The Right (and Wrong) Ways of Getting Rid of Common Household Pests

There’s no question about the fact that no one wants to have a rodent or pest infestation in their home. The real question is, how can the matter be taken care of correctly? The truth is, there is a correct and incorrect way of getting rid of household pests, and it’s important that you are able to tell the difference between the two so that the next time you have an issue, you can confidently take care of it correctly. 

The Right Way

• Contact the professionals: If you’re new to pest control then the smartest move to make is to contact the professional to get the right tips, tricks and guidance. When dealing with rats in particular, you want to make sure that you are well informed about what it is that makes the rats tick, what attracts them, and how to keep them away. You will want to go to the pros because they will be able to give you the right guidance. Always research to find out what it is that needs to be done with every kind of pest and bug.
• Cleanliness is Godliness: There’s nothing better than ensuring every single inch of your home is kept clean. Pests and rodents thrive off of moisture, dirt and garbage. So make sure that you make it a habit to keep corners and surfaces spotless at all times, and always take out the trash. Many pests thrive in moist and dark areas, so make sure that you don’t have any leaking pipes and that any dark areas such as behind your appliances are always cleaned and kept dry.

• Natural Remedies: You’d be surprised at how many spices that you already have in your pantry are actually very effective in keeping bugs and critters away. Educate yourself thoroughly to find out what keeps which bugs away. There are even environmentally friendly mixes that you can make yourself to act as deterrents that won’t harm your children or pets.
• Prevention is better than destruction: Once you’ve finally gotten the pests under control, it’s important that you take the right preventative measures so that you never have to deal with a pest problem ever again. Things like sealing small holes in corners or around pipes is a great way to start. Ensuring that your windows and doors have no points of entry will also go a long way in keeping uninvited guests out. Finally, dealing with the bugs from the outside is a great way to keep them away, so make sure that you take measures to ensure that your front porch and backyard or garden are well taken care of to keep as many rodents and pests away from your home, such as minimal lighting and cutting away any kind of shrubbery. 

The Wrong Way

• When all else fails, use more?: This is a method that is used by many and couldn’t be further from what is right in such cases. Pesticides can be very harmful to you and your family, so don’t just assume that by adding more and more that the problem will be solved. It’s extremely crucial that you read the instructions carefully and follow them to a T.
• Using outdoor chemicals indoors: People sometimes assume that using outdoor chemical is just as effective, if not more than using the ones that are made for indoors. This is so wrong and extremely dangerous. Outdoor chemicals are made specifically for the outdoors and so are much stronger and could cause you much more damage if used indoors. It could be extremely toxic and this can even be fatal. 

• Pesticides & Traps around kids & Pets: It’s very easy to overlook how effective traps and pesticides can be. This is especially faulty if you have pets or children because you run the risk of them getting poisoned or getting seriously hurt from the traps. 
• Take on a growing problem on your own: We have the curse of always believing that we can take on anything on our own if we just put our minds to it. Surely, this applies to a lot of aspects in life, but it doesn’t when it comes to pest control. If you have a serious infestation problem, then no, you cannot manage it on your own because you risk making a big mess that may be extremely difficult to clean up. You don’t want to be using the wrong chemical or too much of it. You should be able to identify when it’s time to call in the big guns. 
• Bug Zapping Racket: Using these kinds of contraptions is wrong on so many levels because it is truly a waste of time. Are you really going to sit there all day, losing your mind, waiting for the next bug to pass by you so you can zap it? And even if it does pass by you, are you going to run around the house trying to kill each and every bug that comes your way? This is wrong because it’s simply not practical at all. 

We’d like to believe that things are always very straight forward and that there’s really no wrong way to get rid of pests as long as we get rid of them one way or another. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The process of eliminating a pest problem or infestation needs to be done correctly because you don’t want to be handling chemical that you are not familiar with and risk getting a skin infection or even worse, poisoning to yourself or your loved ones. There’s nothing better than educating yourself on what it is that you have in your home and understanding what it is that’s actually attracting it so that you’re able to handle the pest problem in an effective way. Especially if you’re dealing with a certain breed of pest for the first time, it’s always advisable to turn to the pros so that they can effectively get rid of them, and then you can understand what you can do to prevent them coming again, and also know what to do if they ever show up again.

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