Regular pest control is needed to prevent homes from being infested by insects from the outdoors. Pest control can sometimes be costly, especially if there is a large infestation. There are some pest control practices that you can do at home without spending a lot of money. Read the following article for pest control tips.
Ask your exterminator to use the most effective methods first. Many exterminators assume that you rather give the less potent methods a try first, in order to save money, but they very rarely work. You might as well just use the most effective method so that it is done and over with.
Avoid using wood chips and straw around the outside of your house when doing gardening or other outdoor hobbies/activities. Pests tend to be drawn to these substances and will eat them or try to live in them. You should consider using stone or rock whenever possible to avoid having issues.
Do not tackle pest control alone if you live in a multiunit structure. Your individual efforts might be successful temporarily, but ineffective in the long run. Insects could just travel to another condo, apartment or townhome and then return. Consult with the property managers or other owners for a building-wide treatment solution.
One pest that is known for being hard to eliminate is fleas. Thankfully, you can use several methods for eliminating fleas and their eggs. The first thing you have to do is use a vacuum every day and then you spray a good flea spray. Be sure that you get rid of every vacuum bag that you use as soon as you are done.
Mint helps keep mice away. A group of plants situated along your home's foundation will repel them. The smell will bother mice and other small animals. If you have a rodent problem, try sprinkling mint leaves near where they're hiding. This can repel these pesky pests, but use fresh mint leaves.
If you believe you have bed bugs, you can help control the population by washing your clothes. However, you have to be careful when doing so. Put all of your clothing into a plastic bag. Seal it up to take it to the laundry room. Wash it all in the hottest water possible and then dry it on high heat. Remember that it is very hard to eradicate bed bugs on your own, so call around and see if a company will do a free inspection for you.
Don't keep food out. Every time you make a meal, make sure to cover it and even better, put it in the refrigerator or an air-tight container. Animals are better at smelling than people are, and if they smell something tasty, they are going to come looking for it. Make sure you don't leave food out too long.
Laundry detergent is a great tool for preventing ants from entering your home. They strongly dislike the smell of the chemicals used in detergent. Use this by putting the detergent in a spry bottle and using it all long the entrances to your doors and any other place ants could enter.
Seal any leaks. Whether you're dealing with ants or other pests, one way to stop them is by sealing off an entry point. For smaller pests, a tiny amount of silicone caulk can accomplish this. If you're dealing with rats or mice, you need to stuff some steel wool into that hole, then cover it up using wire mesh.
Pests are attracted to the lights used on the outside of your house. Try keeping those lights far from the entrance of your house. Using orange, yellow or pink-toned lights attracts fewer insects. This is a great option for door lights.
Inspect your foundation and all walls for existing cracks. As your house settles over the years, cracks will develop. These can be used as entrance points for certain household pests. Inspect the ceiling also. There may be little cracks there where pests come in.
Ask your neighbors to help you solve the pest problem. In city areas you will have the same pest problems that your neighbors have. A pest will probably contaminate your neighbor's home after you repel it and then come back to your home. Ask your neighbors about helping you all live pest-free lives.
Look online for tips about dealing with pests. There are countless forums and blogs for you to find new ideas about how to control the pests you are dealing with. They can be especially helpful if you feel you have tried everything. Someone can give you an idea you have not tried.
Cockroaches are very hard to kill and often come back into your home, even if you have killed off most of them. You can quickly get rid of most roaches with this simple trick! Take a jar and fill half of it with coffee grounds, and the other half with water. Roaches will be attracted to the coffee grounds, climb into the jar and drown.
When you find centipedes in your home, it's likely you actually already have another pest living there. Centipedes eat smaller insects, so they are likely to have found a food source within your home. Check for other bugs to see if the issue is bigger than you first anticipated it to be.
As you can see, you don't have to always spend a lot in order to get the pest control results you desire. Not every pest control problem requires the help of a professional. That is where your pest control skills can shine. If you use the tips given here, you can eliminate many of your pest control problems for a reasonable price.
Ask your exterminator to use the most effective methods first. Many exterminators assume that you rather give the less potent methods a try first, in order to save money, but they very rarely work. You might as well just use the most effective method so that it is done and over with.
Avoid using wood chips and straw around the outside of your house when doing gardening or other outdoor hobbies/activities. Pests tend to be drawn to these substances and will eat them or try to live in them. You should consider using stone or rock whenever possible to avoid having issues.
Do not tackle pest control alone if you live in a multiunit structure. Your individual efforts might be successful temporarily, but ineffective in the long run. Insects could just travel to another condo, apartment or townhome and then return. Consult with the property managers or other owners for a building-wide treatment solution.
One pest that is known for being hard to eliminate is fleas. Thankfully, you can use several methods for eliminating fleas and their eggs. The first thing you have to do is use a vacuum every day and then you spray a good flea spray. Be sure that you get rid of every vacuum bag that you use as soon as you are done.
Mint helps keep mice away. A group of plants situated along your home's foundation will repel them. The smell will bother mice and other small animals. If you have a rodent problem, try sprinkling mint leaves near where they're hiding. This can repel these pesky pests, but use fresh mint leaves.
If you believe you have bed bugs, you can help control the population by washing your clothes. However, you have to be careful when doing so. Put all of your clothing into a plastic bag. Seal it up to take it to the laundry room. Wash it all in the hottest water possible and then dry it on high heat. Remember that it is very hard to eradicate bed bugs on your own, so call around and see if a company will do a free inspection for you.
Don't keep food out. Every time you make a meal, make sure to cover it and even better, put it in the refrigerator or an air-tight container. Animals are better at smelling than people are, and if they smell something tasty, they are going to come looking for it. Make sure you don't leave food out too long.
Laundry detergent is a great tool for preventing ants from entering your home. They strongly dislike the smell of the chemicals used in detergent. Use this by putting the detergent in a spry bottle and using it all long the entrances to your doors and any other place ants could enter.
Seal any leaks. Whether you're dealing with ants or other pests, one way to stop them is by sealing off an entry point. For smaller pests, a tiny amount of silicone caulk can accomplish this. If you're dealing with rats or mice, you need to stuff some steel wool into that hole, then cover it up using wire mesh.
Pests are attracted to the lights used on the outside of your house. Try keeping those lights far from the entrance of your house. Using orange, yellow or pink-toned lights attracts fewer insects. This is a great option for door lights.
Inspect your foundation and all walls for existing cracks. As your house settles over the years, cracks will develop. These can be used as entrance points for certain household pests. Inspect the ceiling also. There may be little cracks there where pests come in.
Ask your neighbors to help you solve the pest problem. In city areas you will have the same pest problems that your neighbors have. A pest will probably contaminate your neighbor's home after you repel it and then come back to your home. Ask your neighbors about helping you all live pest-free lives.
Look online for tips about dealing with pests. There are countless forums and blogs for you to find new ideas about how to control the pests you are dealing with. They can be especially helpful if you feel you have tried everything. Someone can give you an idea you have not tried.
Cockroaches are very hard to kill and often come back into your home, even if you have killed off most of them. You can quickly get rid of most roaches with this simple trick! Take a jar and fill half of it with coffee grounds, and the other half with water. Roaches will be attracted to the coffee grounds, climb into the jar and drown.
When you find centipedes in your home, it's likely you actually already have another pest living there. Centipedes eat smaller insects, so they are likely to have found a food source within your home. Check for other bugs to see if the issue is bigger than you first anticipated it to be.
As you can see, you don't have to always spend a lot in order to get the pest control results you desire. Not every pest control problem requires the help of a professional. That is where your pest control skills can shine. If you use the tips given here, you can eliminate many of your pest control problems for a reasonable price.
