Soap

• Simple home dish-washing soap makes a spray that will repel certain insects from rose plants. It is effective in eliminating thrip problems as well as aphids. To make a gallon of spray, use a gallon of water and then add approximately one tablespoon of your soap to the mixture. Put the mix in a sprayer or spray bottle and carefully spray the plants early in the morning.
  
  

Garlic

• Garlic also makes an effective spray that will eliminate a number of insects that are problematic for roses, such as aphids and spider mites. The recipe suggested by the Montreal Botanical Garden is to blend together one clove of garlic with 2 cups of water. The mixture then needs to sit for a day and be strained to remove solid pieces. Mix the initial liquid into 12 more cups of water and put in a few drops of insecticidal soap before spraying.
  
  

Citrus

• Citrus rind is another ingredient that makes a spray which will get rid of aphids and other pests on your roses. Start with two cups of water and bring it to a boil. Grate the entire rind of a lemon into the mixture and then let the entire mixture sit for a day. Use a coffee filter to clean any solid bits out of the spray and then load it into a spray bottle. Coat the plant thoroughly and remember to dose it at least once a week until the problem stops.
  
  

Water

• Another way you can kill the insects on your rose bushes is the simplest home remedy of all, and it comes straight from your garden hose. By simply washing off the leaves of the plants with water, you can wash insects off your rose bush so they are unable to damage it. A steady and vigorous stream of water is needed to dislodge the pests.