How to Get Rid of Common Household Pests and Vermin
In this article, we’ll give you easy ways to get rid of common household pests like mice, squirrels or ants. It’s a lot easier than you might think, and with our help you can get the pests out of your house before they become a serious problem. Print out this article and call back the pest exterminator to tell him he’s not needed anymore!
The Pest Problem: A squirrel – Sure, they can be fun to watch. Squirrels are smart, fast, and able to do amazing acrobatics. These qualities also make the terribly hard to get rid of once they decide to call your yard or house their home.
First, deter the squirrels before they find a way into your attic (which, being as smart as they are, they will find). Prune back the trees in your yard that stand near your house. Also, devote a Sunday afternoon to inspecting your house’s eaves to locate and seal any holes. Look for even the smallest holes, and use heavy-duty wire mesh (available from Home Deport or any local hardware store) to close them up. This might take a while, but a day of preventative measures sure beats a month of squirrel hunting.
If you’ve had the unfortunate fortune of reading this article too late, and the squirrels have already found a way into your attic, it’s not too late! One of the easiest ways to drive the pests out is to be a pest…to them! Squirrels don’t like loud noises; place a radio in your attic and blast it! The squirrels will hate it and leave for quieter nesting grounds.
The Pest Problem: Mice – Use a humane, live trap (available from online from PETA or your local hardware store). Place bait out regularly in the spot that you wish to catch them. Once they’ve become accustomed to finding free food there, use the trap. Some of the best baits include peanut butter, so forget the clichÃ?©d idea of cheese.
The best option? Get a cat! After getting an outdoor cat, my entire rat and mouse problem vanished. Even if your cat doesn’t actually catch anything, its very presence will deter all but the bravest rodent (who will then be caught in your trap).
The Pest Problem: Tons of Ants – Ants are useful in nature. They find food and trash and eat it, basically acting as Mother Nature’s vacuum. But what if you don’t want Mother Nature’s cleaning assistance in your house? Ants can become quite a problem, because even the smallest food dropped on the floor or on the counter can quickly attract swarms of ants.
First, be as clean as possible. Laurel leaves are also a great deterrent, as are chalk lines? Want to do a seek and destroy mission? Get a plate and put a big glob of sugary treats, like maple syrup, in the middle of it. Then, spoon boric acid around the edges of the plate. The ants will walk through the boric acid to get to the syrup, and the boric acid will kill them.
