- without resorting to toxic chemicals and sprays.
- or at least minimise the use of chemicals
2007-01-23 05:28:15 · 5 answers · asked by Tiara 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Other - Home & Garden
Pests and insects are attracted to moisture. This is gross, but they will breed in open trash, and decaying animals (e.g. dead bird in the garage attic.) So they best deterent, is to make sure you don't have any standing water, kiddie pools, plastic tarps, etc on your property. Even standing water left in the home attracts insects (e.g. folded dish rag left on kitchen counter, or bathroom towel left on floor). You'll need to regularly check hard to reach areas of your property. So, once you've taken care of these things, you're 80% of the way there.
The next step is to look at house plants. Due to the fact that you have to water them and keep exposed moist soil, you have a problem. The low-chemical way to solve this is easy. AFTER each regular watering.... spray the surface dirt with a spray bottle that has water and a drop or two (no more) of dish detergent. Careful not to spray the plant leaves with it. This will rid your home of nats and many other plant pests.
Look next to the fur of any household pets that normally venture outdoors. Keep the dog well bathed. Cats are pretty self sufficient but will sometimes need assistance with fleas.
If you enjoy a nice sized yard around your home with a lush crop of grass, you also share tenancy with several generations of beetles, ants, and other small creatures. After some experiementation with home-grown remedies, I've given in. A late-Spring or early-Summer treatment of the lawn with the Scotts lawn fertilizer with extra blend of chemicals to rid your lawn of bugs is the key. It will make a big difference inside your home. (And keep bugs from chewing up your lawn.)
Even with all of this, depending on where you live, you may find various bugs and what-not that aren't going to leave you alone unless you hit them with the hard stuff. When the ants come calling I spray the outside perimeter of my home. This past summer required several applications for some reason.
Don't waste your money on companies like Terminix. They show up with industrial grade checmicals and expect you to sign a contract saying the can come back every 3 months and spray again.
Good luck.
2007-01-23 09:32:01 · answer #1 · answered by firm_shake 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good day!
I found a few years ago when my dog got fleas a remedy. If you go to a health food store and get eucalyptus and penny royal oils and mix them. sprinkle a few drops every few months around your home. The smell is strong for about and hour. very sinus clearing. I found that by doing this I also do not get spiders, flies or any other household bug. And it will not harm you or any pets.
2007-01-23 13:49:30 · answer #2 · answered by malibuz 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As long as I don't have any bugs like beetles that eat everything, I am at one with my garden bugs and don't worry about them. The pests I've seen in my yard are aphids on milkweed, scale and tomato horn worms. And I've used ultra fine oil on the scale when it was really bad.
2007-01-23 13:37:50 · answer #3 · answered by Michelle G 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lime dust and sevin dust. both can be found at your local garden center. spread both around infected area. what one wont cure the other will. wont be a serious problem for pets and such unless you have bugs or snakes as pets
2007-01-23 13:36:28 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
when you are sleeping use a mosquito net - this also stops any other bugs that might attack you when in bed!!
2007-01-23 13:38:49 · answer #5 · answered by swisshorizon 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋