally, your preparations to pest-proof your kitchen should begin before the onset of the monsoon, says Kugaji. “Replace all plastic bottles with airtight glass bottles and jars for storage. This goes a long way towards keeping your grains and flours free from pests and worms. To prevent clumps in your coffee and tea powders, place a piece of blotting paper in the powder. For salt and sugar, toast a little raw rice and place it in the sugar and salt. The rice absorbs the moisture and keeps the salt and sugar dry. For brown sugar, place a piece of dried orange rind in the container. To avoid your spice powders from clumping, add a few cloves to them. To prevent whole spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and bay leaves from becoming spoiled and tasteless, either sun-dry them or lightly toast them before storing in air-tight containers,” she recommends. To keep your semolina and broken wheat (dalia) worm-free, dry-roast it, cool completely and store in air-tight glass bottles. Always use a dry scoop or spoon. To keep your raw rice, flours and oatmeal free of worms, place a few bay leaves or sun-dried neem leaves inside the containers, advises Goel. You can also prepare a pouch using food-grade muslin with camphor pieces and place this in the grains, pulses or legumes, adds Kugaji.
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