Bugs are so annoying as a homeowner. A lot of the time it is hard to find the money pest control when you regularly have so many other things going on in your home. There are several cost effective ways to take care of these problems yourself before contacting an expert. Here are our top 5 budget friendly ways to kill low risk bugs in your home.
DIY Ant Bait
Of all the pests there are, ants might be the most irritating. They are also the most common pests around, especially if you live in Southern California. If you do a little research online you’ll find that this recipe is one of the most common and highly praised out there. Here it is:
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp Borax
- 1/2 Cup of powdered sugar
- 1 Cup of warm water
Take this mixture, pour them in tiny containers (like bottle caps) and place them near the ant trails within your home. Resist the urge to kill every ant you see. Ants are unable to differentiate the Borax and the sugar, so if you give them enough time they will carry the Borax back to the colony eventually killing them all. The more ants you allow to find the bait and carry it back the sooner your pests will die off and be taken care of. For more info on killing different types of ants you can visit this link.
Dust Mite Essential Oil Repellent
Dust mites are tiny, eight-legged creatures that are about one-quarter to one-third of a millimeter in size. They are so tiny you can’t see them with the naked eye, nor can you feel them crawl on you. If you find yourself waking up with a stuffy nose or a headache every morning, you may have dust mites in your home. Dust mites don’t bite you, but they easily fly around in the air whenever a homeowner does simple activities such as changing sheets or sweeping.
You can try making an essential oil dust mite repellent by adding any of these essential oils to a spray bottle filled with water: Clove, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Peppermint or Rosemary oil. Take your spray and go around the house spraying areas that are commonly visited by dust mites. These places include: your bed, upholstered furniture, clothes, and even human hair or dog fur. Make sure you cover each area with a generous amount of your essential oil repellent. For more info you can visit this link.
Keep Mice Out
Mice can survive with very little food and water. Mice typically get into a home through openings in a wall or floor, and are capable of entering through a hole as small as ¼ of an inch in diameter. That’s smaller than the width of a pencil! One of the best ways to identify whether or not you have house mice is to look around for droppings. Mice are extremely unclean and you can often find droppings near food sources and nesting spaces. Peppermint oil can be an effective mouse deterrent, but it is not an effective way to remove mice that are already living in your home. (If you do have mice already living in your home, this might be a case where you would want to give us a call.) Here’s a natural mice repellent recipe that can help keep them away:
Ingredients
- 1 Cup of unscented baby shampoo
- 25 drops of Peppermint essential oil
Mix them together and pour them into a spray bottle. Spray your self-made mouse repellent along the baseboards and any entryway. You can also dip cotton balls in your mixture, and leave them near any entryways.
If you are still looking for extra barriers you can grow fresh mint in your garden to deter mice from entering your home. For even more info visit: https://goo.gl/jkKBXR
No Need to Chase Flies Around With a Fly Swatter
Although a common house fly problem may seem like a minor irritation, infestations can get really bad within a short period of time. It’s pretty hard to kill every fly that gets inside your house because adult flies are fast, and nearly impossible to locate. Rather than chasing every fly you see around like a maniac here’s a recipe that will do the work for you:
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. of Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 Tsp. of dishwashing liquid
Take your ingredients and gently stir them in a bowl making sure that there are no bubbles. Place and leave the bowl somewhere flies commonly visit within your home. The red wine vinegar will draw the flies in, and the soap will poison them leaving all the annoying work completed. All you have to do now is sweep their bodies up. Ultimately a cleanly household is the best pest control there is. For more info visit: https://goo.gl/PBKWAJ
The Best Pest Control There is
As previously stated, the best and most affordable pest control is a clean house. When you keep a clean home pests aren’t as capable to make into your home and create their own nest. Here’s a list of best practices to help keep pests out of your home:
- Keep your cupboards organized with chip clips and sealed containers
- Dust, mop and vacuum regularly
- Fix leaky faucets, and replace torn window screens
- Put all food away, do not leave it out on counters, or let crumbs lay around
- Keep pets groomed, and potty trained
- Keep wood and brush away from home structures
Click here for more info on home cleanliness and DIY pest control
If pests continue to worsen, don’t hesitate on contacting an expert. All of the pests listed above can be taken care of swiftly, but some pests have higher risks than others. You may want to call an expert immediately if you think you may have Bed Bugs, Termites or Cockroaches. Our inspections are free and we can help you assess the problem quickly. Trying to deal with some of these higher risk pests yourself might make the problem worse.
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Or you can call us at: (818)-898-4898