Paint Your House This Color to Keep Bugs Away

When it comes to natural pest control options, there are plenty of good ideas. From hanging up plastic bags full of shiny pennies, to keeping the things that attract bugs (like hummingbird feeders) away from your home, there are loads of non-chemical options that people swear by. However, there may be one bug repelling hack that could actually boost your home's curb appeal as well, and it's actually a pretty easy DIY for almost any homeowner.

Continue reading to learn why some experts swear by a specific house paint color that they say bugs can't help but stay away from, and why people have been using this paint color for generations.

Many people who work on home exteriors agree that using a light colored paint is a good way to keep bugs at bay, mostly because darker shades have been known to attract some bugs. In fact, the Maryland Sunrooms blog notes that black exteriors can even attract flying insects because those darker colors are so much easier for them to see. Mosquitoes, they note, are especially drawn to the deeper hues.

Lighter colors on the other hand seem to confuse bugs, causing them to stay away since they can't differentiate between your home and the rest of the outside world. But, when it comes to a specific color that everyone agrees can help keep pests away, there is one clear winner: haint blue. The light blue-green shade actually has a storied past, which may give some folks twice as many reasons to give it a try.

According to Atlas Obscura, haint blue was once a favorite pick for porch and patio ceilings, since the color was believed to help ward off evil spirits. The southern tradition, which originated from the enslaved people who were brought to the area, has African roots and is still used today by folks who believe that if they paint the ceilings above their thresholds this color, they can trick evil spirits into believing that they are headed away from the victims they seek.

Whether it was a belief that these spirits can't cross water, or hopes that they'll think they are headed towards the heavens instead of into someone's home, the cool shade of blue has long been used to repel those unwanted visitors. Now, experts believe that the color can do more than ward against spirits because they think bugs get just as confused by the pretty color.

Other than some painters noting that bugs seem more attracted to wet paint than dry, it doesn't seem like there's much solid evidence that different paint finishes — like matte, semi-gloss, and gloss — make much difference on their own. That being said, since lighter and more reflective surfaces can be disorienting to bugs, combining a glossier finish with haint blue or another light shade may be more effective than opting for any other finish.

This means that painting your house as a form of natural pest control may need to be a multi-tiered process. But, unlike applying traditional insect prevention chemicals, this is a one and done method that you'll only need to do once every few years, making it both more naturally minded (so long as you use nontoxic paint) and an easier approach.