After drinking coffee, it has a variety of uses. One of them is that coffee is a natural insecticide. This is also shown by several studies and experiments. It can even protect plants from pests like snails and ants.
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How does coffee work as an insecticide?
Below we explain how coffee works as an insecticide and how to use it.
Coffee-based pesticides for your plants
Pesticides usually contain substances that are unhealthy or even dangerous for humans. Coffee is considered safe, which is why studies have been conducted to determine how coffee works as a pesticide.
According to US Department of Agriculture research published in the journal Nature, caffeine may be a natural substitute for insecticides. According to this, coffee grounds (which are left over from the preparation of coffee) can kill slugs and slugs.
In that study, they placed snails near plants that had been sprayed with coffee grounds. They mention that after 48 hours all the snails had cleared the plants and 92% had died. In the same study, it was shown that the plants treated with the mixture suffered no damage, only a yellowish color on the leaves.
Application:
- Mix the coffee grounds with plenty of water, remembering that the coffee must not make up more than 2% of the total mix or it could affect the health of your plant, and water with it once a day until you see no more invaders.
- Collect the coffee grounds and let them dry. Once dry, place a circle around your plant with it to prevent insects from eating your plants leaves.
How to use coffee as an insecticide for your home
Insecticides can be toxic, which is why we offer coffee as an ecological alternative. Due to its acidic properties, coffee is an excellent insect repellent in our home. Many variations and blends have been found with coffee to repel many insects from our home.
Mosquito insecticide
Mosquitoes don’t like the sour smell of coffee. Once you have mosquitoes in your home, I recommend you follow the steps below:
- collect coffee grounds.
- Place the coffee grounds in a bowl or plate and let them dry in the sun.
- Light the dry coffee grounds.
Ideally, put the smoking coffee grounds in a place where you want to drive away the mosquitoes.
Insecticide for ants and snails
Ants, snails and mosquitoes cannot stand the sour smell of coffee, the solution against these little creatures is very simple.
With the dry coffee grounds, you form a barrier or a protective wall. Of course, this does not have to be high, but only consist of some coffee. With this you block the way with the coffee smell of ants or snails.
Insecticide against cockroaches
However, there are also insects that are attracted to coffee. We can therefore use the coffee as bait for a trap.
- Fill a glass or container that you will no longer be using with water and add a few spoonful of coffee until it looks wet.
- Once the mixture has worked and contains roaches, you should discard them along with the coffee and refill the container with the mixture.
- Repeat this process until you see no more cockroaches in the trap.
Recommendations for using coffee as an insecticide
Although coffee is a natural product, we will give you some recommendations so that its use as an insecticide is the best it can be and does not harm the health of your plants or your own.
- Remember that our pets don’t like the smell of coffee either. It may therefore be the case that your dog or cat may not be happy with the use.
- Coffee is a fantastic remedy, but it doesn’t always work 100%.
- If coffee is to act as an insect repellent and repellent, be careful not to apply a thick layer to your plant as this will prevent water and air from penetrating properly.
- Before applying, make sure you know which insects are repelled and which are attracted to coffee.
Make your own insecticidal coffee
Now that you know how you can try to control the appearance of insects in your home with simple means, we will give you a recipe so that you can prepare your homemade insecticide with coffee.
Ingredients to make a homemade insecticide
For our recipe for a homemade insecticide, we’re going to use ingredients that are easy to obtain or that you might even have at home.
- coffee grounds
- A tablespoon of ground pepper
- water
- garlic
- Half a cup of white vinegar
- A tablespoon of cloves
- A tablespoon of cinnamon
- mud flaps
- A spray bottle
Preparation of the coffee-based insecticide
To complete the recipe, you need to follow the following steps to finally have your own homemade insecticide.
- In a saucepan, bring water to a boil (enough to fill the spray bottle), then add the coffee grounds.
- Pour in the white vinegar.
- Mince the garlic and cook it too.
- Next add cinnamon and pepper.
- Put half of the cloves in your spray bottle and the other half in the water.
- Boil for a few minutes, turn off the stove and let cool.
- Strain the cooled mixture through a sieve and pour into the spray bottle.
- Finally, shake the spray bottle to mix all the ingredients well and spray the areas in your home where you saw the bugs.
