Most people don’t think much about pest and insect control until they start to notice an infestation in their home or yard. The good news is that it’s still possible to prevent these situations from happening in the first place—and it’s also possible to save money on pest and insect control options by doing so! You should start by searching online for pest control experts near you.
Here are seven affordable ways to keep pests and insects at bay, so you can rest easy knowing your home and lawn are free of infestations. Whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a professional, make sure you do an online search for the best ways to tackle your pest problems.
Spot Spraying For Mosquitoes
If you’re trying to avoid using chemicals near in your home, consider spot spraying mosquito eggs with a solution of water and alcohol. Because it takes about three days for mosquito eggs to hatch, these can be sprayed just before an expected rain. The eggs will die when they are washed away by rain or hosed down. You just have to know where to spot them. (Hint: almost always in standing water, like ponds, rain barrels, or bird baths.)
Mosquito dunks are also effective at killing mosquito larvae, but you have to add them to standing water every week for several weeks in order for them to work. The process is labor-intensive, but many people who use them swear by their effectiveness. The good news is they don’t contain any harmful chemicals that could leach into groundwater or get absorbed into plants near standing water.
Both of these treatments will cost you less than a $100. All you require is a few supplies from the local hardware store and your own labor.
DIY Mosquito Control
Although you can never fully prevent mosquitoes from showing up on your property, you can make your own natural repellent to keep them away. All you need is a spray bottle, a cup of hot water, lemon juice, mint leaves, and a few drops of lavender essential oil.
Just fill up your spray bottle with hot water, drop in 10-15 mint leaves (fresh or dried), 15-20 drops of lavender essential oil and 10-15 drops of lemon juice. Shake well before each use. Spray around doors and windows as needed. Reapply every two hours if needed. If you don’t have access to fresh mint leaves, try using peppermint extract instead.
You can also use traditional bug spray, with a high percentage of DEET. There are a number of other bug repellent products on the market, like candles or zappers. They all work to varying degrees and can be picked up at your local outdoors store.
Hire a Contractor For Termites
Termites can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home. It’s recommended that you hire a pest-control contractor to treat your home or property before termites cause major damage. The treatment will cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500, depending on how many rooms need treating and whether or not you have a crawl space.
Treatment will also include long-term monitoring of your home so that you don’t have to worry about termites again. You may also have to pay to repair any damage the termites did before you detected their presence, which can add more to the total cost.
Spray Lice Away Without Chemicals
Use Listerine to kill head lice. Fill a bowl with warm water mixed with Listerine and allow affected family members to soak their heads in it (with their hair up) for ten minutes. Pat dry with a towel, then comb through hair to remove all lice eggs. Repeat once weekly until no more lice are present.
Lice are also extremely vulnerable to heat. Throw anything you can (hats, hairbrushes, plush toys, pillows, bedding) into the dryer for a cycle on high heat. Lice are extremely resilient, so you have to be diligent in your fight against them. Otherwise, they keep popping up over and over again.
Cockroach Extermination
Without a doubt, cockroaches are some of our least favorite insects. These tiny critters come out to play at night when you’re trying to get some shuteye, making it difficult to catch them in action. They also carry harmful bacteria on their bodies that can make us sick if we don’t take care of an infestation quickly.
If you find yourself dealing with a roach problem, be sure to reach out to a professional exterminator immediately—the sooner they get rid of these pests, the better! The average cockroach extermination treatment is between $100 and $400. However, that’s just for a single treatment. You may require multiple rounds. A severe infestation could cost $5,000 or more. The size of your house also matters, as many professionals base your price on how many square feet they have to treat.
Enjoy a Bug Free Backyard
Backyard bug control may not be top of mind for most homeowners. Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, cockroaches, and termites are some common pests that can quickly destroy a once enjoyable backyard environment. If you’re tired of having to bug bomb your home and yard every season to get rid of these pests, it might be time to consider some affordable pest control options.
The first step in eliminating pests from your home or lawn is to understand why you have them. Do you have too many trees or plants on your property? Are there cracks in your foundation or walls that are allowing bugs inside? Are you taking care of outdoor garbage regularly, so cockroaches aren’t multiplying in your bins? By finding out what’s causing these pests to infest your home or yard, you can then figure out how to prevent it from happening again.
How To Get Rid of Ants
Ants are some of the most annoying pests out there. If you’re dealing with ants in your home, get rid of them fast by vacuuming up their trails and making sure they can’t find food indoors. When it comes to larger infestations, you may need to call an exterminator to take care of them.
These professionals will have special insecticides that will kill ants on contact, but you should only use these products as a last resort. You can often tackle the problem with inexpensive store-bought traps and being more careful about leaving food on the counter or garbage uncovered.
The Bottom Line
No one wants bugs, insects, or other creepy crawlies coming into their home. Unfortunately, even a well-maintained house can attract unwanted pests if you’re not careful. While they don’t pose a serious health risk, an infestation can make your home feel like a nightmare. Fortunately, there are plenty of pest control options that are affordable and effective — and don’t all require using chemicals. If you have pests in your home, it’s important to take action right away. Don’t let them get out of hand!
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