Pests often threaten homes and sometimes threaten health. It's important to control pests around your property, but you can save money when you purchase supplies and do it yourself instead of hiring an exterminator. When you control pests yourself, you don't have to use harsh, damaging chemicals, and you can choose when and where to put sprays, traps, bait, and other pest control supplies. Does this Spark an idea?
Spider Control
Most spiders are beneficial because they catch other pests, so seeing one or two spiders in your home isn't necessarily cause for alarm. If you see poisonous spiders or too many spiders, it is time to control them. The two main poisonous spiders to watch for are black widow and brown recluse spiders. If you see these spiders in your home, use extreme caution around them. To control any type of spider, you need to take away the spider's home. A product called a Cobweb Eliminator, available at most hardware stores, gets rid of spider webs and cobwebs and also discourages spiders from spinning a web there in the future. Spray ceiling corners, bathrooms, and other places where you've observed spiders.
Bait
Use bait to control social pests such ascockroaches, ants, and termites because an individual insect will collect the bait, bring it to the colony, share, and poison the entire colony. Bait tastes good to insects at first, but it poisons them soon after it is ingested. Bait usually comes in tubes, and you leave small amounts where you've observed the pest. Choose a bait labeled "slow acting insecticide bait," because the insect has a better chance of sharing with the whole colony before it dies.
Traps
Traps are best for controlling mice and rats. You can choose a spring-loaded trap or a sticky trap, but either one will catch mice and rats. Simply bait the trap with peanut butter or cheese and set it where you've seen droppings or signs of rodent damage, such as chew marks on cereal boxes. Unless you've seen mice out in the open, don't set the trap out in the open. It's best to set the trap somewhere the mouse or rat is likely to go, such as in the back of a cupboard. Check the trap several times a day, and when the mouse or rat is caught, simply throw the trap away, using thick gloves or a broom and dustpan to avoid touching the mouse or trap directly. Be sure to dispose of the trap in an outdoor trash can with a lid.
In the Home
There are several things you can do to control pests around the house with supplies you can get at the hardware store. Begin by sealing with caulk all cracks in the house where pests can come inside. Do a thorough check every fall, when pests are likely to seek your home as shelter from the cold. You can also install 14-inch wire mesh, also labeled hardware cloth, over attic, roof, and crawl space vents. Installing this mesh will allow your vents to work properly but keep larger pests, such as rodents and birds, from entering your home.
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