The colder months of autumn tend to mean that unwanted insects and pests will be a more common occurrence throughout homes, as the creatures look for shelter, warmth or food. While many of them are harmless, it’s important to keep them away from munching on store cupboard foods which they can easily get to.
Cleaning fan and TikTok creator Chantel Mila, more commonly known as Mama Mila on social media, recently shared some of her top tips for deterring annoying bugs. When it comes to keeping your kitchen cupboards free of them and food-safe, she recommended using a common herb. To help protect your kitchen cupboards that are packed full of food, you won’t need any harsh chemical deterrent.
In fact, Chantel recommended using one herb — dried or fresh — to help keep unwanted pests at bay and away from pantry food.
Simply place a small handful of bay leaves on one of the shelves. The strong aroma will do the job.
Bay leaves can help deter pests found in the pantry such as weevils and moths. This is due to the leaves’ strong, aromatic compounds, which are unpleasant to insects. It also contains eucalyptol, which has insect-repellent properties.
A 2006 study looked at how effective various essential oils were as pest repellents, finding that they can also repel insects such as cockroaches and mosquitoes. Although the research on bay leaves is limited, the study found that eucalyptus, basil and anise were the best deterrents.
Proof Pest recommended placing fresh bay leaves and sprinkling them on countertops and cupboard shelves – or anywhere you want. To keep the leaves secure, you can tape them to your cabinets or place an object over them to ensure they won’t move.
If you want to go the extra mile and protect dry foods, add the leaves to the food containers directly.
Bay leaves can also be used to deter moths in wardrobes as well. Moths are attracted to keratin, the protein found in animal-based fabrics, as well as in human hair and shed skin cells.
Keratin can be found in fabrics such as cashmere, wool, silk, feathers, and fur. According to Seep, the strong bitter aroma of bay leaves is often effective in deterring various insects, including flies and cockroaches.