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How To Get Rid Of Bugs On Indoor Plants
By DEIRDRE MUNDORF
Neem Oil
Neem oil is a natural insecticide that uses azadirachtin as its main active element to ward off a variety of insects; to use neem oil, spray the liquid directly on the leaves in the morning or evening. Otherwise, the hot sun combined with the oil may leave burn marks on the leaves.
Soap & Water
Try spraying a mix of gentle dish soap and water directly onto insects or bugs to break down their protective skin. However, this may also break down your plants’ protective layer, so spray it on a few leaves and wait a day to assess if there is any damage — avoid soaps with antibacterial agents or degreasers.
Sticky Traps
Sticky traps can help you trap bugs as they move between or around your houseplants, preventing further infestation of healthy plants. Even if you aren’t dealing with an infestation, sticky traps are a good idea as they can alert you to the presence of insects before you see any visible damage.
Garlic Spray
Because of its powerful scent, garlic can deter various insects like aphids, whiteflies, mosquitoes, and more. Blend two cups of water, five garlic cloves, and two to three drops of gentle dish soap, and spray it onto your plants immediately. Reapply every one to two weeks.
Bug-Repellent Herbs
Many insects don’t like the smell of fragrant herbs like basil, mint, sage, lemongrass, and garlic, and adding these plants can help control your pest problem. Each herb is most effective for specific species, so you'll want to do a little research to identify which pests are crawling all over your plants.