Control Bugs Humanely with Organic Pest Control

When you are new to going green, it can be challenging coming up with Earth-friendly solutions to major problems. This is especially true when it comes to finding organic pest control methods that effectively get rid of household pests.

In the past, dealing with pests like ants, roaches, spiders, et al generally entailed using toxic chemicals to kill them or prevent them from entering the home. However, these chemicals are just as dangerous to humans as they are to the bugs they were created to eliminate. Luckily, there are a number of organic pest control methods you can use to keep your home pest free.

Organic Pest Control Tips

Cockroaches

These are some of the most hated and persistent pests in the world. They have several defense mechanisms that make them difficult to eradicate once they get into the home. Even toxic chemicals lose their effectiveness over time because the roaches develop immunity to them. Try these organic methods for pest control to manage a cockroach infestation.

- One organic pest control method is to use strong smelling soaps to repel the roaches. Pour a capfull of peppermint soap into a quart of water and either spray on the roach directly or in areas they frequent. They will be repelled by the scent and die if they come in direct contact with the soap.

- Use roach traps aka Roach Motels. While probably providing way more interaction with roaches you may want, roach traps is both a humane and organic home pest control method. You can purchase them from a store as well as make your own at home. Staple tacky flypaper to a piece of cardboard and use a piece of bread as bait. Another option is to leave a little bit of soda in a bottle and put the bottle in a place where they frequent. The shape of the bottle will prevent them from escaping and you can screw the cap on the bottle and throw it out.

Spiders

Most spiders that enter the home are not dangerous. Some can even be an ally in your pest control efforts because they eat other insects, namely flies. However, if you can’t stand the creepiness of having them around or you live in an area where spiders are dangerous, here are a few organic home pest control methods you can use to keep them out.

- Clean up any cobwebs you see. This will prevent the spider from making a permanent home in your house and cause them to seek residency elsewhere. Additionally, try to keep your home as clutter free as possible so spiders don’t have anywhere to hide out.

- Like roach traps, catching spiders and releasing them outdoors is the most humane organic pest control but requires a certain amount of fortitude. It also requires that you can accurately tell the harmless spiders from the dangerous ones to ensure you won’t get hurt in the process.

- Use organic pest control to get rid of other bugs. As mentioned before, spiders prey on other bugs. If you don’t provide an active food source for them, they will go away.

- Keep garbage containers away from the house. Spiders tend to hang out around them to catch prey that is attracted to the smell of the trash.

Mice

Mice are pretty bold little buggers. Generally, they try to keep to hidden but if they are hungry enough, they will come out into the open looking for food. Unlike spiders, you can’t just live with a mouse because they will contaminate food sources, leave droppings everywhere, and spread disease. Here are few green pest control methods to get rid of them.

- The best way to handle mice is to prevent them from even entering the home. Inspect your house for possible entry points and patch them up. This works well for preventing an infestation of other critters too.

- Planting Peppermint around the foundation of the house will deter mice from entering as they are naturally repelled by the smell. Moth balls are another repellant that works on snakes as well.

- Humane mouse traps exist that allows you to catch the mouse and release it outside of your home. Be sure you let it go at least a mile away from your home so it doesn’t find its way back inside.

- If you have a really bad mouse infestation or would rather just send the mouse to rodent heaven, there are several natural concoctions you can make that will poison the mouse. Cornmeal or shaved chocolate mixed with dry cement: When the mouse eats this mixture and then drinks water, the dry cement will kill them. Mashed Potato Buds and Water: Put small bowls of each in close proximity to each other. The mouse will eat the potatoes. When they drink the water, the bloating will kill them.

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(photo credit: Steve Rhode)

For more articles on going green and organic pest control, check out my article archives.