No one wants to share their sacred home space with pests like rats, cockroaches, and termites, but the natural world has a way of finding its way indoors. When you notice droppings on the floor or spot a cockroach darting under the refrigerator when you turn the lights on, you know you have some unwelcome neighbors.
Most of the time, small pest control problems can be solved using store-bought solutions like traps and insecticides. If your attitude is “I will do it my own way,” there are many pest control for home use products. Traps can help eliminate small rodent infestations, and interior bug control usually involves spraying areas or leaving out insecticide beads. In almost all cases, there is some level of toxicity or risk to using these pest control techniques in the home – especially for pets and toddlers.
If you’re not successful with home pest control products, the infestation is likely larger than you thought and it is a good idea to contact a home pest exterminator. There are new pest control companies that have the technology and experience to get rid of your pests and keep them away.
Of course, you will need to employ professional pest control services on a regular basis to prevent the development of major problems. But here are some simple household pest control tips you can put to use between treatments as additional protection.
The best defensive step you can take against mice and rats is to look for possible entry points and seal them. But if you suspect that a mouse has found its way inside, simple rodent control methods such as the glue boards available in stores can be very effective. Use more than one, and bait them with bacon. Remember to place the boards along walls, where mice will likely tend to run.
Having a rodent control plan is important, as a single female mouse can have up to 10 litters of five or six young in just one year. And the presence of mice in the home can trigger allergies in some people. A national study determined that 82% of homes in the U.S. contain mouse allergens.
Another of our household pest control tips is directed at American roaches, which are known to spread not only at least 33 kinds of bacteria but six types of parasitic worm and quite a few other things detrimental to the health of humans. Keep in mind that they’re more active at 70 degrees or above. A natural repellent for roaches is something you may have in your spice collection: bay leaves. Crush them and sprinkle in drawers and along baseboards. Or, you can tie a bundle of leaves together and hang them. Roaches hate the smell of the oil in bay leaves and will avoid it. And full-strength powdered boric acid is also a simple repellent for both roaches and silverfish.
No list of household pest control tips would be complete without stating the obvious: reduce your clutter! Eliminate as many hiding places as possible. And get rid of those cardboard boxes. Plastic bins are a much better choice, as they don’t serve as a food source for pests.
