A simple and eco-friendly mixture to chase away annoying insects from your home and garden: vinegar and cloves.

More and more people are looking for alternatives to commonly used chemicals, and eco-friendly and effective home remedies are gaining popularity. Cloves are a very effective household repellent and can be used in several ways, such as planting them in lemon or lime halves, soaking them in an alcohol solution, or using them to make a homemade repellent.

To make a homemade repellent, steep about 20 cloves in vinegar for 3 to 4 days, then strain the solution and pour it into a spray bottle. For even greater effectiveness, mix apple cider vinegar, a small handful of cloves, and an essential oil with a repellent effect such as lemon, mint or lavender, and heat the mixture for about ten minutes before straining and pouring into a spray bottle.