DIY Home Pest Prevention Tips
From stinging insects to dirty rodents, pests are constantly trying to invade your home. An infestation not only poses a large health risk to you and your family, it can also cause thousands of dollars in damage to your property. While it may be tempting to grab a can of toxic chemicals when you see a creepy crawler, there are plenty of natural and preventative solutions that can be explored.
Prevention
Stopping an infestation before it happens
- Inside the house -
3. Wipe down all benchtops and food preparation areas
1. Fix leak taps
4. Store dry food stuffs in sealed containers
5. Use a bin with a lid
2. Clear drains of left over food
6. Rinse jars, bottles and tins before recycling
1.
Fix leaking taps. Like most creatures, rodents and insects need water to survive. By removing the source, they will be forced to look for it else where.
2.
Clear drains of left over food. It’s easy to forget that drains can become clogged up with food scraps which will attract hungry insects. A clogged drain can also form standing water that can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Pro tip: First place 1/2 cup of bicarbonate soda, then pour 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain. Wait five minutes, then pour in a kettle full of boiling water to wash everything out.
3.
Wipe down benchtops and food preparation areas. Unwanted visitors like rodents, flies and cockroaches are attracted to the smell of crumbs and food waste. An unclean benchtop is an open smorgasbord for these guys.
Pro tip: Mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water to use in a spray bottle. Use this when wiping down surfaces to remove food odours and particles.
4. Store dry food stuffs in sealed containers. Rodents like mice and rats, as well as insects such as weevils, can easily chew their way in to cardboard packaging. Always store dry foods in jars or plastic containers.
5.
Use a bin with a lid. An open bin filled with food scraps and other general waste is a sure fire way to attract pests. Use a lidded bin to discourage creepy crawlys from rummaging through your waste.
6.
Rinse jars, bottles and tins before recycling The recycling bin might not seem like something that would attract pests. However, if jars, bottles and tins are left unwashed, your recycling bin will become a buffet for undesirable creatures.
- Outside the house 2. Cover chimneys and vents with mesh
1. Trim trees and bushes that are near your roof or siding
3. Caulk windows and doors
4. Keep garbage in a closed bin away from the house
5. Remove any standing water
6. Never store firewood directly next to the house
1.
Trim trees and bushes that are near your roof or siding. Ants and termites can often live in trees. If a tree or bush is in close proximity to you house, these insects can quickly invade causing health and property damage.
2.
Cover chimneys and vents with mesh. Rodents like mice, rats and possums look for dry warm spaces. Cover all vents and chimneys with steel mesh to avoid them getting in to your roof or walls.
3.
Caulk windows and doors. Cockroaches can slide in through openings as thin a coin. Seal off any cracks or opening around windows to doors to stop them from getting in.
4. Keep garbage in a closed bin away from the house. As with inside your home, always place rubbish and food scraps in to a bin with a closed lid to discourage rodents and insects from rummaging through your waste. By keeping the bins at a distance from your house, any pests that are attracted to any odours will be less likely to move into your house.
5.
Remove any standing water. Mosquitoes and other insects use standing water as a breeding ground. These pools of stagnant water can quickly become fill with thousands of larvae, which will turn in to a swarm of biting insects.
6.
Never store firewood directly next to the house. Ants and termites feed on the cellulose in wood. Always store your firewood at a distance from your house to avoid an infestation that could cause structural damage to your house.
DYI solutions
These natural solutions can help prevent infestations
mosquitoes
spiders
ants
To keep mosquitoes out, mix 2 1/2 tsp citronella oil with 1 cup of vodka in an empty spray bottle. Use this mixture to mist through out the house.
Mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle to repel spiders. Spray on cracks and any other entrances that spiders may be using.
To stop ants in their tracks, sprinkle coffee grounds around windows, doors and any other places that they may be gaining access.
cockroaches
flies
mice
Repel cockroaches by placing a saucer filled with 1/2 cup of beer on the floor near doors, windows or any other entry point.
Make a natural fly repellent by combining 3 tsp lavender or clove oil with 1 cup water in a spray bottle. Spray in you kitchen and around doorways.
Make your own mouse deterrent by mixing 2 tbsp peppermint oil with 1/4 water. Spray this along skirting boards and place soaked cotton balls in entry points.
infographic supplied by:
www.cannonpestmanagement.com.au