Pest Control
Unusual home remedies to prevent pest infestation
by Business Listings EditorBasil Leaves. Image by pikerslanefarm via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Creepy crawlers, buzzing flies, and other annoying critters are a homeowner’s nightmare. At the sight of these unwanted guests; squishing, smashing and swatting generally occur – offering temporary relief of “good riddance!”. But what about pests that linger on and settle in your home?
Letting a trusted pest control company handle the pest crisis is the general cure. But as the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
So before you find yourself in a serious pesky situation, consider the following tips to make your home unattractive to these little buggers:
Basil Barrier
Basil is beloved by Italian cooks, but flies detest the smell of basil. To deter flies from entering your home, place pots of basil at all entry points to your home (doorways, windowsills) and also on your kitchen counter. An option: place dried basil in a small muslin pouch and hang in strategic places. Keep the smell going by rubbing it from time to time.
Scare Spiders with Citrus
Lemon, orange, and all else in the citrus family is a spider’s enemy. Mix unsweetened lemon or lime juice with water in a spray bottle, and wipe the solution down on all your countertops, walls, doorways and windowsills.
Surely, Charlotte won’t come crawling to your citrusy-smelling home to spin her web.
Vinegar is able to help prevent flies and ants infestation the natural way. Image by perrygoh via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Ants Away with Vinegar
Although we can learn a thing or two from how ants are well-organized and having an unselfish unity unrivalled like no other in the animal kingdom; we wouldn’t want them crawling all over our home and nibbling our sweets. So anywhere you see ants, spray and wipe down with 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Doing so will wreck the ant’s homing system, leaving it as good as dead being away from its colony.
Flies Away with Vinegar, aromatic oils
A deadly recipe that is sure to trap fruit flies: fill a glass ¾ -full of vinegar (or cider vinegar), add 6-8 drops of dishwashing liquid, then fill to top with warm water. Other fruit fly traps that are just as effective are citronella, cedar wood and cinnamon in an oil diffuser.
Catnip Plant. Image by izik via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Catnip for Mosquitoes
Cat lovers know how crazy cats can be over catnip. Mosquitoes? Not so much. Studies show that catnip drives mosquitoes away, more effectively than DEET. You can also use undiluted catnip oil on the skin to repel these bloodsuckers for up to 2 hours.
Lizards Away
Though they eat other nasty insects, lizards are a big nuisance to homeowners because of their droppings, which stain the walls and windows. Hence, it’s important to get rid of these creepy creatures:
- Coffee-tobacco mixture – form into balls and put onto toothpicks, and put them in the usual hangout spots of the lizards. Death is inevitable upon ingestion.
- Naphthalene balls – put in window corners, water sinks, under the stove, and any favorite spot of the lizards.
- Peacock feathers – lizards will surely flee in terror at the sight of peacock feathers. Stick them anywhere to ward off lizards from your abode.
- Ice-cold water – spraying ice water on lizards will make it difficult for them to move. Once immobilized, simply pick up and throw them out.
- Flypaper – place in strategic locations to trap lizards. Once you catch one, discard it.
- Pepper spray or Tabasco – in a spray bottle: mix water and pepper, or water and 2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce to make a pepper pesticide spray. Then spray in lizard hideouts. The spiciness will surely irritate the lizard, causing it to vacate your premises.
- Onion, garlic – the sulfur compound of onions will naturally drive lizards away. Hang onion slices or garlic cloves where you see any lizards. In a spray bottle, mix onion juice, a few drops of garlic essence, and water. Then, spray away to drive them away.
- Egg shells – this is a perfect bluff for lizards. Lizards will leave a place thinking that it is a marked territory. Just remember to change egg shells every 3-4 weeks.
Diehard Cockroaches
Since time immemorial, these legendary creatures have plagued us. So prevention is the real key here. Here are quick tips for cockroach prevention:
- Keep your place immaculately neat as possible. Clean all surfaces, and don’t leave any food residue. Sweep, vacuum the dining and kitchen areas regularly.
- Keep food sealed or stored away in airtight containers or refrigerator.
- Seal off all access points, exterior openings and crack with a caulk.
- Fix any water leakage. Cockroaches love damp places. In fact, water is more important to their survival than food.
If these steps fail to prevent these nasty pests from pestering your home, you should bring out the big wigs – the real pest busters – to handle your pest problems.
Visit SgFave Business directory for a comprehensive list of pest control services in Singapore.