The 5 Best Insecticidal (Aphid) Soap To Protect Your Plants

Aphids are soft-bodied insects that eat and destroy plants. They might look harmless, but they can damage your flowers, vegetables, and houseplants very quickly. It is advised that you eradicate them as quickly as possible once they show up.

There are many ways to get rid of aphids on your plants. Two of the most popular include the use of insecticides and insecticidal soaps. These can be applied directly or to the soil to kill the aphids and stop an infestation.

However, gardeners who want the best for their plants use insecticidal soaps. They safely get rid of aphids, are great for the environment, and do not affect humans. Insecticidal soaps are also harmless to birds and winged insects like pollinating bees.

Please note that not all insecticidal soaps are effective in protecting plants from aphids. So we’ve carried out extensive research to find the ones really do the job. Here are the five best insecticidal (aphid) soaps to use to protect your plants from an infestation.

A-Z-Animals’ Top Picks for Insecticidal (Aphid) Soap

#1 Best Overall: Natria 820042A Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer

Natria 820042A Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer is the #1 Best Overall insecticidal soap when it comes to taking out aphids. It is fast-acting and effective against all stages of the aphid’s life, whether larvae, nymph, or adults. Using Natria’s is a great way to protect your plants from an infestation.

Natria has been proven to act really quickly, killing aphids in minutes by rapidly dehydrating them. It also comes in a ready-to-use form so you can get started without extra work like mixing. There is a bottle spray attached too. Natria is organic and can be used up until it’s time for harvest.

Some reviewers said that this product didn’t eliminate the aphids from their plants.

Pros and Cons of Natria 820042A Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer

Best Overall

Natria 820042A Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer

• Fast-acting
• Effective against all stages
• Comes in a ready-to-use form
• Organic

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2. Premium Insecticidal Soap: VPG Fertilome Natural Guard

For those who need an insecticidal soap that is gentle on their plants while actively attacking aphids,VPG Fertilome Natural Guard is the product you’ve been looking for. This environmentally friendly contact spray contains a powerful insecticide that works. It is excellent for both indoor and outdoor plants.

VPG Fertilome Natural Guard has been tested and found effective in homes, gardens, and greenhouses. It works on all kinds of plants, from fruit trees to ornamentals, shrubs, flowers, and even berries. All you have to do is spray to get this insecticidal soap in contact with the aphids.

A couple of reviewers said that their plants and/or surrounding grass turned brown, but pests were not killed.

Pros and Cons of VPG Fertilome Natural Guard

Premium Insecticidal Soap

VPG Fertilome Natural Guard

• Gentle on plants
• Environmentally friendly
• Excellent for both indoor and outdoor plants
• Works on all kinds of plants

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3. Best For Speed: Bonide Insecticidal Soap

Bonide Insecticidal Soap is one of the best for taking out aphids at all stages. This liquid insecticidal soap kills them on contact and is approved for organic gardening and can be used up to the day of harvest.

Bonide Insecticidal Soap, not to be confused with the systemic granules, is safe for all plants. You can use it on your flowers, vegetables, house plants, and fruits. It is also safe to use this insecticidal soap to protect your plants from aphids up until the day of harvest for vegetables or fruits. 

A few reviewers said that this product killed their plants along with the aphids: “I used it on plants that had a bunch of aphids. Well the aphids are dead and so are my plants. The leaves look like acid was poured onto them. If you want to save your plants stay away from this product.”

Pros and Cons of Bonide Insecticidal Soap

Best For Speed

Bonide Insecticidal Soap

• Approved for organic gardening
• Safe for all plants
• Can be used in and outdoors
• Ready to use

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4. Best Concentrate: Safer Brand Insecticidal Soap & Pyrethrin Concentrate

Safer Brand Insecticidal Soap & Pyrethrin Concentrate is manufactured by a brand that is renowned for protecting plants from pests. This concentrate, in particular, is recommended for taking out aphids. It’s safe, non-toxic, and offers excellent value for your money too. You can make up to 5 gallons of solution from this 32-ounce bottle.

Safer Insecticidal Soap Concentrate comes with an Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) certificate saying that it is safe for all plants, including vegetables. You can also use it up until the day of harvest. For plant owners who want to be compliant with organic gardening rules, Safer is the best insecticidal soap option.

We were only able to find one negative review pertaining to aphids for this product: “Works poorly. Have to use it very often, expensive because of that, and not very effective on aphids. Wish it was better.”

Pros and Cons of Safer Brand Insecticidal Soap & Pyrethrin Concentrate

Best Concentrate

Safer Brand Insecticidal Soap & Pyrethrin Concentrate

• Safe and non-toxic
• Excellent value for money
• Can be used on vegetables until the day of harvest
• One bottle is used for 14,400 sq. ft

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5. Best Value: Espoma Organic Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap

There are many reasons why gardeners purchase Espoma Organic Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap. The first is that it is, of course, effective when it comes to controlling pests like aphids. The other is that it contains no fatty acids from animals. Only plant oils are used to make this insecticidal soap.

Espoma Organic Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap works for both indoor and outdoor plants. So whether it’s your home potted plants, plants in your greenhouse, or shade trees, Espoma works. It also comes in a ready-to-use 24-ounce spray bottle and is great for vegetables, fruits, and nut trees too.

Two reviewers reported that this product didn’t eradicate aphids from their plants.

Pros and Cons of Espoma Organic Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap

Best Value

Espoma Organic Earth-Tone Insecticidal Soap

• Contains no animal fatty acids
• Ready to use
• Can be used on all kinds of plants
• For indoor and outdoor use

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Choosing the Best Insecticidal (Aphid) Soap to Protect Your Plants What to Look For

There are several factors to consider when choosing the best insecticidal soap to deal with aphids and protect your plants. Below you will find some of the most important to keep in mind.

Safety

Safety should be a primary concern when choosing an insecticidal soap to get rid of aphids. The safety of your plants, your home, and even your environment is important. The insecticidal soap that you choose should be safe for you, your plants, and your environment.

One way to confirm this is by doing a bit of a patch test. Apply your insecticidal soap to a part of your plant and then leave for 24 hours. If it doesn’t affect your plant, you can use it to get rid of the aphids.

Form

Some insecticidal soaps come in ready-to-use solutions, while others come as concentrates. With concentrates, you have to first dilute strictly according to the manufacturer’s instructions before use. Some people might find this too time-consuming and choose to go for a ready-to-use product instead.

Concentrates are, however, cheaper and create more product. All you have to do is mix and use.

Versatility

A good insecticidal soap for aphids will kill them at all stages, from eggs to mature insects. This is the best way to rid your plants of an infestation. Most of the insecticidal soaps in this list will kill aphids and many other types of insect pests.

Application

The level of infestation in your home is what should determine the best kind of insecticidal soap application for you. The area of plant involved also plays a role. For example, sprays are great for applying treatment quickly over a wide area.

The Different Types of Insecticidal (Aphid) Soap: Pros and Cons Compared

We already touched on types when talking about forms in the earlier subtopic. Insecticidal soaps can either come as ready-to-use solutions or concentrates. Which works best for you might depend on how much time you have on your hands and even cost.

Here are the two types of insecticidal soaps with their pros and cons.

Insecticidal Soap Sprays

If you’re looking for an effective way to get rid of aphids on your house plants and little garden, consider sprays. These insecticidal soaps come in a ready-to-use solution that you apply directly to your plants.

Insecticidal Soap Concentrates

With concentrates, you get a concentrated portion of your insecticidal soap that you have to dilute yourself before use. You have to make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions with diluting if you want your insecticidal soap to be effective. It may include a spray can to use, or you might need to get one yourself.

Verified Review: User Experience

Natria’s Organic Insecticidal Soap

Customers who used Natria’s Organic Insecticidal soap properly found it effective for eliminating aphids. One customer says, “I was out of my usual brand, and I found the Natria bottle in my shelf. I was compelled to try it. It eliminated all aphids from all of my plants.”

You might, however, have to apply multiple times if you want to get rid of an infestation completely. This customer puts it best, “Works great..you have to repeat the application as aphids are hardcore to kill… fight to the finish with several applications.”

VPG Fertilome Insecticidal Soap

Plant owners who used VPG according to specifications found that it helped them get rid of aphids. One customer says, “it’s the best thing I’ve tried to eliminate pests.“

With VPD, however, remember to do a patch test first to make sure your plants are not sensitive to it. This customer found out the hard way, “Effective against leaf type pests, but damaged the plants.”

Bonide Insecticidal Soap

Bonide Insecticidal Soap is an excellent treatment for plants. This customer found it effective against aphids, “I am sensitive to chemicals, and this product works well on a shrub I have that constantly gets aphids.”

You might, however, have to repeat the use of this insecticidal soap a bit more often. “I have to repeat treatment every few days. And, I spray thoroughly and completely.“

Safer Insecticidal Soap Concentrate

Safer is a trusted brand when it comes to safely rid your plants of pests like aphids. This customer says, “This product should be in every gardener’s tool basket.“

One customer, however, suggests diluting more than the recommended dosage to avoid dosage. “It burns my plants at the recommended dosage. I went to 1/3 dose, and it still killed bugs, but plants were happier.” A simple patch test will let you know what works best for you.

Espoma Organic Insecticidal Soap

Espoma is effective against aphids, as many customers testify. Here is what one of them had to say. “I had an issue with aphids on my tomato plants. I saw results immediately after the first application.”

You might, however, have to do more than one application to get rid of the aphids completely. This customer says, “I recently had an aphid war with my houseplants. It took many applications of this product, but over the course of a month, I saved all five of the plants being attacked.“