How To Keep Unwanted Pests Out Of Your Home and Natural Treatments For When They Do Invade
Do you get bugs, rodents, insects and other unwanted pests in your home? Instead of waiting until they’ve settled in and made themselves at home, get one step ahead and implement some of the tips we share in this article to stop them getting in there in the first places.
Fruit Flies
These flies might be small, but they can be extremely annoying - not to mention disgusting! They can be transported into your house on pieces of fruit - you might not see the eggs on them but they hatch when you get home, leading to a bit of an infestation. To avoid this, wash your produce as soon as you come back. It doesn’t take long - just make a simple mixture of baking soda and water, which also has the benefit of removing any pesticides. Let the fruit sit in it for ten minutes or so before taking it out and drying them thoroughly.
They are also drawn to fruit that has turned and is beginning to ferment. Make sure that you either eat or freeze fruit before it goes off.
If fruit flies are already an issue, try this natural trap: pour apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover it with plastic wrap and secure it with an elastic band. Poke a small hole into the plastic wrap. The scent of the apple cider vinegar will attract the flies, they will fly or crawl in through the hole and be stuck underneath the plastic wrap.
Bed Bugs
These little critters are everyone's worst nightmare, and even the thought of them make most people itch. Once you get them, they are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Preventing them is definitely a lot easier than treating them.
Use zippered covers to protect your mattress, which is where they really love to hide and regularly inspect and vacuum it. If you purchase any upholstered furniture, whether brand new from the store or second hand from the thrift shop, give it a good look over before you bring it into your house. Look under tags, seams and pillows, as this is where they love to lurk.
If you visit a hotel, wash all of your clothes as soon as you return home and put your dryer on high heat to kill any eggs or bugs that have managed to hold on.
Roaches
Houses or apartments in built-up areas are incredibly prone to roach invasions. The best ways of preventing them are by keeping your home clean and putting away or throwing out any uneaten food immediately after use. Unfortunately, they are hardy creatures, and that doesn’t always stop them, as they can travel through homes on the lookout for water.
You can buy a variety of chemical sprays and powders, but if you are looking for something more natural, try bay leaves. Pop them in space where roaches may lurk: behind and under furniture, in cupboards, behind appliances and under sinks. Roaches really hate bay leaves!
Mice and Rats
The very best way of keeping mice and rats out is to seal up the house. Regularly check all of your doors, windows and exterior of your home for cracks, crevices and other small openings that rodents can get int though. Mice will find even the tiniest of holes and use that as an entrance to your home. Check for cracks in the foundations, missing roof shingles or tiles and gaps around piping or wiring coming into the house. Seal any openings with stainless steel wire mesh, sheet metal or mortar. While expanding caulk can seem like a cost-effective and quick way to fix gaps, many pests can simply chew straight through it.
Cleanliness and tidiness are the easiest and most effective ways of stopping pretty much every pest. Empty out trash cans and clean up any spillages straight away, to cut off any potential food source. If possible, store trash cans as far away from the house as possible and make sure it has a lid and is cleaned out regularly. Drains and sinks, which often hold a lot of gunk and debris, make excellent feeding and breeding sites for insects, especially flies, so keep these clean and well maintained. It is also to consider the outside environment. If you have tree branches or bushes touching the property, consider cutting them back as they can act like a ‘bridge’ from the outside into your property for many pests. If you have wood chippings or mulch on the floor, change it for something less attractive to pests, such as stone or rock chippings.
Fruit Flies
These flies might be small, but they can be extremely annoying - not to mention disgusting! They can be transported into your house on pieces of fruit - you might not see the eggs on them but they hatch when you get home, leading to a bit of an infestation. To avoid this, wash your produce as soon as you come back. It doesn’t take long - just make a simple mixture of baking soda and water, which also has the benefit of removing any pesticides. Let the fruit sit in it for ten minutes or so before taking it out and drying them thoroughly.
They are also drawn to fruit that has turned and is beginning to ferment. Make sure that you either eat or freeze fruit before it goes off.
If fruit flies are already an issue, try this natural trap: pour apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover it with plastic wrap and secure it with an elastic band. Poke a small hole into the plastic wrap. The scent of the apple cider vinegar will attract the flies, they will fly or crawl in through the hole and be stuck underneath the plastic wrap.
Bed Bugs
These little critters are everyone's worst nightmare, and even the thought of them make most people itch. Once you get them, they are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Preventing them is definitely a lot easier than treating them.
Use zippered covers to protect your mattress, which is where they really love to hide and regularly inspect and vacuum it. If you purchase any upholstered furniture, whether brand new from the store or second hand from the thrift shop, give it a good look over before you bring it into your house. Look under tags, seams and pillows, as this is where they love to lurk.
If you visit a hotel, wash all of your clothes as soon as you return home and put your dryer on high heat to kill any eggs or bugs that have managed to hold on.
Roaches
Houses or apartments in built-up areas are incredibly prone to roach invasions. The best ways of preventing them are by keeping your home clean and putting away or throwing out any uneaten food immediately after use. Unfortunately, they are hardy creatures, and that doesn’t always stop them, as they can travel through homes on the lookout for water.
You can buy a variety of chemical sprays and powders, but if you are looking for something more natural, try bay leaves. Pop them in space where roaches may lurk: behind and under furniture, in cupboards, behind appliances and under sinks. Roaches really hate bay leaves!
Mice and Rats
The very best way of keeping mice and rats out is to seal up the house. Regularly check all of your doors, windows and exterior of your home for cracks, crevices and other small openings that rodents can get int though. Mice will find even the tiniest of holes and use that as an entrance to your home. Check for cracks in the foundations, missing roof shingles or tiles and gaps around piping or wiring coming into the house. Seal any openings with stainless steel wire mesh, sheet metal or mortar. While expanding caulk can seem like a cost-effective and quick way to fix gaps, many pests can simply chew straight through it.
Cleanliness and tidiness are the easiest and most effective ways of stopping pretty much every pest. Empty out trash cans and clean up any spillages straight away, to cut off any potential food source. If possible, store trash cans as far away from the house as possible and make sure it has a lid and is cleaned out regularly. Drains and sinks, which often hold a lot of gunk and debris, make excellent feeding and breeding sites for insects, especially flies, so keep these clean and well maintained. It is also to consider the outside environment. If you have tree branches or bushes touching the property, consider cutting them back as they can act like a ‘bridge’ from the outside into your property for many pests. If you have wood chippings or mulch on the floor, change it for something less attractive to pests, such as stone or rock chippings.