Pests can enter your residence in numerous ways, and oftentimes finding just one in your home is not a cause for alarm. If you begin to see numerous insects, however, or if a small rodent or other animal has established its residence in your home, you certainly can’t charge them rent and perhaps it is time to consider some form of pest control to reclaim your home. Below we will touch upon ways to exterminate common household pests. These intruders can be evicted both by solid DIY pest control methods or by hiring a professional service. As weather conditions change, insects, rodents and other small animals become more active. Here are just a few to be on the lookout for.
Ants
First, let’s quickly talk of ants. Ants are one of the most common household pest. From my own experience, inside my own home, ants seem to make their quiet but annoying presence year in and year out. Ants live in rather large colonies, and if you begin to notice ants in your home, there could be thousands more that you simply will not see. With these pests, it is very important to eliminate any open sources of food and also seal off any entrances into your home.
Some Common and Effective Ways to Rid Your Home of Ants
Keep a Cleaner Home
I am obviously not insulting you and saying your home is a filthy mess, but attempting to clean it up a bit can go a long way. Me too. I currently have a coffee mug and bowl I used for breakfast cereal sitting in my kitchen sink. I’m sure I may have dripped on the countertop when pouring my coffee. My point is that the cleaner your home is, the better position you will be in to live without the annoyance of ants.
A clean home is really your first defense from ants. So, roll up your sleeves and mop it up. Clean up any food crumbs by either sweeping floors or cleaning countertops, promptly wipe up spills, take the kitchen trash out more frequently, avoid leaving dirty dishes sitting in your kitchen sink or on the counters or coffee table. Do you have dogs or cats? Clean up their dining area as well. Maybe squirt a mixture of vinegar and water around your pet’s bowls.
Keep food in airtight containers or tightly wrapped with plastic or foil wrap.
Bait Traps
Bait traps are designed to attract ants who will then ingest bring back the toxins to their colony where other ants will dine on the bait and ultimately expire. Some effective bait traps are listed below. All links to Amazon.com.
| Liquid Ant Bait Station – By: Terro | MaxForce Ant Control Liquid Bait – By: Bayer |
| Ant Bait Stations – By: Advion |
Seal Off the Obvious Entry Points
Use caulk to seal off any cracks or exposed crevices in doorways and windows. Afterwards, apply insecticide around the area. Some popular insecticides are listed below. All links to Amazon.com
| Demon Max Insecticide – By: Syngynta | Carpenter Ant and Termite Killer – By: BioAdvanced |
| Viper Insecticide – By: Control Solutions |
Apply an Ant Barrier Around Your Home
After spraying any interior entry points, head outside and continue spraying. Spray the insecticide on the foundation of your home and all the way up and including the first portion of siding of your home. This is in the attempt to keep ants from penetrating your home.
You may also need to trim back any bushes or shrubs that crowd your home as well. These offer a bridge for ants to pass from the outside to the inside of your home. Do you stack firewood near your home? Try to move the wood farther away. If you see any anthills in close proximity to your home, in your walkway or driveway, spritz the mounds with insecticide.
Spiders
Another one of the more common household pests are spiders. These eight-legged pests can enter your home any time of year. The fall, however, is generally the most severe season for them to do so. Spiders tend to dwell in the darker areas of your home – corners, cellars, laundry rooms and near windows. The vast majority of houses around your particular neighborhood actually have spiders living in them already. If you see a number of the same type of spider, however, you may have an infestation.
Some Common and Effective Ways to Rid Your Home of Spiders
Natural Repellents
If you choose to repel spiders from your home with natural substances, you may want to consider the following:
- Peppermint Oil – Peppermint oil has a powerful scent that may be effective to push spiders away. Simply add a dozen or two drops of peppermint oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spray fully at all the corners, nooks and crannies of your home. Soak cotton balls in this solution and strategical place them in any potential hiding spots. Here are some peppermint oil products (links to Amazon.com).
| Mighty Mint: Insect Control Peppermint Oil – By: Pure Origin | Mighty Mint: Pest Control Peppermint Concentrate – By: Pure Origin |
- Water and Vinegar – Use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water to drive spiders away. Simply mix this solution in a spray bottle and apply to the baseboards of your home, to entrances, and cracks. Spray the solution on windows and doors. If you want a better smell to your solution try mixing in orange or lemon peels. Spiders dislike citrus.
- Clean your home of dust and cobwebs – Regularly freeing your home of dust and cobwebs really is a simple but effective way to deter spiders. Spiders enjoy dwelling in dusty places in your home, and by cleaning these areas more regularly your home will become less appealing to them.
Lethal Methods of Indoor Spider Control
- Spider Traps – Spider traps such as glue boards will seize spiders and help monitor the population. They are non-toxic and fairly cost-effective, however while they work well at catching a few spiders, they can be less effective against more substantial infestations. Below are some commonly used spider traps (links to Amazon.com).
| Trapper Insect Trap – By: Bell Store | Terro Spider Traps – By: Terro |
| Rescue! Spider Traps – 3 Pack |
- Spider Sprays – Spider sprays kill on contact. They are simple to use, but they can also leave a residue. A few good products on the market today are listed below (links to Amazon.com).
| Miss Muffet’s Revenge Spider Killer – By: Wet and Forget | Spider Killer Spray – By: Terro |
- Insecticide Dusts – Insecticide dust can be used for a large spider issue. If this is something you are in the need for, use product such as D-Fense Dust by Control Solutions (link to Amazon.com) to eliminate spiders around your home. Apply this dust in the attic area of your home, under the baseboards, in the corners of your basement and garage and throughout your porch area. Below are a few insecticide dusts to consider (links to Amazon.com).
| D-Fense Dust – By: Control Solutions | Delta Dust – By: Bayer | |
| Spider and Insect Dust – By: 3M |
Prevent Spiders From Invading Your Home in the Future
As with many other household pests, spiders enjoy hiding in clutter. Pick up your dirty clothes, older magazines and books and any other spot for them to reside. You do not want to dare them to take up a future residence in your home. Try to better secure your home so spiders will not enter via cracks or crevices. Incorporate fine mesh insect screens in vents. Apply caulk around faucets, wires, cables and any electrical components that lead outside the house. Caulk up the gaps around your windows. Replace or repair any torn window screen. Remove any shrubs, trees or ivy within the perimeter of your home as they can provide shelter for spiders and house some of the insects spiders prey upon.
Lady Bugs
For many, finding a ladybug can be magical, bringing us back to the good ole days of childhood. In your garden lady bugs can be fairly beneficial. They consume aphids and other plant-eating pests. However, having your home infested with lady bugs puttering around your walls, windows or covering your ceiling can be a problem. And while most ladybugs are harmless, one kind, the Asian lady beetle, has been known to aggravate allergies and asthma.
Ladybugs tend to enter your home through tiny cracks around doorways, windows, and under clapboard siding. Some of the more common ways to eliminate lady bugs from your home are spraying them with soapy water, vacuuming them up and removing them from the vacuum afterwards, and with the use of diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is an effective means to kill ladybugs and many other insects including silverfish, bed bugs, and dust mites. Diatomaceous earth can also prevent ladybugs to enter your home in the future. Simply sprinkle the powder around windows and doors. Below Links to Amazon.com.
| HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth Crawling Insect Killer – By Harris | Perma-Guard Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth – By: Perma-Guard Inc. |
| Diatomaceous Earth – 100% Natural Food Grade -By: EasyGoProducts | Diatomaceous Earth, Ready to Use Crawling Bug/Roach Killer – By: Bonide |
Bed Bugs
Some common places to run into bed bugs are in movie theaters, department stores and, more commonly prevalent, hotel rooms. And if a couple of these little critters comeback with you while on vacation, it will spell trouble for your home. Getting rid of them, may take a bit of effort.
For starters, clean up the area around the believed infestation. If you believe that area is your mattress, you will need to remove any clutter underneath the bed and also in the surrounding area. You will then need to strip all bedding and pillowcases and wash them in hot, soapy water. All articles of clothing near the bed, should also be washed. Next will come any curtains, shoes, and stuffed animals in the room. These should be also be washed or put in the dryer on high for at least ten minutes. This will help ensure that all eggs are eliminated.
For the next step in removing an infestation, you will need to thoroughly vacuum the bed and the entire room. Immediately following the vacuuming process, make sure you change out the vacuum bag and dispose of it outside. As an added protection, you may desire to purchase a zipper-sealed mattress cover and install it on your mattress. Some effective mattress covers are listed below (links to Amazon.com). Please be careful to select a mattress cover that fits the size of your bed.
| Zippered Mattress Encasement – By: The Linenspa Store | Zippered Mattress Protector – By: Utopia Bedding Store |
| Premium Zippered Mattress Protector – By: SureGuard Mattress Protectors |
Bed Bug Traps and Sprays
A bed bug trap is a fairly small, plastic, pesticide-free trap, and it can also be convenient to pack. To use a bed bug trap simply apply the enclosed flypaper and press the activation button. The trap will release a powerful pheromone and will mislead any bed bugs into believing the trap is a trusted shelter and trapping them inside.
A bed bug spray can be used to kill bed bugs and dissolve any eggs.
Here are some bed bug traps and sprays currently on the market today. All links to Amazon.com
Bed Bug Traps:
| Max Bed Bug Trap – By: Ortho | Bed Bug Interceptor Traps – By: ECOPest Labs |
Bed Bug Sprays:
| Bed Bug Killer – By: Ortho | Safe Travels – Bed Bug Blasting Travel Spray – By: Bed Bug Patrol |
| Bed Bug Killer – By: Reneotech Inc |
Companies that Exterminate Bed Bugs
There are of course companies that will provide bed bug removal. The removal process can be fairly expensive but the result of such a professional service may be well worth the price paid. Price of such a service may depend on the degree of infestation, the size of the space infested and the type of treatment needed.
Some companies that offer such treatments are:
Fleas
I will admit, when I hear about a flea problem, I automatically think of dogs. However, many other animals, including humans, can have them, and they are not the easiest to deal with. So if you begin to notice very small jumping pests on home furniture or on your pet, it is time to take some action. These particular pests are unpleasant inhabitants to share your home with, and they cause extreme itching when they bite.
Fleas will often make their homes within your pet beds, your bed linen, rugs and carpets, and also within upholstered furniture. Itching is often the most distinguishing indication of a flea infestation.
So How Can We Eliminate a Flea Infestation?
It has been estimated that only about 5 percent of a flea infestation can be traced to adult fleas that are hosted by your lovable pet. This means that the remaining 95 percent consist of the eggs, larvae, and cocoons that fleas spread throughout your home. Thus, we will need to attack the issue from all angles.
- To remove fleas and the eggs from floors, upholstery, and mattresses use a powerful vacuum.
- Use a steam cleaner for your carpets, upholstery and pet beds.
- Wash all your pet’s bedding and even your own in hot water. Dry them at the highest possible heat setting. You may also want to remove old bedding and start fresh.
- Apply chemical treatments to the areas of infestation. Some recommended products are as follows (links to Amazon.com).
| Flea and Tick Carpet Powder – By: Adams | Flea Killer Carpet and Room Spray – By: Raid |
| Rx For Fleas Plus – By: Fleabusters |
- Give your pet a bath using flea shampoo. One effective flea shampoo is listed below (link to Amazon.com).
| Flea and Tick Shampoo – By: Adams |
- Discuss oral or topical flea treatments for your pet with your pet’s veterinarian.
Fleas can be promptly eliminated when taking the appropriate steps – vacuum regularly, wash all linens frequently at high heat, treat your home, yard, and lovable pet at the very same time.
Beetles
When I was younger, I moved into a neighborhood with an intense beetle problem. There are actually hundreds of species of beetles out there, and they come in all shapes and sizes. For the most part, they are fairly harmless. However, as with most pests, if you start to notice them regularly or in large groups, you will need do something and soon. If you don’t deal with beetles right away, they will breed and continue to overrun your home. They can damage stored food and property such as clothes and furniture.
Some Common and Effective Ways to Rid Your Home of Beetles
- Thoroughly clean up following every meal.
- Make use of a vacuum cleaner to remove the beetles.
- Secure your pantry items in solid canisters with lids.
- Live with a clutter-free mindset. Pay specific attention to closets and pantries.
- Outside the house, you can use products like Bifen L/P Granules. Here is a link to view the product on Amazon.com. Applying Bifen L/P to your lawn can last up to 3 months and can address a beetle infestation.
- Apply an insecticide to your yard and around the perimeter of your yard. Insecticides such as Viper Insecticide – By: Control Solutions or Demon Max Insecticide – By: Syngynta (links to Amazon.com) will treat many pests including beetles.
| Demon Max Insecticide – By: Syngynta | Bifen L/P Granules – By: Control Solutions | |
| Viper Insecticide – By: Control Solutions |
Small Animals
Until now, we have spoken only about insects as common household pests. However, small animals are also an obviously problem. With most insects, discovering one or two in your home is not abnormal at all. However, with small animals, even one can be enough. Even if you do not spot the creature with your eyes, you may suspect you have one living in your home by either by noise or smell. Take a squirrel living in your attic for instance. You may first become alert to this issue by the odd noises coming from your attic. If you do find a squirrel, mouse, bat, or any other creature residing in your home, you may wish to try live trapping the animal and releasing it several miles away from your house. There are also professional services out there who are in the business of performing this sort of service for you. Below are a list of traps to consider (links provided by Amazon.com).
| Live Animal Trap – By: HomGarden | Catch and Release Animal Trap – By: Harris |
| Large Live Animal Trap – By: SmartXChoices |
Professional Service to Help Rid your Home of Common Household Pests
If you tried to eliminate a particular pest yourself but without much success or if you want that peace of mind that comes with hiring a professional – one who is more experienced in the type of pest you are dealing with consider the following:
In Conclusion
For most of us, sharing a home with an unwanted pest is something we all come across occasionally. Fortunately, there are a number of options available in order to keep your home infestation free. Try some of the products and/or services mentioned above.
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