With spring heading our way hopefully sooner than later, nothing is quite as alarming as an infestation of fruit flies or a constant parade of ants entering your kitchen through a crack in the window. Many common household pests are harmless, but some are disease vectors that have the potential to make you sick.
Getting rid of pests is a constant struggle for humanity, which is why you can find all manner of poisons and pellets, powders and sprays, and traps and lures in the household aisle of your grocery store. Unfortunately, most of these potent chemicals are far worse for you than the pests they aim to eradicate–usually with dubious degrees of success.
Next time creepy-crawly things invade your space, try one of these nontoxic remedies first. If these don’t do the trick, do yourself a favor and call an exterminator. These trained professionals know how to use chemicals cautiously and effectively to solve the problem once and for all with the least toxicity.
Ants
The first important thing to do when the ants start marching in is eliminating crumbs and sticky spots in the kitchen and cut off their water sources (no more soaking dishes overnight.) If the ants don’t move on to greener pastures in a day or two, try repelling them with one of these remedies:
Cucumber peels or slices at the ants’ entry point. Ants hate cucumbers.
You also can use cayenne pepper, citrus oil, cinnamon or coffee grounds to form a line near the entry, which the ants won’t cross.
If you decide the ants have to die, mix a liter of water, a teaspoon of Borax, and a sugar cup. Soak cotton balls in the solution and put them in a container to which the ants have access. They’ll carry the bait back and eventually kill the colony.
Cockroaches
Keeping your kitchen and bathroom clean is the best way to prevent a cockroach infestation, but even the cleanest of homes can get invaded now and again. Here’s what you can try:
Catnip will repel the roaches. If you don’t have a cat, leave small satchels of catnip where the roaches are active. Also, simmer some catnip into a tea, and spray it around your baseboards and behind your counters.
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in areas where roaches gather. Diatomaceous earth is nontoxic to humans and pets, but it kills roaches within 48 hours.
Spraying the roaches with soapy water will also kill them.
Gnats and Fruit Flies
Annoying gnats and fruit flies can make your life miserable during their (thankfully) short-lived infestations. Setting a clever trap is the best way to get rid of them.
Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap, and a liter of water. Place this solution in small containers, and leave them in areas where the infestation seems worse. The cider vinegar will attract the beasts, and when they touch the solution, the soap will lead to their demise.
Non-Toxic Alternatives Made By You, Yes or No?
While these may seem like great ideas and may sometimes work, of course, that depends on the size of the infestation, you may not like the idea of containers and droppings of catnip, pepper, oil, and more all over the place. By calling a reputable pest control company, such as NJ Pest Control, they will provide effective and environmentally friendly pest control for residential and commercial properties.
As spring approaches to avoid these little invaders from entering your home, you can contact NJ Pest Control and schedule a prevention service call. If you wait too long and find them in your kitchen and elsewhere, get in touch, and our team will be at your property quickly. You can rest assured knowing you are in good hands with NJ Peat Control
