Household pests are not only annoying, but they can also be dangerous to health and cause damage to the home. Cockroaches, ants, mice, and other invaders find food, warmth, and shelter in our homes. Although there are chemicals to combat them, they are often toxic to people and pets.
Therefore, opting for natural methods, such as the use of baking soda, can be a safe, economical and effective alternative. This guide teaches you how to control different household pests step by step, using simple and accessible ingredients.
How to Control Pests with Baking Soda
1. Cockroaches
Brainberries
Baking soda reacts with the digestive acids of the cockroach, causing an internal imbalance that eliminates them.
What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons regular sugar
Procedure:
Mix both ingredients well.
Place small portions in plastic caps or bottle caps.
Distribute them in strategic places such as under the sink, behind the refrigerator, stove, and corners of the bathroom.
Tip: Replenish the mixture every 3 days to ensure freshness and effectiveness.
2. Ants
The sugar attracts them and the baking soda alters their digestion, also affecting the rest of the anthill by carrying it back.
What you’ll need:
What you’ll need:
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (easier for women to carry)
Procedure:
Mix both ingredients.
Sprinkle on the edges of baseboards, windows, entrances and any place where you see ant traffic.
Tip: Identify the paths that ants follow to better locate the dust.
3. Fleas
Baking soda helps dehydrate both adult fleas and eggs, interrupting the breeding cycle.
What you’ll need:
1 cup baking soda
1 soft-bristled brush
Vacuum cleaner
Procedure:
Sprinkle the baking soda on carpets, pet beds, and couches.
Use the brush to scrub the powder so that it penetrates well into the fibers.
Leave on for 12 to 24 hours and then vacuum carefully.
Tip: Do this twice a week if there is an active infestation.
4. Moths (clothes and pantry)
Baking soda absorbs odors and moisture, which creates an unpleasant environment for moths to lay eggs.
What you’ll need:
3 tablespoons baking soda
Cloth bags or small jars, uncovered
Procedure:
Fill the sachets or jars with baking soda.
Place them in drawers, closets, cupboards, and stored laundry boxes.
Tip: Renew the contents every 2 months and you can combine it with cloves or dried orange peels to enhance the repellent effect.
5. Mice and Rats
Baking soda generates gas in their stomachs, and since they can’t release it, it causes them to collapse internally.
What you’ll need:
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon peanut butter (crushed peanuts with a little oil will also do)
Procedure:
Mix both ingredients until they form a paste.
Put small portions in corners, behind appliances, and along walls, where they tend to circulate.
Tip: Do not place if there are pets, as peanut butter can attract them as well.
6. Spiders
Spiders avoid dusty surfaces and pungent aromas.
What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons baking soda
Procedure:
Sprinkle the baking soda on driveways, corners, windowsills, crevices, and behind furniture.
Tip: You can mix it with a few drops of peppermint essential oil to reinforce the deterrent effect.
General Tips:
Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin, as baking soda dries out.
Label the jars if you’re leaving several repellents ready at home.
Complement with deep cleaning, since removing food debris, moisture and garbage is key for the method to work.
Do not overuse on live plants or delicate woods, as it can alter the pH or damage surfaces.