Natural Pest Control Strategies
By Sara Butler
Your home is your safe place. It’s your refuge from the outside world, where you can kick back, relax and let go of the stresses of everyday life. The problem is your home isn’t just a refuge for you but for other creatures that don’t make the list of most wanted roommates. With winter looming, pests will be looking to come inside. Here are some simple and natural solutions to keep the outdoors from coming into your home.
The Problem with Pest Control
If you go down to your local hardware store and buy a can of bug spray to rid your home of pests, you’re only treating the symptom, not the actual problem. You have to figure out what is attracting the pest to your home and fix it or you will never get rid of them.
Plus, you’re using chemicals inside your home that may not just be harmful to the pests, but to you and your pets, too! That’s why your first line of attack from common pests such as ants, spiders, cockroaches, fruit flies and other unwanted creatures is to attack the source of the problem naturally.
Why Are They In Your Home?
You have to stop and think what makes your home seem like a place a pest wants to be. There are no cockroaches trying to be the cockroach version of Magellan and explore new worlds here, they’re there for one reason and that reason is likely food. If they find what they’re looking for in your home then they’ll keep coming back.
To rid your home of pests you should take the following steps:
- Clean your home thoroughly – Ants and cockroaches want food, so the best way to keep them from coming into your home is to remove the temptation. Clean your home by wiping down all of your counters, vacuum your home regularly, rinse out things you put in the recycle bin or the trash, and fix any water leaks so they don’t have a source of water. Basically, get rid of any food residue in your home to keep them away.
- Seal up your food – Any leftovers you have in your home, ingredients you use to cook or food that is out of the refrigerator, needs to be in an airtight container. Anything that can have sticky and sweet residue on the outside, such as honey, should be kept sealed up in a bag. Also, use a trash can that has a tight fitting lid. This will keep the pests from smelling the food and coming to get it.
- Pest prevention – You need to seal up your house to keep intruders from getting in. Seal up cracks in the walls, plug holes and make sure your doors and windows have airtight seals.
These simple steps can help to keep pests out of your home naturally and leave you with only the roommates you actually want to share your home with.