what are two ways to eliminate a pest from your home

^{How to Keep Pests Out of Your Home}

• Method 1 of 3: Cleaning Your Home. Clean up right away after meals. ...
• Method 2 of 3: Storing Food Securely. Put your food in cans, jars, or airtight containers. Bugs and rodents can easily chew through plastic and cardboard.
• Method 3 of 3: Pest-Proofing Your Home. Attach screens to your doors and windows. ...

Full Answer

How to prevent pests from entering your home?

Avoid keeping cut and ripe fruits out of the fridge for long. While some pests like fruit flies are harmless, the overripe, rotting fruits can also attract bigger pests like house flies, ants and cockroaches which are difficult to get rid of. 6. Dispose of garbage regularly

How do you get rid of pests?

Inspect dried food packages (when possible) for worms, beetles, moths, and other pests before you buy them. 5. Landscaping that comes in contact with your home or office give pests an easier way indoors, so keep your trees and bushes away from the building.

How to get rid of fleas in the House?

Use pest control products like zappers, sprays, sticky paper, and more to prevent the problem from getting bigger. 12. Before they come inside, check your pets for fleas. Once fleas are indoors, they can easily spread. 13. Vacuum your home or office frequently to eliminate pests and/or pest eggs.

How to get rid of ants in the House?

White Vinegar to Deter Ants Ants leave a trail which makes it easier for other ants from the colony to find their way to food. To wash away the trail, use a natural solution made from 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2 cups of water, and 10 drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil and help eliminate house pests. 6 / 25

How do I get rid of pests in my house?

Each of these pests can show up at different times of the year, and some are more problematic in certain parts of the countries than others.Don't Let Bugs Feel at Home. ... Seal Up Cracks & Openings. ... Clean Up the Kitchen. ... Dry Up Damp Areas. ... Clean & Sweep Regularly. ... Keep the Outside Free of Debris. ... Kill the Bugs You See.More items...

What is the best way to get rid of pests?

Top 10 pest control tips and tricksKeep the kitchen clean. Pests thrive in dirty, damp atmosphere. ... Keep the bathroom clean. ... Do not allow water to stand. ... Don't keep fruits and vegetables out for long. ... Dispose of garbage regularly. ... Maintain your garden. ... Keep items of external use outside. ... Fix nets on windows.More items...•

Which material is best used for eliminating pest at home?

Diatomaceous Earth. Dust your mattress, rugs, bedding, and surrounding area with diatomaceous earth. Leave for 2-3 hours or overnight if possible before vacuuming up. Food-grade diatomaceous earth will reduce dust mite populations (along with bed bugs and fleas) and isn't harmful to humans.

What are the three methods of pest control?

As mentioned above, there are many pest control methods available to choose from, but they can be loosely grouped into six categories: Hygienic, Biological, Chemical, Physical, Fumigation, Fogging and Heat treatment.

How can we prevent pests and rodents at home?

Top 10 Pest Control StrategiesMake sure your master sanitation schedule is adequate and up to date. ... Make the business case for sanitation and pest management. ... Avoid product spillage and storing dead equipment and hardware supplies. ... Manage waste. ... Close the door and fix the gaps. ... Seal cracks.

What is the most common method of pest control?

Chemical ControlChemical Control. The most common method of pest control is the use of pesticides—chemicals that either kill pests or inhibit their development. Pesticides are often classified according to the pest they are intended to control.

What is natural pest management?

Natural pest control refers to pest control methods that rely on natural (chemical-free) remedies. From essential oils to fly traps to food grade Diatomaceous Earth, several natural elements can help control the pest population. These solutions are often safe for pets and small children and non-toxic.

What is the best natural pesticide?

5 Natural Pesticides You Could Use To Grow Your Own Kitchen...Neem Leaf. Neem has long been used for its medicinal and culinary properties. ... Salt Spray. One of the best and most natural ways to make pesticides at home is salt spray. ... Onion And Garlic Spray. ... Eucalyptus Oil. ... Chrysanthemum Flower Tea.

What is the best organic pest control?

Top 6 organic pest control products – ReviewsBest neem oil spray: Natria Ready-to-Use Neem Oil Spray. ... Best spinosad spray: Monterey Garden Insect Spray. ... Best natural insecticidal soap: Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap. ... Best diatomaceous earth (DE) product: Harris Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade with powder duster.More items...•

Does peppermint spray keep mice away?

Peppermint oil and mice Nope! It will make your home smell good, but it certainly won't get rid of your unwanted lodgers. Peppermint oil is assumed to be a great mouse repellent because, in high concentrations, it can be quite potent and mice have a very sensitive sense of smell.

How do you get rid of ants and mice and other pests?

7:5510:23If You Get This Plant at Home, You'll Never See Mice, Spiders, or Ants ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can also sprinkle cayenne pepper around your home especially near entry points like doors andMoreYou can also sprinkle cayenne pepper around your home especially near entry points like doors and windows to keep ants roaches. And other creepy crawlies from invading your home.

Tips

If you’ve tried a few natural methods and you’re still finding pests in your home, it might be worth calling in a professional.

About This Article

This article was co-authored by Chris Parker and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service based in Seattle. He is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his BA from the University of Washington in 2012.

How to get rid of pests in your house?

The longer you leave food out on your table or countertops, the more likely it is that pests will come and find it. Try to clean up after yourself right away to take away the food source in your home.

What to do when pests nest in your yard?

Grass clippings, fallen leaves, and branches all make cozy homes for pests to nest in. Grab a rake and make a few piles, then put the debris into your yard debris container, if you have one. If you don’t, try to make piles of yard debris as far away from your home as you can.

How many times do mice live offsite?

Expert Answer. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. Nine times out of ten, mice are actually live offsite, not in your home. The average adult mouse has multiple food sites and will probably feed, if given the opportunity, up to 50 times a day at different locations.

How to keep rodents out of food?

Bugs and rodents can easily chew through plastic and cardboard. If you’re storing food for more than a few days, try to put it in a metal can, a glass jar, or an airtight container with a lid to keep the pests out.

How to keep bugs out of windows?

Measure the area of your doors and windows, then purchase some wire screens to pop into place. The screens will help deter insects so you can leave your doors and windows open for fresh air without worrying about bugs. Some bugs, like fruit flies, are so small that they can fit through wire screens.

How to get rid of dog food in garbage can?

2. Seal large bags of pet food in a garbage can with a lid. If you have a big container of cat or dog food, place it inside of a metal garbage can and put a lid on it. You can open it up each time you need to scoop out some food, but make sure you put the lid back on every time.

Can you clean crumbs off the floor?

After you’re done cleaning your kitchen, grab a broom and a dustpan to quickly sweep up any leftover crumbs that might be on the floor. Then, empty the dustpan into the garbage.

Why is trash important to a home?

Emptying trash often and storing it as far away from the home as possible is an effective deterrent because even if they manage to gain ingress, they won’t be near the entrance to a home.

Do roaches invade a house?

Although it must be said that roaches are opportunists and will invade a clean home just as quickly as one that is not, keeping scraps off the floor and removing crumbs from behind toasters and other counter appliances is a deterrent because these abandoned particles serve as sources of food.

How to get rid of fruit flies in kitchen?

If those pesky fruit flies are invading your kitchen, grab a small bowl and pour in a little apple cider vinegar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and punch a couple of pencil-lead-sized holes in the plastic. The fruit flies will be attracted to the vinegar and they can get in but not out.

How to get rid of ants smell?

Sweeping or mopping isn’t enough to eliminate the scent. Instead, mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water in a spray bottle, then spray wherever you’ve seen ants in the past.

How to get rid of ladybugs in my house?

If ladybugs are taking over an area of your home, place some bags of cloves or sprinkle some clove oil in heavily infested areas. Ladybugs don’t like strong scents and will evacuate quickly. Then vacuum or sweep up the cloves.

How to get rid of dust mites on rugs?

Get Rid of Dust Mites. Make your own dust mite repellent spray with essential oils. Mix eucalyptus, lavender, clove, or peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle. Use it to mist furniture and linens and allow the spray to air dry. Follow these tips to clean your rugs and rid them of dust mites.

What to use to keep squirrels from climbing up bird feeders?

You may already have experience using baffles, the cone-or-cylinder-shaped objects that attach to posts or poles to keep squirrels from climbing up to bird feeders or into fenced gardens. If you have planters on or near posts or poles, baffles are a great option for deterring squirrels and preserving your plants.

How to keep spiders away from my house?

It may be an old wives’ tale, but it’s worth a shot! To keep spiders away, slice up some onions and toss them in a bowl of water. Place the bowl where spiders enter your home and they’ll stay away.

What happens if you put bird feeders on the opposite side of your house?

If you set up bird feeders (which nearly every animal in your yard will be drawn to) at the opposite end of your home, you could attract animals to that side and make sure that’s where they head in search of food, leaving your plants alone.

2. Neem Oil

Derived from the seeds of the neem tree, neem oil is safe for humans and animals, but kills more than 200 species of insects. It’s also found as an ingredient in cosmetics, toothpaste, soap, and some shampoo.

3. Vinegar

Vinegar both repels and attracts insects, which you can use to your advantage.

5. Lavender

Along with being a beautiful addition to your garden or indoor dried-flower bouquet, the scent of lavender repels fleas, flies, mosquitoes, and moths.

6. Cucumber

Ants, strangely enough, have an aversion to cucumber. The bitter vegetable is also effective against silverfish, moths, and mites in the home.

7. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is made from fossilized algae, which is then ground into a powder. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe for humans, but lethal for insects with an exoskeleton like stink bugs, spiders, earwigs, bed bugs, flies, beetles, and ladybugs, which die of dehydration within 48 hours of exposure.

8. Citrus

Lemons, limes, oranges, and other citrus fruits repel spiders, ants, and mosquitos.

9. Cinnamon

Along with cinnamon’s strong scent, the eugenol – a naturally-occurring compound found in cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and basil that’s used in many commercial insect repellents – will also keep the bugs away.

How to get rid of pests at home?

5. Don’t keep fruits and vegetables out for long. Fruits and vegetables, when overripe, attract flies and other insects. Avoid keeping cut and ripe fruits out of the fridge for long.

How to keep pests out of your apartment?

Keep your bathrooms clean and dry. Using a toilet cleaner, clean the pot every alternate day. Wash the sink at least once a week with a heavy-duty bathroom cleaner. Keep the shower curtain dry and free of moss. Make sure the drain is not clogged with hair and soap particles and is always covered. These small measures will keep the bathroom hygienic and pest free for a longer time.

How to get rid of mosquitoes in stagnant water?

Pests like mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. Clean the area around your house and make sure you get the drains running outside your house cleaned as stagnant dirty water in the drains can cause mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria. Keep the buckets in your bathroom dry when they are not being used. The same goes for kitchen utensils. If you have an air-conditioner that eliminates water, don’t keep a vessel under it to collect water. Look for alternatives such as a pipe to carry the water out as soon as it gets there. Or empty and clean the vessel every day. Do ensure there is absolutely no stagnant water anywhere near or in your house. If you are wondering how to do pest control at home by yourself, you can follow some easy home made remedies to get rid of these pests.

What are some pests that are harmless?

While some pests like fruit flies are harmless, the overripe, rotting fruits can also attract bigger pests like house flies, ants and cockroaches which are difficult to get rid of. 6. Dispose of garbage regularly. We often wonder how to clean kitchen after pest control but it’s fairly simple and garbage disposal is key.

How to get rid of a swarm of swarms of swarms?

1. Keep the kitchen clean. Pests thrive in dirty, damp atmosphere. To avoid pest infestation, keep the kitchen counters, racks, stove-top and drawers clean. Wipe them regularly with a disinfectant cleaner. Also, if there are food particles lying out in the open, they will attract more insects. This pest control tip may not completely eliminate ...

How to keep roaches out of windows?

Fix nets on windows. Fix nets on your windows to prevent pests such as house flies, mosquitoes, spiders and large cockroaches from coming in. These nets will not only help with ventilation but also prevent pests from entering. This is a pretty effective way to keep pests out of your house.

What to do with unused toys?

If you have unused boxes lying around in the house gathering dust, or toys your children have outgrown – get rid of them. These items only serve as hot spots for insects and germs. Sell or throw away any old item, including old baby strollers, shoes, packaging material, plastic bags, torn luggage, etc.

How do I get rid of roaches in my house?

The first step in getting rid of roaches is to get rid of their food. Clean up every speck and crumb—from shelves, drawers, pantry, under appliances, under the sink. Store any accessible food in plastic containers. Equally important: Remove the roaches' water supply. Fix leaky sink traps and drippy faucets. Elevate Rover's water dish. Eliminate damp dish towels, sponges and scrub pads. Sealed bait containers like Roach Motel are most effective. Boric acid pesticide powder also works. Just sprinkle it lightly into all cracks and crevices. It's long-lasting and relatively nontoxic. Look for it at hardware stores and home centers.

How to trap mice in a house?

For an average-size house, two dozen mousetraps would not be too many. The best technique is to set two traps, parallel to the wall, with the triggers facing out.

How can I get rid of raccoons on my roof?

Try these DIY pest control ideas to get rid of raccoons: Cut back overhanging tree branches and brush so raccoons can't get onto the roof. Add chimney caps, or replace them if they're damaged.

How to get rid of mice on deck?

Put on some old clothes, as you'll have to get on the ground, slink behind bushes and even crawl under your deck to examine your home's exterior. Take a flashlight and a mirror along. If mice are your main concern, also bring a pencil.

How to use live traps?

Live traps are best used in pairs in the same manner as conventional mousetraps. Place them back-to-back with the open doors on each end. TIP: Before you sweep up mouse droppings, always spray them with a disinfectant spray such as Lysol. Mice can pass disease to humans through their waste. 11 / 16.

When to leave raccoons in chimney?

If you hear raccoons in the firebox in the spring or summer, you may need to wait until the fall for the raccoons to leave before capping the chimney, or else call an animal control specialist. Block crawl spaces and other possible entry spots with securely nailed 1/4-in.-mesh hardware cloth.

How to set up a live trap for a mole?

To set up a live trap, dig a hole at the tunnel deep enough to set a 2- to 5-gallon bucket below the level of the tunnel. Pack the dirt around the edge of the bucket, then cover the hole with sod or plywood so you can check the hole daily. The mole will fall in, and then you can take it to a new location.

How to get rid of roaches in house?

This trick is very cheap and safe, and most importantly, it works. Chop one onion and add one tsp of baking soda, and put this mixture in the corners of your house. Reapply it daily and very soon you will find your house roach-free. 2. Ticks.

What are some ways to get rid of a cockroach?

Cockroaches are not only disgusting things to see in your house, but they also may carry very harmful diseases. There are many products you can get from the store but they are usually highly toxic. This trick is very cheap and safe, and most importantly, it works. Chop one onion and add one tsp of baking soda, ...

How to make tick repellent?

Tick repellent for humans. Mix 20 drops of rose geranium essential oil, 10 drops of sweetgrass essential oil, 5 drops of lavender essential oil, 5 drops of citronella or lemon essential oil, and one tbsp of rubbing alcohol, and dilute it to 100 ml with vinegar or water and transfer it into a spray bottle.

How to get rid of ticks on dogs?

Dogs seem to always be targeted by ticks so check your furry friend frequently, especially after walks at the park. Mix 20 drops of rose geranium and pennyroyal essential oil with 2 tbsp of almond oil and place a few drops of it on your dog or on their collar.

How to make a paste for plants?

Mix 1/2 a cup of hot peppers with 1/2 a cup of garlic or onion, and blend it until it turns into a paste. Mix the paste with 500 ml of warm water. Let it sit for 24 hours in a warm place, strain it and spray your plants with this liquid. 4.

What to do if you leave rice unsealed?

7. Weevils. If you leave flour, cereal or rice unsealed in the pantry, you might end up with these unwanted bugs in your food.

Is it safe to use pesticides in stores?

We all want to keep our houses pest-free, but the chemical pesticides in stores are way too toxic and harmful for using anywhere near your home, family, and pets. If these chemicals can kill insects, surely they cannot be good for us and it’s better to use something natural and safe when it’s possible.

How to get rid of fleas in your house?

12. Before they come inside, check your pets for fleas. Once fleas are indoors, they can easily spread. 13. Vacuum your home or office frequently to eliminate pests and/or pest eggs. 14.

How to keep ants away from trash?

2. Keep a tight lid on your trash can at all times and move the trash to an outside dumpster as soon as possible. 3.