5 non-toxic pest control essentials proven to prevent pests humanely – and why avoiding harsh chemicals is a must to keep your family healthy

Spotting pests in your home can be alarming, often leading us to reach for the strongest deterrents available and flood our spaces with chemicals in an attempt to eliminate the invaders. However, in removing one hazard, we may be unintentionally introducing another.

Luckily, it’s possible to create a pest-free home without compromising your health with a few non-toxic pest control essentials, whether you're dealing with ants in the kitchen or rodents in the attic.

Here, pest experts and board-certified entomologists have shared their favorite non-toxic solutions for indoor pests, to help you defend your home without putting your well-being at risk.

Non-toxic pest control essentials

While there is no denying that chemical pest control is effective, especially for large or dangerous pest situations, for smaller jobs and prevetative pest measures, these can be overkill, so to speak, and could be putting your health at risk.

A 2024 study found ‘pesticides produce different types of toxicity, for instance, neurotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, and endocrine disruption,’ depending on the active ingredients. It cautioned that proper training and regulations were needed to balance the negative impacts.

That’s why our pest pros suggest homeowners stick to these five natural pest-control methods for indoor pests, paired with some pest-preventative strategies such as limiting food sources, to quickly shoo unwanted guests out of your home.

1. Essential oils

We usually turn to essential oils to make DIY cleaning solutions and clean our homes without harming the planet, but did you know that they can be effective against pests, too?

From using peppermint oil to get rid of mice to natural repellents for carpenter bees, these potent oils can shoo off most common household pests and prevent them from setting up a home in your house.

Jim McHale, entomologist, CEO, and president at JP McHale Pest Management suggests, ‘Apply essential oils like lemon, orange, cinnamon, lavender, peppermint, and rose geranium oils on the skin to deter ticks from latching on.

‘Peppermint and eucalyptus are scents that double as natural rodent deterrents, so consider placing cotton balls soaked in essential oils near potential entry points.

‘Certain oils, like citronella, can have repellent effects on weak flying insects including ladybugs who do not like citronella or the smell of mint. Spray a mixture of these two oils where ladybugs congregate.

‘Mint oil emits an aroma that stink bugs hate. Spray the oil on plant leaves, in doorways, and on windowsills to keep stinkbugs out of the house.’

2. Use cedarwood

You don’t have to splash out on the finest-grade essential oils to keep pests away from your property. Michael Karapetian, great global cleanup coordinator at Earth Day points out, ‘Cedarwood naturally repels insects, moths and is a smell rats and mice hate, due to its very strong aroma.

‘You can buy aromatic cedar blocks, available at The Home Depot, chips, or use cedarwood sprays in closets, under sinks, or around entryways. This scent really lingers and the chips last for ages and biodegrade afterwards if you put them outside.

‘It is worth noting this method doesn’t kill the insects, but they will make them leave your home – humanely.’

3. Humane traps

Larger pests might need a little more help leaving your home, especially if you are dealing with common roof pest infestations such as getting rid of raccoons or getting rid of rodents in the attic.

Michael Karapetian continues, ‘Talking of humane, you can buy mice traps such as the Victor Catch and Hold No-Touch Humane Mouse Trap, from The Home Depot, that don’t kill the rodents they catch. These traps use bait like cookies and cheese to lure the animal inside, where they get trapped. Then you can release them in a local park or down the bottom of a larger garden.

‘This method prevents the use of poison which is never nice to have in your home as children might find it – and it is a more compassionate solution to lethal pest control.’

4. Clean with vinegar

Is there anything that cleaning with vinegar cannot do?

According to Brad Guerrera, owner of Expert Pest Control, ‘Vinegar erases scent trails that ants and roaches use to find their way back into your home. Wipe down counters and floors with equal parts vinegar and water to cut off their navigation system.

‘If you have drain flies or roaches hiding in pipes, pour baking soda down the drain, followed by vinegar for a DIY drain cleaning solution. It foams up, scrubs the pipes, and gets rid of eggs and residue that attract pests.’

Most pest control comes down to cutting off food, water, and shelter. If you get that right, you won’t need chemicals to keep pests out.’

5. Diatomaceous earth

Usually used against common houseplant pests, diatomaceous earth can also be sprinkled around your home to deal with smaller bugs and insects.

Trenton Frazer, senior director of quality assurance at Aptive Environmental explains, ‘This fine powder, made from fossilized algae, is completely non-toxic to humans and pets but deadly to many insects like ants, cockroaches, and fleas.

‘It works by damaging the exoskeletons of insects, causing them to dehydrate and die. Just sprinkle it in areas where pests are seen or likely to be present. Food-grade diatomaceous earth from brands like Harris diatomaceous earth, from Walmart, is widely available and is the safest option for home use.’

Do take the precaution of wearing a mask when laying it down as it should not be inhaled.

Meet the experts

Jim McHale

Jim has grown up in the pest control world, with his father having founded McHale Pest Management in 1971. Jim took over the family business in 1988 after his father's retirement,

Michael Karapetian

Michael is an experienced sustainability expert and speaker in the environmental non-profit industry who is passionate about the environment and learning what we can do to protect it.

Trenton Frazer

Trenton has worked in pest control companies for over ten years, having started as a director of entomology with Aptive in 2015.

FAQs

What is the least toxic pesticide?

If you want to use a commercial pest control product to help with bug infestations, consider using horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps. These targeted solutions have far fewer potential health effects for users than harsh chemicals and powders while efficiently breaking down and killing insects.

It is worth noting that non-toxic pest control might not work for every single pest situation. In extreme cases where pests are lingering despite your best efforts, it is always worth consulting with a pest control expert to avoid common pest control mistakes that could damage your property.