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Natural Pest Control Strategies

by Mary Hahn

Pests can attack anywhere around the house. They can damage stored food, give off foul odors, and endanger the health of the family. People should avoid them at all costs to keep safe. Prevention is better and easier than cure. For the most part, maintaining a clean house is the best way to steer clear of these unwanted visitors. Make it a habit to scrub and wipe surfaces with soap and water. Sometimes this is not enough as pests have already entrenched themselves before you bought the house. You can also use the following natural pest control strategies to make the house more pleasant:

Remove Attractants

Ants will go where they can find food to sustain the colony. The best way to keep them away is to make sure that your kitchen and dining areas are free of crumbs that they can take back. You should also wipe surfaces with sticky spots. If you have sugar or sugary treats, then store them in airtight containers so that ants will not catch a whiff. If closing the lids of jars is not enough, then you can try to place these jars inside sealed plastic bags. If you have dirty dishes, then wash them right away instead of leaving them on the sink overnight.

Natural Repellants

You may also use natural repellants to discourage ants from coming near your house. Place these around the perimeter of your house. You can also make this strategy more focused by actually following their trail and seeing where they enter. This is the ideal spot to place your repellants including cinnamon, coffee grounds, lemon juice, citrus oil, and cayenne pepper. Cut their trail with a line of these substances to prevent them from crossing. It may disrupt them enough that they no longer go inside the house.

DIY Ant Bait

Another way to control ants is to place a bait that is meant for them to find. Add something that will attract them such as sugar dissolved in water. Add a teaspoon of anti-pest chemical like Borax. This solution is lethal for the ants but they will not be able to help themselves because of the added sugar. Soak cotton balls in this solution and put them in a container that is accessible to the insects. The bait will be carried back by the ant workers to their colony and eventually kill everyone. Just be careful to use this indoors and away from children or pets.

Professional Pest Control

Sometimes natural pest control using DIY strategies is not enough. If you are frustrated with the lack of results, then it might be time to call in the experts like https://www.southeasternpest.com. Some infestations are far too advanced for ordinary people to deal with themselves. The pros know exactly how to deal with these problematic situations from minor occurrences to the worst situations. They have the tool, the materials, and the skills to do whatever is needed to be done to contain the spread of the pests and totally eliminate them from the house once and for all.