Natural Non Toxic Summer Hacks (2024)

Glorious summer days outside can be too easily wrecked by wasps, mosquitos, ants and horrie sunburn.

But never fear. I have for you here super smart summer hacks to deal with all of them fast including :

DIY Wasp Trap
Wasp Repelling Plants
Wasp Sprays
Mosquito Repellents
Mosquito Candles
DIY Bug Spray
Natural Bug Balm
Mosquito Bite Treatments
Ant Repelling Hacks
DIY Sunburn Treatments

PLUS for an added bonus I’ve got cool hacks for keeping kids happy outdoors all summer long.

DIY Wasp Trap

Unfortunately, it is hard to keep wasps out of the garden if like me you’ve got lovely sweet smelling fruit trees drawing them in.

So you may need to resort to a DIY wasp trap. But only put up if you have a problem else you’ll just attract more wasps into the garden. If you just want to get rid of a few wasps use this DIY wasp spray.

The trap is simple to make :

Take a large plastic bottle
Cut off the neck
Pop it upside down in the bottle to make a funnel as below
Poke handle holes on either side of bottle with a screwdriver
Remove funnel
Add wasp bait (see below)
Put funnel back in and tie string through holes to create a handle
Hang the opposite end of the garden from where you want to sit!

Wasp Trap Bait

Different wasp trap baits work best at different times :

Spring : combine cooked meat fat, water & a little dish soap. The meat fat attracts wasps when breeding.
Mid–Late Summer : once fruit ripening use fruit juice or pieces of ripe fruit with dish soap.

The dish soap suffocates and prevents them flying so they get stuck in the trap.

Be very careful emptying trap in case live wasps still in there.

Quickly drop a tennis ball on top of the trap to block funnel over night. The wasps will be dead by morning. You can then flush them away.

Wasp Sting Remedies

If do you get a wasp sting use these quick home remedies for wasp stings to relieve pain fast.

Wasp Repellent Plants

Wasp repellent plants can help keep wasps out of your garden or away from patio areas and garden tables where you are sitting and eating.

Wasp repellent plants include :

Rue
Lemongrass
Citronella
Eucalyptus
Pennyroyal
Marigolds
Thyme
Lemon balm
Basil
Cucumbers
Spearmint
Peppermint.

Rue

Rue is a yellow flowered semi-woody perennial herb that grows 2-3 foot high and repels stinging wasps.

Rue can be grown with fruit trees to repel wasps and grown in big pots around patios to keep wasps away.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass is another wasp repelling plant that grows 2-3 feet high so can be used to border backyards, gardens and patios.

Citronella

Citronella has purple flowers and a scent wasps – and mosquitos – hate.

It grows 2 foot tall and can be added to mixed borders to repel wasps.

Eucalyptus

Beautiful eucalyptus can be grown as a very elegant wasp repellent tree or – if pruned well – a shrub.

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal is a pretty flowering plant known to repel wasps & mosquitos.

Pennyroyal is toxic if eaten so don’t plant it near any edible herbs with which it could be confused.

Marigolds

Golden marigolds are a fabulously colourful way to keep on top of lots of garden pests including mosquitos and PLUS wasps.

They are easy to grow in patio pots and can be used to decorate garden tables to repel wasps from food.

Thyme

It it super easy to grow thyme both in little patio pots and as a patio edging hedge to repel annoying wasps.

Thyme can also grow under wasp attracting fruit trees to help ease the wasp frenzy as fruit ripens.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a fragrant delight in the garden and can help repel wasps. It is lovely in patio pots but can also be included in mixed borders and around fruit trees.

Basil

Basil is an easy to grow natural antibiotic that makes a great wasp repellent in a little herb garden.

Spearmint

Plant pots of wasp repellent spearmint on your patio or porch to keep wasps away from where you are sitting or enjoying a meal.

And with fresh spearmint ready to go you can whip up all sorts of recipes including this deliciously easy spearmint iced tea … perfect for long summer days on the porch!!

Peppermint

Peppermint is another easy to grow mint that will keep wasps away.

And again is wonderful to have fresh in the garden for a mint salad, mint sorbet or the best mint mojitos!!

Cucumber

I grew wasp repellent cucumbers for the first time last summer and they made a surprisingly fun and easy gardening project.

Cucumbers will grow happily in pots so you can use them as a wasp repellent plant on a patio or porch as well as in a vegetable garden.

For more tips check out this guide to the wasp repellent plants from Five Spot Green Living.

Wasp Repellent Spray

A simple DIY wasp repellent spray will also help keep wasps away.

You can spray yourself – carefully – and around tables and doorways.

Lots of common herbs repel wasps, so you can make a DIY wasp spray with an infusion of any of these in your kitchen cupboards :

Rosemary
Chamomile
Sage
Mint
Lavender
Thyme
Aniseed
Fennel seed
Cloves

Cloves are great at repelling wasps – as well as flies – but you may not want to spray yourself with them!!

Just combine equal parts of your infusion – basically a herb tea – with witch hazel in a small spray bottle.

Alternatively, essential oils fan can make this DIY wasp spray from Fivespot Green Living with clove, geranium & lemon grass oils …

Wasp Killer Spray

I do try not to kill bugs unless really essential but sometimes if wasps get in the house needs must.

You do have to be careful killing them as it is so easy to get stung.

But if they’ve landed on a hard surface I use my quick DIY fly spray …

Natural Mosquito Repellent Hacks

I live on one of London’s old marshes – there’s an underground river at the end of the street – so come summer there are mosquitoes everywhere. But luckily some super easy hacks keep them away & stop them breeding:

Burn scents they hate on BBQs or in candles, incense sticks or infusers e.g. rosemary, sage.
Spray yourself with scents they hate e.g. lavender, mint.
Use quick DIY fly trap jars.
Avoid standing water.
Keep pond water moving with an aerator or bubbler.
Put a fan on outside tables & by your back door.
Cook garlic on BBQ – they hate it.
Drink mint tea – so you smell minty, which they hate.
Hang old fashioned lace curtains just like grandma used to!
Plant they hate.

There’s tips below on making your own mosquito repellent candles plus DIY bug spray and bug balm.

Mosquito Repellent Candles

Mosquito repellent candles are a great hack for summer evenings but you don’t have to fork out for them.

You can easily make them with just :

Empty jars
Tealights
Any of these mosquito repellent herbs you have to hand.

I grow mint and rosemary in my herb garden so I use those.

But you can also use basil as in these from The Country Chic Cottage:

You can also add lemon going spare from your drinks or if you have it a few drops of citronella oil as in these versions from Bunch of Posies …

DIY Bug Spray

Simple DIY bug spray is a must know hack for keeping bugs away in the backyard, camping or anywhere your kids are having fun outdoors.

All you need to make your own is :

Small spray bottle
Witch hazel (also a great natural treatment for blackheads!!)
PLUS any combo of essential oils bugs hate the smell of
OR herb tea.

There’s some great tips here from One Essential Community on how to make bug spray with essential oils.

I make mine with a quick infusion of lavender, rosemary & mint :

Seep a handful of herbs in boiled water for 3 or 4 minutes
Leave to cool (shove in fridge if you’re short on time)
Combine in spray bottle with equal parts of witch hazel
Shake well to combine

You can then spray all over but making sure to keep away from eyes.

Natural Bug Balm

If you really struggle with bug bites you can make your own bug balm.

The simplest trick is to add a few drops of essential oils in scents bugs hate to a big dollop of sun cream in your hands. Lightly rub together to combine then use on bare arms and legs but NOT your face.

I am not hugely into essential oils – lots are a con!! – but a few like tea tree oil for head lice, athlete’s foot & dandruff PLUS lavender for bug spray & balm are worth having.

If you are up for making simple potions, you can make this quick bug balm from Wendy Polisi …

Mosquito Bite Treatments

If you do get bitten there are lots of natural mosquito bite remedies in your kitchen for fast relief.

Ice cubes and honey are your best bug bite treatments but you can use everything from lemon juice to raw potato or banana skin!!

If you are going camping, hiking or off on an outdoor adventure take aloe vera gel or witch hazel.

For a big list of bug bite remedies read this bug bite treatment guide …

Ant Repelling Hacks

Nothing, I tell you, ruins a summer morning more than an army of ants marching across your kitchen!!

I still have nightmares years later.

And the problem is lots of ant poison is toxic for other wildlife and pets.

But a few simple natural hacks can keep them at bay :

Act fast on first sight of them inside
Squidge any you see
Thoroughly clean with dish soap where entering
Wipe down with vinegar & let dry
Create a “barrier” line on edge of floor where they are entering with :
- diatomaceous earth
- baking soda (bicarb)
- cornflour / cornmeal
- or crumbled chalk
You can strengthen the barrier by mixing in these repellents :
- cinnamon
- ground cloves
- pepper
- paprika

Once you’ve stopped ants coming in tackle the source outside. There’s simple practical tips in this guide to getting rid of ants naturally …

Natural Sunburn Treatments

It is easy to get sunburn in summer despite covering up carefully.

Oddly those days with a cooler breeze can be most lethal as we’re less aware how strong the sun is.

But luckily, lots of common kitchen ingredients are brilliant for easing pain & preventing blisters naturally.

I have got a big list here of natural sunburn remedies but my favourite for bad sunburn is an oat milk bath.

My super pale Scotch-Irish skin sizzles horribly but a cool oat milk bath really relieves the pain fast.

All I do is :

Chuck in the blender a few tablespoons of oats
Add a cup of tepid water
Whizz smooth
Pour into a cool to tepid bath deep enough to submerge burned area
Relax in it for a good 15 minutes

For even more sun soothing power you can make this oat milk mix with added chamomile and lavender from Shaken Together Life …

And there you go, a big bunch of quick clever hacks for dealing with summer pests and problems naturally with stuff in your kitchen.

But before you go DO check out these fun summer hacks for kids outside.

Outdoor Fun For Kids

I love these summer hacks for outdoors play for kids because they are super fun but unbelievably easy to make so older kids can actually enjoy making them before enjoying playing with them. Win, win!!

DIY Garden Hose Sprinkler

This DIY garden hose sprinkler from Housing A Forest will entertain the whole family but can be put together fast without prior planning …

Bubble Snakes

These bubble snakes are also super simple but super fun.

To make the snake you need :

Plastic bottle
Old sock
Elastic band
Dish soap bubble mixture

To make your snake :

Cut off bottom of bottle
Pull sock tight over bottle bottom
Fix in place with elastic band
Dunk bottle in bubble mixture
Blow hard through bottle neck
Watch your bubble snake wiggle through the bottom

Tic Tac Toe Stones

These DIY tic tac toe stones from Taryn Whiteaker. are a lovely way to make something with kids they can plan with outside all summer long.

And they couldn’t be simpler.

Just gather stones on a hike or the beach and spend an afternoon painting them any way you like.

Older kids can get arty but even tiny kids can make their mark.

Natural Paint Brushes

These lovely natural paintbrushes from Messy Little Monster are again a wonderful no prep activity kids of all ages can make and enjoy using.

Simply head outside to the back yard, park or woods :

Gather leaves, grasses & flowers
Plus a bundle of twigs
Attach together with rubber bands
And paint away!!

And for more super fun & easy ideas for painting outside with kids checkout this guide :

I really hope these simple hacks help you deal quickly and easily this year with all the challenges summer throws up so you have got more time to enjoy a summer of fun.

If you still need more help do check out these guides :

How To Get Rid Of Flies
How To Get Rid Of Ants
How To Repel Mosquitoes
Quick Remedies For Sunburn
Quick Remedies For Bug Bites
101 Outdoor Activities For Kids

Photo: wasp, wasp trap and sunflower / Sonnenblume by Marco Verch under Creative Commons 2.0