It’s the dead of winter, you sit in your chair, wrapped in a blanket, a mug of hot cocoa in your hand. Everything seems wonderful and peaceful when all of a sudden…
A mouse scampers across your foot.
Rodents and bugs are a real pain, especially when they take refuge in your home during the winter months. Here are ten tips you can use for pest control in your home.
Hot Sauce in Your Garden
You may have heard of people who put hot sauce on their wooden chair legs to get their dogs to stop chewing on them. This method also works for your garden.
If you dilute hot sauce in water and spray it on your plants, bugs won’t know what hit them. The spice will deter them away from your plants much like it does dogs from the furniture.
Note that you should use hot sauce without seeds. The seeds will clog up the sprayer. Texas Pete is a good option.
The Answer to Most Problems is Vinegar
If you ask an older person how to deal with most of life’s problems, chances are their answer is going to involve some form of vinegar or coconut oil. This is also true in the realm of pest control.
One way to deal with pesky gnats in your kitchen is to mix apple cider vinegar and dishwashing liquid in a cup. They will be attracted to the mixture and will quite literally dive to their deaths for it.
Does your roommate keep leaving piles of dirty dishes in the sink? Try this method and you’ll be sure to keep those nasty gnats at bay.
Vinegar is magical mixture crafted by the gods.
Become a Cat Person
Dogs are a mans best friend until you have a pest control problem, then it’s cats. Cats are great for many of life’s evil critters.
Mice can be a problem in the winter, but not when you have a hungry kitty hanging around. They’re also great for taking care of roach and spider problems.
Don’t like squashing spiders? A cat could be the perfect answer to your dilemma.
These are just a few reasons why it’s beneficial to be a cat person.
Essential Oils
Like some people with lavender and vanilla, you can get rid of some pests with certain strong smells.
Peppermint oil works fairly well with mice. Some essential oils also work get rid of ants.
Essential oils are a great method for pest control, and it leaves your home smelling awesome. That’s two practical uses right there.
Use Their Minds Against Them
This is going to be a very strange method but it works. Mice are very intelligent creatures, which is why they are used so often in scientific studies.
If you hate cats, (which, why would you, they’re adorable) you can lay down feathers. This will trick the mice into thinking there are birds around. Mice will stay away from the threat of one of their natural predators.
This is actually a fairly humane way to get rid of them if you don’t want to hurt the little guys. Why kill them if you can get them to leave of their own accord?
Jewelry
If you really like crafts there are a couple of DIYs online for pest control bracelets. If animals can have flea collars, why can’t humans have stylish pest begone bracelets right?
A quick Google search will land you several bracelet making results, chose one you like and go for it! Stay stylish and keep away those bugs!
Ladybugs Are your Friends
Ladybugs really like snacking on Aphids. If you have a problem with these pesky things damaging your garden, set ladybugs lose on them.
You’ll have a pest free garden and the ladybugs will have a full stomach. Everyone wins, except for the Aphids, of course.
Steel Wool Vs. Mice
There are a few cases where others have set steel wool in front of openings in their home.
Steel Wool in front of a drain pipe or a hole in the wall will keep mice at bay. The mice will arrive and try to chew through it and become hurt by the steel fibers. This will cause them to turn tail and run. Not quite as humane as the feathers, but the mice still get to live.
Choose your Greenery Wisely
There are certain plants that will keep mosquitos away. Plant a small garden of peppermint or lemongrass around your patio or pool area to keep them from snacking on your guests.
Mosquitos hate these plants and the other benefit from growing them is you can turn most of these plants into tasty teas.
Mothballs
Back on the topic of certain smells deter pests, mothballs are an excellent option. Mice hate the smell as do most humans.
If you don’t mind the smell or if you can get past it for a rat-free home, they are a fairly inexpensive option.
Other Pest Control Options
With all of the options and hacks out there one of the most effective is just hiring an exterminator.
This is the more expensive route but it’s also a sure fire way to make sure the pests are dealt with.
View here if you are in the Canton Georgia area and have animal removal needs!
Begone Pests
Pests can be a serious problem, especially during winter months when they like to take refuge from the cold weather outside. They’re also awful in the summer if you don’t want your guests getting snacked on at your poolside cookouts.
Use these foolproof methods to get rid of pests to save from ripping your hair out! For more tips and hacks that may be useful in your daily life, click here!