Safe & Environmentally Friendly Insect Killers

It’s inevitable that into every home, some bugs must crawl. These unwanted house guests are often more annoying than harmful but even the most hardcore nature lover in all of us would rather not share our domicile with creatures that have more than four legs. Even if insects are pestering you don’t automatically reach for the toxic foams or sprays. There are safe ways to win the battle against bugs without endangering your pets or children.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches give most of us the “willies” myself included. These little buggers are just so creepy and there can be so many. Like most bugs, these guys have been around a lot longer than humans and have some remarkable defense mechanisms. For that reason, cockroach sprays have been made of industrial strength stuff.

The truth is you don’t need to spray all those nasty chemicals inside your home. If you want to kill a cockroach spray it with soapy water. If you haven’t the time or inclination for bug wrangling, try BioCare’s Cockroach Trap. These cost about $8 for a package of nine cockroach enticing sticky traps. The attractant is non-toxic and pesticide free.

After they’re gone clean areas where the cockroaches have been and seal off any entry points. To keep them from returning try catnip for a natural roach repellent. You can sprinkle dried catnip or simmer catnip into a tea for spraying along potential cockroach paths. [1]

Ants

Of all the unwanted pests ants have always been the most persistent. I was once told that ants can be prevented by drawing a chalk line around your exterior foundation. I never did try that but there’s some truth behind the old wisdom.

Ants won’t cross lines made of certain compounds. If you know where they are entering your house try applying the following: cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, cinnamon, dried mint, cloves or coffee grounds. If you can block their path with these repellents you can discourage them from looking to your house as a food source.[2]

There are two ant killers that you likely have in your pantry: yeast and instant grits. (OK, it’s more likely you have yeast but it’s not unheard of to have instant grits in your pantry!) Both are deadly to ants when ingested. The instant grits (not regular grits) draw water out of the ants system and kill them by dehydration. The yeast releases a gas inside the ant’s stomach and, without too much gory detail, kills them.

You can sprinkle either of these ingredients along the ant trail or you can make your own sticky traps with yeast or instant grits as the bait. Any little scrap of paper or cardboard can provide the base for the trap. Just cover it in a sticky substance, like molasses, sprinkle with yeast or instant grits and you’ve conquered the colony.

Fleas

I worked as a veterinary assistant while in college and saw first hand that if one thing could drive a pet owner near to tears it was fleas. They are incredible little procreators and can take over carpets and bedding before you can say “I think something’s biting me.”

The first line of defense to keep fleas out of your home is to keep them off of your pets. Cats are by nature fastidious groomers. I’ve met a few exceptions in my life but this is generally true. There are flea control products for cats but they can contain harmful chemicals like DEET and pyrethrin. Same goes for dogs (the availability of products not the fastidious grooming part).

Instead of applying topical flea control chemicals to your pet’s skin try maintaining a regular grooming schedule. Baths and brushing can help keep your pets pest free; although this alone will not deter ticks which can carry dangerous diseases. You can use some simple botanical extracts to keep fleas at bay including oils from peppermint, cinnamon, lemongrass, clove, thyme and vanilla.

There are also commercially made all natural flea & tick repellents for both dogs and cats. These products use any combination of the natural oils listed above and often contain or are based on neem oil extract. Neem is a tree found in Asia. It has a multitude of useful purposes but most significant to pest control is that terpenoids, compounds found in neem, have pesticidal properties.

If you’ve got a flea infestation already you’ve got some work to do and the more systematically you approach it the more effective the results. The idea is to capture the enemy in one fell swoop.

Keep your dog or cat in one area, preferably outside. Wash all pet bedding and any other washable furniture covers. Instead of applying flea powder to carpeting, put some in the vacuum bag. This alleviates chemical residue. Vacuum all carpeting thoroughly and then throw the vacuum bag away.

Use mild soap to bathe your pet. When dry apply a neem-based spray and allow 1-2 hours before reintroducing the animal to your newly flea free home. For an extra flea kick, switch your dog to garlic treats and make fleas turn up their noses. Garlic in your dog's diet can be an excellent flea deterrent but it's not recommended for cats.

Keep it clean

You can start the fight against insect invasions by being diligent about cleaning up crumbs and keeping food properly stored in the kitchen. Same principles apply in the bathroom where many personal products can attract insects.

If you’re looking to keep both pests and chemicals out of your home, natural insect killers can be just as effective as their chemical counterparts. Just be sure to note that some natural products can be harmful to people and pets. For instance, many “all natural” insecticide recipes include boric acid which, although natural, is toxic if ingested so its best not to use it around kids or pets.

[2] http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm

*Note: The information in this article is general advice and not meant as a substitute for personal guidance from a financial advisor, real estate professional or legal counsel. Although the author is a licensed realtor, the advice given in this article does not constitute any client contract or agreement between the author and the user. The author is not responsible for any losses, damages or claims that may result from your decisions.