How to get rid of pests on a budget!

No one likes pests in their home. Whether it’s vermin or insect the thought of sharing the space where you call home with uninvited pests make home owners check for the best way to get rid of them as soon as possible,

Unfortunately the pest eradication is big business. Some companies can charge up to $10,000 to spray inside and outside the home for cockroaches or termites.

What should you do if you have pests but no money to pay exterminators?

Clean Up

The best way to save money on exterminators is never to need them in the first place.  Keeping your surroundings clean goes a long way to ensuring that you don’t get any uninvited guests.

Now that we don’t get our groceries in plastic anymore, you might get a number of boxes when you go shopping.  Be careful that these boxes don’t pile up as this is the perfect environment for cockroaches.

Clean the kitchen as well especially at night as food particles on dirty dishes are a feast to cockroaches. Ants love food that is left opened so make sure that you secure bags held in cupboards.

Clear out the Junk!

At the end of the year, persons often throw out things they have not used for years.  This is really a good idea as accumulating a lot of unused items is a sure way to get pests.

If you have a room that you affectionately call the ‘junk room’, which I may also have in my home, join me and get rid of it! There is no need to store items indefinitely; if you haven’t used it in the last six months then chances are that you don’t need it at all.

Do it Yourself

Okay what if after you tried faithfully you still have pests invade your home? Well if you have a little money most hardware stores sell ants powder, rat traps, poison and fly paper.

These items are relatively cheap and require very little experience to use.  A word of caution if you have young children be very careful with how you store rat poison and any harmful substance in the home.

Natural Ways

If you have no extra money but need to get rid of your cockroach problem, you could try the natural way. Among easy home treatments, a mix of water and common dishwashing liquid was found to be effective against cockroaches. The soapy liquid blocks their air passages and knocks them down. The cockroaches ultimately die after 18 to 24 hours.

So, keep a spray bottle of soap water handy and spray generously if you see a cockroach.

Another popular home remedy involves taking about half a glass of vinegar or apple cider vinegar and adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid to it. Swish the glass and add some warm water to help mix the liquids. Place the glass at spots frequented by fruit flies. This is an excellent trap for fruit flies – they come attracted by the vinegar smell and are trapped by the weight of the soap.

Then there are the dreaded mosquitoes which have been making our lives miserable recently. The protection of mesh over windows and netting over the bed does help to some extent but we are still having too many in our homes. The best thing is to check for any breeding sites around your home and destroy or treat them.

So how do you get rid of pests without breaking the budget? Drop me a line below!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: cockroaches, mosquitoes, pests, treat