subject: Keep Your Home Safe From Pests [print this page] As soon as you notice that your home or property has a pest problem, then you need to do something about it! You have a few different options with regard to pest control solutions, so determining what kind of problem you are up against will help you make an informed choice.
Pest problems on a small scale can usually be taken care of on your own. A patch of poison ivy or nettles can be easily pulled out of the ground. To do so, soak the ground with water to make the soil loose enough to easily yield up the plants roots.
Be certain that you wear heavy duty gardening gloves, a shirt with long sleeves, clothing that entirely covers your legs, and closed-toe shoes. This protective gear will help ensure that you do not get any irritating plant material on your body. Some people, especially young children and older adults, have a particular sensitivity to these kinds of plants, so their prompt removal is recommended. If the plants are too numerous to easily pull up or if you do not feel like getting your hands dirty, you can use a liquid herbicide to kill these green pests. Products designed to kill only weeds are available at your nearest garden center or nursery.
Animal and insect pests can be more difficult to manage on your own. Rodents multiply quickly and can hide themselves and their nests in very small spaces. Even though you have only spotted one or two mice, you can be certain that there are dozens more hiding in the shadows. You can lay chemical, mechanical, glue, or live traps though you will have to use them continually for several weeks before you will notice the numbers dropping off. Insects can be even harder to take care of, though there are still a few things you can do before calling a pest control service. Insecticide sprays are inexpensive and can be purchased in the same place that you bought herbicide.
Troublesome insects include flies, fleas, ticks, ants, and garden pests such as aphids and slugs. If you are troubled by wasps or hornets, you can purchase hanging traps made of plastic. These simply hook onto a tree branch or porch awning. It will attract the wasps to crawl inside it, where they become trapped and die.
If after trying these basic solutions your pest problem does not noticeably improve, then you should call a local pest control service. They can assess the actual scale of your problem and use traps, industrial-strength chemicals, and other professional-grade treatments. Your home belongs to you, so keep it safe from pests.
