Environmental protection

These three categories work in different ways. A <strong>habit-deterrent</strong> re-trains an animal — typically dogs or cats — to stop visiting an area where it normally rests or soils. It works through a natural scent that animals dislike but that is harmless to people and the environment. A <strong>repellent</strong> drives insects away for as long as the active substance is present. An <strong>insecticide</strong> kills the insect by contact or ingestion. The Leader environmental defence range is built entirely on natural substances: Dog & Cat Deterrent, Ant Deterrent, Insect Deterrent, and the mosquito repellents Sferagel Citronella and Sferagel Eucalyptus.

Leader Dog & Cat Deterrent is a spray based on natural essential oils that release a scent dogs and cats find unpleasant, while remaining harmless to people, animals and the environment. You apply it to areas where you do not want animals to linger — doorways, window sills, balconies, plant pots, fences, storage rooms. For the first applications, spray daily, then gradually extend the intervals as the animal learns to avoid the area. Reapply after rain or washing, because water washes the active substance away. The product works through re-training: the animal learns to move elsewhere.

Yes. Habit-deterrents formulated with plant essential oils — such as those in the Leader range — are designed to be unpleasant to the target animal's sense of smell while remaining harmless to people, indoor environments and other animals. They contain no plant-protection products or toxic active substances. Always follow the label instructions: avoid direct contact with eyes and mucous membranes during application, and keep the product out of children's reach while in use. They are suitable for homes where young children and other pets are present.

Ants are attracted to food residues — sugar, crumbs — and warm routes along walls. The first line of defence is prevention: keep surfaces clean, store food in sealed containers, and reduce moisture at entry points. Widely used natural remedies include vinegar and lemon for washing floors and surfaces, bicarbonate of soda mixed with icing sugar, spices such as cinnamon, chilli and cloves, peppermint essential oil, and coffee grounds placed along the perimeter. For targeted protection indoors or in the garden, Leader Ant Deterrent is a spray formulated with natural essences that creates an olfactory barrier at entry and transit points.

Citronella and eucalyptus are essential oils with a well-documented <strong>repellent effect</strong> — they do not kill mosquitoes, but they keep them away from the treated area through a strong scent that insects dislike. Protection is limited to a short radius around the candle, spray or diffuser, and the effect fades as the active substance disperses into the air. They work well for balconies, terraces and outdoor dining. Leader <strong>Sferagel Citronella</strong> and <strong>Sferagel Eucalyptus</strong> are gel diffusers that release the scent gradually. Use them as local protection alongside other measures — mosquito nets and removing standing water — for more complete defence.

The duration of natural habit-deterrents and repellents depends on exposure to weather. In a sheltered environment — indoors or on a covered balcony — the olfactory barrier can last several days. Outdoors, rain, sun evaporation and wind reduce effectiveness significantly; reapply after every heavy rainfall and regularly during dry periods. The more consistently you treat the area in the first days, the more reliably the animal or insect learns to avoid it. <strong>Re-training requires regular application</strong>, not a single treatment — repetition is what makes it effective over time.