Marseille soap is well known for its many properties. A formidable cleaner, natural degreaser, antiseptic and soothing agent, it is the essential multi-purpose product for both home and garden.
While its use as a hygiene product is undeniable, it's also a favorite for eco-friendly home and laundry care. Less well-known, its effectiveness against insects makes it a valuable ally both indoors and outdoors.
Rampal Latour offers you his favorite recipes to keep insects away using Marseille soap.
Marseille soap, the indispensable companion of the eco-conscious gardener
Long used by amateur gardeners, the drawbacks of chemical insecticides are well-known. Risk of poisoning through inhalation or skin contact, contamination of groundwater, and the disappearance of pollinators: industrial insecticides are bad for both you and the environment. Fortunately, their use is decreasing in favor of healthier, but equally effective, natural alternatives.
Among them, Marseille soap holds a special place. In the garden, it gets rid of many harmful insects such as aphids and scale insects.
Get rid of aphids with Marseille soap
Aphids are small sap-sucking insects that thrive on garden plants and roses. To feed, aphids pierce the plant tissues before extracting the sap. Infested plants are weakened, leading to reduced fruit and flower production. The colony spreads very quickly before infesting another plant, hence the importance of acting quickly at the first signs of an infestation.
Despite the devastating effects of this tiny insect, there's no need to resort to harsh chemicals to get rid of it. Numerous natural solutions exist, and Marseille soap is at the top of the list.
To make your own natural insecticide with green Marseille soap, follow the advice of our master soap makers:
- Dilute 150 to 200 g of finely grated Marseille soap with vegetable oils in 1 liter of hot water
- In a sprayer, mix a little of the preparation with 10 times its equivalent in water, then spray the mixture directly onto your plants.
To prevent the plant from being burned, spray at the beginning or end of the day.
This preparation blocks the respiratory pores of the aphids, causing them to die. At the same time, the soapy solution prevents the insects from attaching to the plant and creating a breeding ground for new aphids.
Fighting a mealybug infestation naturally
Scale insects are also sap-sucking insects that weaken plants by perforating their tissues. A particular characteristic of this insect is that it deposits a sticky honeydew on the leaves, which promotes the growth of pathogenic fungi that damage the plant.
While this insect can attack outdoor plants, it is also a source of trouble for your indoor plants.
Once again, green Marseille soap can provide a natural solution to this insect infestation:
- Use the same preparation as for aphids
- Add 2 tablespoons of 70% alcohol
- Spray the infected leaves directly.
The scale insects will dry out and fall off the plants. To get rid of the honeydew, simply apply the alcohol-free solution with a brush.
Marseille soap is essential for fighting insects indoors.
While insects can be useful in the garden, their presence indoors is always a nuisance. Whether it's ants climbing on the countertop, spiders spinning their webs on the living room ceiling, or moths nibbling at your clothes, Marseille soap with olive oil can help you regain control of your home and limit insect infestations.
Keep ants away using Marseille soap
These small insects, which move in colonies, are particularly invasive and do not hesitate to enter homes in search of food and water.
Before resorting to insecticides to get rid of these pests, first try to understand what attracts them. As a starting point, be sure to clean your dining table promptly after meals. Sweep up crumbs, wipe up spills, and avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink.
Next, store your food in an airtight container and your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Finally, check that no taps are leaking, as these provide ants with a source of fresh water.
If, despite these precautions, ants continue to invade your home, prepare a natural insecticide as follows:
- Mix 75g of grated Marseille soap with 500ml of hot water
- Add half a teaspoon of pepper or cinnamon.
- Let it rest
You can then spray the areas infested with ants with this repellent mixture.
Getting rid of cobwebs in the house
While it's common to hear that a spider is a sign of a healthy home, there's nothing more unsightly than cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. No matter how much you sweep with a broom, they'll be quick to spin new webs.
To keep spiders and their macabre decorations away, prepare the following solution:
- Dilute 10 cl of Marseille liquid soap in 1 liter of hot water
- Using a spray bottle, spray the mixture on the infested areas every 4 days until the insects leave.
During treatment, be attentive to spider migrations, as they may then take up residence in another area of your home.
The end of moths in your wardrobes
While clothes moths are small, harmless butterflies, their larvae are voracious and can damage your clothes. These small white insects with black heads hide in corners and feed on textile fibers (especially those containing animal components: wool, cashmere, etc.).
Our grandmothers used mothballs with their characteristic smell to repel them. Since then, the carcinogenic effects of this substance have been highlighted, and its sale has been banned since 2008.
Fortunately, Marseille soap is a natural, economical, and very effective substitute against these insects. No preparation is necessary; a simple slice of green Marseille soap slipped into your wardrobe or directly into your clothing pockets is enough to drive these pests away.
The distinctive scent of green Marseille soap made with olive oil repels moths, causing them to lay their eggs elsewhere. Make sure you use genuine green Marseille soap with a high olive oil content, otherwise it will be ineffective.
Remember to replace your Marseille soap bar when it dries out (every 3 months). It can then be used for personal hygiene or laundry.
You can also find:
Marseille soap for the maintenance of your household or garden tools
