Health
Top Five Methods Of Nontoxic Pest Control For Your Home
If you have a pest problem in your home, you need solutions that work. What do you think of when you think about pest control? It is someone showing up at your door in a hazmat suit with a mask and hoses? Whether you’ve got ants, spiders, silverfish, or bed bugs, the best and most reliable solution to these infestations could be either harsh and dangerous chemicals or a variety of less toxic strategies and tools. Your goal is to do your best to prepare your home in a safe way – and call in the experts when your in-home efforts are not enough.
Miracle or Poison?
Thousands of people each year report to poison control centers and emergency hospital care after being poisoned by pesticides. Some pesticides are linked with cancers, birth defects, learning disabilities, and great harm to pets and wildlife. You want to protect your family, and confronting a variety of toxic substances is often a choice of last resort. What can kill one thing can harm another – in a serious manner, especially in homes with pets and small children. Exploring nontoxic pest control methods can keep your comfort top of mind.
Common sense can go a long way to minimize the need for stronger methods of pest control. Prevention-based methods will attack the underlying causes of pest problems, whereas pesticides and chemicals focus only on existing pest problems.
Make Sure Your House Is Clean And Dry
Many pests are attracted to cluttered, damp, dark spaces. By keeping your home clean and dry, you’re already taking a step to prevent pests from entering or making themselves at home. Keep food off counters and stored away in airtight containers. Don’t just wipe spills with a dry paper towel; use soap and water. Ensure garbage is taken out every day, and wipe out trash bins weekly. Dishes should be done daily, and do not leave dishes in the sink overnight. Make sure all food products in your cabinets and pantry are sealed properly. Keep crumbs at bay with daily sweeping or vacuuming. Don’t leave standing water in your kitchen or bathroom sinks and keep counters areas dry. Fix any leaky faucets.
Keep your pets clean and always check for fleas and ticks. Wash your bedding frequently. Regular vacuuming of any fabric surfaces where your pet plays or sleeps will also help.
Block The Doors And Windows By Sealing Entryways
A little caulk, insulation, and duct tape can go a long way. Seal doors and windows and don’t give pests an open invitation. Seal up any holes, crevices, or cracks in your home. Don’t forget about around pipes and ducts, under the sinks, around plumbing, along your baseboards or moldings, and inside your cupboards. With any screens, you have on doors, window, or vents, look for holes and repair them. If you can stick a finger in a hole, a mouse can fit through it; a colony of ants or cockroaches, or other uninvited guests. One of the easiest tasks is to trim your bushes and hedges and plants from touching the exteriors of your house. Just a few inches makes all the difference and doesn’t give pests natural bridges to your door.
Go Naked: Try To Go Chemical-Free
If you are not tempting pests with free food and shelter, you may need physical methods that can still be safe and chemical-free. If you need them, traps, vacuums, and even a fly swatter can keep infestations at bay and are low-cost alternatives.
If You Need a Pesticide, Go Low Risk and Minimize Exposure
Less harmful items like boric acid can be helpful when applied to cracks and crevices for crawling pests. To manage insects and rodents, bait them with tamper-resistant products. Keep in mind; they can still harm children and pets. Use in a controlled setting, limit exposure to everyone in your household, and don’t throw these kinds of items in your trash.
Call In The Pros
If your preventative or at-home remedies are no longer working, call in the experts by looking for a company that uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a method that combines physical controls like baits and traps with less toxic products.
A reputable pest management service would likely include:
- An inspection of your home, and a comprehensive treatment plan.
- Knowledgeable and professional service, informing you of how pest problems start, how to eliminate them, and how to prevent future occurrences.
- A thorough report, telling you where any pests may be in your home, potential risk factors, a description of potential treatment options, and how to apply any suggested eradication methods.
Employing these tactics and alternatives to toxic pesticides will go a long way to safeguard the health of your household while keeping pests out of the way.
