Do Invasive Pest Treatments Make You Sick?
Here are some simple ways to deal with household pests. You’ll need a few supplies:
– Borax (found in the laundry aisle at your grocery store)
– Baking Soda
– Caulk and caulk gun
– Plain (no soap) steel wool
– Peppermint Castille Soap (Dr. Bronner’s is excellent)
– Essential Oils: Pennyroyal, Cinnamon, Orange, Peppermint
– Spray Bottle
SAFETY NOTE: Although these ingredients are “safe”, they still must be used with caution. Keep pets and children away from any areas with borax on it. Many essential oils are toxic if taken internally. Only do so under the express direction of a medical professional who is extremely knowledgeable about herbs and essential oils. Use caution when applying directly to the skin – many essential oils are skin irritants unless used properly. Pennyroyal should never be applied directly to your pet for flea control.
Your first step should be to eliminate access to your home.A mouse can go anywhere his nose will fit. They’ve got an uncanny ability to squeak (no pun intended) through the tiniest of holes. Ants and roaches can come through holes so small they can hardly be seen. These holes are just like an open door with a welcome sign. To eradicate pests, you must eradicate holes. This will involve crawling around on the floor and poking your head all the way into the backs of cupboards. You’ll also need to get behind all of your appliances. Plug small holes with caulk. If it’s in an area totally inaccessible to pets and small children, dust the caulk with a little Borax. For larger holes and around drain pipes, pour borax directly in the hole. Plug carefully with steel wool (don’t be stingy!) Put a few drops of peppermint essential oil on the steel wool.
While you’re down there on your hands and knees, find and eliminate all food sources. Crumbs, spills, cardboard, fabric, and bar soap are all favorite foods for many household pests. If mice, ants, or roaches have been in your food, toss the food and start storing items in glass jars or in the refrigerator. Use shelf liner rather than old newspapers to line your shelves. Clean your oven and the broiler pan thoroughly.
Fill a spray bottle with water, add a heavy squirt of peppermint castille soap, and 5 drops each of the essential oils listed above. Mice, ants, roaches and fleas all HATE these ingredients! Spray this into every crack and crevice you can find in your home. Spray outside, too… especially the area where the foundation meets the siding on your house, and around any windows you suspect ants may be coming through. You can also mist your carpet with this solution. Allow to dry thoroughly before anyone walks on it. You’ll need to repeat spraying every few days, concentrating on areas pests are still found.
To foil fleas, ants, and roaches you can also treat your carpets with Borax. For best results, mix a big box of Borax with a big box of baking soda. You can add several drops of any of the essential oils to the mix, if you like. The baking soda serves no pest control purpose, but it does a nice job of deoderizing your carpet! Remove all pets and children from the room, then liberally sprinkle carpets and brush well with a broom. Be sure to get any areas where your pets may sleep (under your bed, behind the couch, etc.) Wait at least one hour – longer if you can – and vacuum well. Immediately dispose of the vacuum bag or empty your bagless, as there will be flea eggs in it that you don’t want hatching! It’s best to simply do this outside, to avoid a mess. Also, if you have a bagless vac, it’s best to seal the filter inside a plastic Ziploc bag and leave it in a cool, dry place outside (eggs can live in the filter). Each time you use your vacuum, simply replace it.
After you treat your carpets this way, be sure to keep up with the vacuuming – daily is best. You may need to repeat the treatment again in a few weeks.
If your animals even look at your bed, you’ll need to wash all your bedding and dry in a hot dryer. You can sprinkle a little borax between your mattress and box spring. You should also vacuum your mattress. For a nice scent, spray with a mist of lavender water and let dry.
Either use cloth collars or tie a string around your pet’s neck that has been sprayed with your essential oil solution (let dry first). For safety’s sake, be sure not to tie too tight. Only use a collar specifically made for cats, if your feline goes outdoors. Cats have a habit of getting collars stuck – a cat collar will readily come off, whereas a regular collar will literally strangle your pet!
Any indoor pest control must be completemented by treating the outside of your home as well. Fleas and ants (as well as many outdoor pests) can be effectively controlled by applying Beneficial Nematodes to your yard. These microscopic living organisms are generally applied as a spray in the spring or fall. Another excellent natural pest control product is diatomaceous earth. This can be applied inside or out, as a powdered substance. It works by causing bugs to literally dry out!
These all-natural pest control solutions will resolve most problems. The key is to be persistent when it comes to cleanliness, closing the “door” to pests, and applying natural treatments.
