Our Ultimate Guide on How to Repel Stink Bugs From Your Home

Stink bugs can be a huge nuisance and devastating to any plants and crops in and outside your home. Their unique odor can be unpleasant, and their presence is unsightly for most people. These pests make their way into homes mostly during the warmer months. However, they can be found indoors year-round and love hiding in dark and humid spaces, such as behind furniture, in attics, and around window frames.

This can make them difficult to get rid of. So, how do you get rid of stink bugs from your home? Read our ultimate, so you can quickly learn how to repel stink bugs effectively.

Clean Up the Outside of Your Home

Stink bugs are attracted to homes that have plants, piles of leaves, debris, or standing water around them. To ensure these pests don't find a way into your home, ensure the outside of your house is clean and free from clutter. Get rid of:

• Excess leaves
• Grass clippings
• Wood piles
• Compost heaps and other debris near your home

These items will only attract more stink bugs. The bugs reproduce during summer and sometimes until early spring. This is when you're more likely to have an infestation, so regularly cleaning up your yard helps keep the population down.

Seal Up Cracks and Crevices 

Stink bugs get inside through the smallest of openings, so be sure to inspect your home closely for any cracks or crevices that may be allowing these smelly pests in. Just like other pests, learning how to repel stink bugs requires a proactive approach:

• Caulk up any holes or gaps around doors and windows
• Check your walls and the foundation for cracks and seal them
• Inspect your vents for any pests and remove them
• Check your attic and basement for hidden openings where stink bugs can slip in

Install Screens 

Make sure all doors and windows have screens installed properly, as this is an effective way to keep out both stink bugs and other pesky insects. Screens should fit snugly in the frames and be free of holes or tears so that no unwanted guests can sneak in. An additional tip on how to repel stink bugs is to use screens on all openings, including vents and other areas where insects could enter. You don't want to be inviting these bugs into your home.

Use Light Traps

Maybe you don't have an indoor infestation, but you can see them outside. How do you get rid of stink bugs outdoors? Stink bugs are generally attracted to bright lights. So, installing light traps is an effective way to attract and trap them before they enter your home. You should place light traps around the perimeter of your house at least 10 feet away from entryways for maximum effectiveness.

Plant Natural Repellents

Another tip on how to repel stink bugs is planting natural repellants. Plants such as mint, lavender, citronella grass, and geraniums all produce strong scents that will repel stink bugs when planted near entryways or windowsills. Just make sure not to plant too close as the smell could also be unpleasant for your household. Plus, with some green love, your home will look beautiful.

Utilize Essential Oils

Essential oils like peppermint oil can be used as an effective natural repellent against stinkbugs in the same way as plants do, as mentioned above, but with even more potency due to their concentrated form. Here's how to repel stink bugs using essential oils:

• Simply mix one part essential oil with four parts water into a spray bottle and apply it around entryways and window sills
• Do this intermittently throughout the year when needed, most like during summer and spring when crawling insects are most active
• You can also add a few drops of the oil onto cotton balls and place them around areas where the bugs have been seen in your house - this will help to create an unpleasant scent that helps ward off these unwanted visitors

Use Professional-Grade Pesticides for Stink Bugs

If all else fails, you may need to resort to using professional-grade pesticides for stink bugs. These products offer a quick and effective solution for dealing with stubborn infestations of stinkbugs in your home or yard. Learning how to repel stink bugs doesn't have to be a challenge when you have the right products. The good thing is these are DIY products that don't require the help of an exterminator. Just make sure to read and follow directions carefully.

Shop DIY Pest Control Solutions

Keeping stink bugs away from your home doesn't have to be hard work—there are plenty of simple strategies you can implement right now that will help prevent these smelly pests from entering your living space. At DIY Pest Warehouse, we have a variety of affordable products that can keep stink bugs and a wide variety of other pests away from your home. From sprays to traps, you'll find something that works best for you and your individual situation. 

Shop now or contact us if you have any questions.