Even in the cleanest houses, ant colonies can still be found. Homeowners might regard this tiny pest as harmless living things getting into a house only seeking for food sources and shelters. In fact, ant infestation inside the house can possibly cause various problems. Mostly, ant infestation causes health risks to the house members, although the risk of damaged house structure or outside plants also needs to be anticipated as well. Hence, being able to spot infestation immediately will determine effective treatments and thus, preventing possible bad effects it may trigger.

Signs of ants infestation

There are various kinds of ant species, and among those, carpenter and black ants are the most common types invading indoor spaces. Despite the types of ants infesting your house, signs of this infestation are somehow similar. Pay attention to these things when inspecting the house from ant infestation.

1. Look for ants’ nests—bigger ant types, such as the carpenters make deep holes, while some smaller types of ant build mounds of soil for their nests. Outdoor, these nests can be found around vegetation, either grown in pots or soil. Ant tunnels are built underground and are likely to damage plants’ roots. Hence, to disclose major ant infestation, you can scrutinize died trees and grass with rotten roots.
2. When ants infest paved areas, they will remove the sand between the paving concretes. Hence, loose pavers can be an indication of severe infestation.
3. The appearance of single ant in a specific area gives a sign of bigger infestation. Look around the place you find the ant to disclose the colonies.

Where to check?

Outdoor

1. In exposed soil or the soil under vegetation
2. Under the vegetation pots, pile of pallet woods and movable rocks
3. Among the grassed areas
4. Paved areas
5. In the humid areas

Indoor

1. Behind picture frames or paintings
2. Inside wall and window casings cracks
3. Beneath stored cardboards
4. On covered corners, e.g. the corners under staircases
5. Around the sink, stove, and spices-jar shelves
6. Inside kitchen cabinets
7. In couch’s folds
8. Around pet’s bowl and cage
9. Near refrigerator

Preventing infestation

Ants are social creatures—they work together and live in groups. When a single working ant finds a food source, it will tell the rest of the working group by leaving chemical pheromone. This trail cannot be seen with naked eyes and thus, is often unnoticed. Ants live outdoor, but they are trying to find food sources and comfortable environment for building nests, so that they may invade houses. Cutting off the possibility of unconsciously providing them proper foods and shelter can be an effective way of preventing ant infestation at home.

There are steps and methods you can do in order to reduce the infestation and if you have successfully getting rid of one, reduce the risk of future re-infestation.

1. Store foods in sealed, air-tight jars. Ants are attracted to the food source by its aroma, and they will work on to find the thing. Keeping foods in a loose lid container does not prevent ants, especially if you “provide” sweets, which is their all-season favorite.
2. Remove all food crumbs and spills from all kitchen cabinets, floor, and tables. If an ant finds this crumbs, it will likely invite the remaining group to inspect. Wipe it off with a wet cloth or mop to make sure you do not leave any trail or smell of the foods.
3. Empty trash cans before sleeping time. If you notice ant trails going through these cans, empty it immediately. Next time, you will need to be prepared to empty the can immediately, especially when dumping organic trash since ants will repeatedly come into the potential places to get foods.
4. Keep your trash can clean from spills. Even if the can is empty, the aroma of this spill may attract ants. Do not keep the trash can in a humid place, such as under the sink. Instead, place it in the area you can spot easily, to make sure you empty it in time.
5. Always squeeze the dish sponge dry after using it. Wet sponge with a certain food or soap aroma can attract ants.
6. Regularly check indoor storage. Remove the cardboard used for storing items, since they are prone to ant infestation. Instead, replace these cardboards with plastic containers, which do not attract ants and other insects.
7. Keep the area around your refrigerator clean. If you spill something, mop it immediately, since ants may reside around the refrigerator feet and wait for their foods.
8. Check and seal deep cracks on the wall or around the window casings. You might want to use caulk and sealant to cover these cracks from infestation.
9. Check the area around plumbing, especially near the sink. Small house ants love building their nests around this pipe. Remove any mounds of the soil if any, to get rid of ant population.
10. Check the area around your potted plants. Move these pots regularly to prevent ants from building nests beneath the unmoved pots.
11. Create a good ventilation especially in the storage room. Insufficient ventilation will cause excessive humidity and thus, give a comfortable environment for ants to build the colony.

Getting rid of ants

Sometimes, no matter how clean you are keeping the kitchen and other areas in the house, you will still disclose these tiny creature colonies walking across the floor or around the cabinets. A Certain season is in fact, more prone to ant infestation that they get bigger in number. If this is what happens, you need to start thinking about getting rid of these ants, preventing the house from being infested. To perform proper treatments, you will need to get to know the type of the ants, in the first place. Once you know your enemy, choose any treatments which will be effective in getting rid of the species.

1. Getting rid of carpenter ants

Do carpenter ants eat wood like termites do? No, they do not eat wood. Yet, the name suggests a bad effect which can be caused by this type of ant infestation in your house. Carpenter ants refer to large ants with either black or red in color.

The queen of the colony is winged and the largest among the rest of its colony. A colony of carpenter ants does not eat wood, yet they remove wood to get through it, building their nest and tunnels.

This ant type feeds on protein and sugary things. They are also attracted to dead small insects. Indoor, these big ants eat pet food, meat, and sweets. Once you found out that carpenter ants are infesting your house, do these things to get rid of this type of ant. Carpenter ants are often seen in rotting woods or trees, on the soil under plant pots, or in moist of decaying woods inside buildings.

• To treat carpenter ant colonies, you need to firstly disclose its nests. Look for possible nests under old pots or cardboards which are stored in the soil or other less-moist areas in the house.

You can also search inside decaying or old cracks of the wood structures inside the house. Spray the ready-to-use insecticides you can easily find in the markets. If you can spot the trails, spray the insecticide to this suspected spots as well.

• If you have found suspected areas when the ants are coming through regularly, you can use bait method. Use anything you have—especially sweets as a bait while adding a poisonous ingredient for ants, such as baking soda. If the ant is attracted to the bait and bring it into the nest, you are likely to kill all the population.
• If the infestation is outdoor, most commonly in trees, stumps, fences, and other wooden structures, remove these woods to eliminate the ant’s nests and colonies.

2. Getting rid of black ants

In most infestation cases, black ants cause the problems in the outdoor garden, although they may also move indoor when no food and shelter are available outside. Black ants can refer to many species of ants, but most commonly the fruit ants. Fruits ants target ripening fruits on trees as their source of food. In addition, they also attack the tree itself, damaging the leaves and its wood branches. To get rid and kill this type of ants, you might want to:

• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the possibly infested trees and flower pots. Use the food-grade one will be less harmful to your pets and children. This chemical will dry up the ants’ organs and kill them eventually. However, you will need to replace the powder after rain soaks it.
• Spray the tree branches and hanging ripening fruits with fruit spray, which you can make at home. Use either garlic spray or baking soda spray to perform this treatment and spray it directly to the infested vegetation.
• Use the sticky traps around the infested trees. The ready-to-use ant traps can be placed around the garden to catch infesting black ants. They will not be able to get off the sticky thing and will eventually die.
• Use hot water trick. This method is done by pouring a 160-170 degree of Fahrenheit water onto the suspected ant nests to kill all the colonies and queen. However, do not use this when the ants reside near the tree root, as this root can be burnt and leave the tree dead.

3. Getting rid of sugar ants

Sugar ants commonly infest your house in the places where foods are stored, for instance, the kitchen. Kitchen cabinets and food jars are their main targets to find food. Hence, getting rid of sugar ants is closely related to getting rid of ants in your kitchen. It is definitely important to keep the kitchen clean to prevent sugar ant infestation.

Sugar ants are small ants with a brownish color. They feed on sweets—as the name suggest, but are also attracted to greasy foods, cakes, and other fatty ingredients. Some species of sugar ants are odorous and excrete strange smell when crushed. To get rid of this common household pests, these methods can be done:

• Keep your kitchen spill-free as well as crumb-free. As soon as you see the tiny creature occurrence, wipe off all food crumbs and drippings on the kitchen table, before the single ant triggers the entire colonies to find foods you show through these crumbs and drips.
• Use food bait which has been mixed with slow-acting poison. This will enable you to kill the entire colonies, which feeds on the same source of food carried by the baited ants.
• Treat the discovered nest to kill not only the adult ants but also its hatching eggs. If the nest is located behind the kitchen counter, you can seal it with plastic wrap to prevent the ants from getting out. This way, the ants will not be able to get foods for the colony and will eventually die from starvation.
• Spray the areas around the discovered nest with insecticides. This will prevent ants from building a nest in the same spot.

Getting rid of ants naturally

Some people understand that insecticides are probably the most effective method which can be used in killing the population of infesting ants at home. However, pets and children often make them reluctant in using this poisonous ingredient to get rid of the ants infesting their house. In fact, there are several disadvantages of using insecticide to kill ants, such as:

• Frequent use of insecticides to attempt to kill ants inside the house can cause chemical build ups which can stay long and not easily dismiss. This dangerous chemical can be easily inhaled by humans and pets and may cause various health problems.
• Insecticides are costly and do not last very long. Mosquito spray, which can be used to get rid of ants are expensive and requires large amount per application.
• Insecticides need to be reapplied to guarantee effectiveness. Often, the treated insects re-infest the house and thus, require more insecticides application.
• Regular uses of insecticides cause resistance. Insects pass this resistance over generations. This is a bad thing since the insecticides will not make any effects on killing the species, but keeps building up residue in your house.

To minimize these negative effects on insecticides, many people start to employ some safer methods using more natural ingredients. Compared to insecticides, these treatments are less instant and can be time-consuming. However, these are less toxic, so that these treatments will not harm either pets or humans. If you have a big infestation of ants around the house and garden, you might want to refer to one of these environment-friendly treatments using ingredients you can easily find in the kitchen. You will notice some advantages coming with natural ways of killing ants, such as:

• No toxic residue. Some natural ant killer might leave residue behind. However, this residue can be easily wiped off without causing any harms to someone’s health.
• Lower cost, as treatments are able to perform using any ingredients which can be found in the kitchen. Or if you have to buy those, they are the low-cost natural ingredients compared to costly chemical substances.
• Safer for kids and pets, as the treatments are done using food-grade ingredients.

Some of the most well-known folk remedies can be used to kill infesting ants and deter any future infestation. These low-cost home remedies include:

1. Lemon juice.

The acid in lemon juice messes up ants’ sense of tracking and thus, deter the colonies from infesting the house. To perform the remedy, cut the lemon into two slices and squeeze it to spread the juice around the suspected areas or any possible entries to keep the ants in the bay.

2. Cinnamon

Ground cinnamon smells good and is effective to deter ants from coming into the house. Take several cinnamon rolls and ground them into powder. Sprinkle this powder in the suspected ants’ paths. You may also sprinkle it on your window and door casings or behind every kitchen cabinet. If you can find cinnamon oil around, you can also use this folk ingredient. Simply mix cinnamon oil and water in 1:1 proportion ad spray onto the windows, doors, tree branches, or any spots you desire.

3. Peppermint

Ants do not like the smell of peppermint, and will likely choose another way which is not covered with this fresh-smelled ingredient. Anything containing peppermint can be used for deterring ant colonies, including peppermint bath or hand soap. To use this soap, mix it with water in a spray bottle and spray directly onto the preferred areas. You will see ants avoiding the sprayed path because they hate the smell of fresh peppermint.

4. The borax bait

Borax which contains boric acid is an effective remedy for almost any insects. This ingredient kills ants by drying the body up. To make the poisonous bait, mix three spoonful borax with an equal amount of sugar and water. You can add a spoonful peanut butter to attract the pests. Once you come with a consistency of paste of poisonous bait, put it on a small cardboard and place these cardboards across the places which will likely be passed by the ants. Sugar and peanut butter inside the bait will attract the ants, which are going to bring it back to the colonies and feed them with the deadly bait. This way, you are likely to eliminate the entire colonies, rather than some adult working ants.

5. Chalk

You can choose either the conventional blackboard chalk or the ready-to-use ant chalks. Draw the line with the chalk and it will keep the ants away. This chalk destroys the trail of pheromone left by ants when crossing an area. This causes ants to find another way to walk through. Draw some lines with chalk near your food storage or under your pet’s bowl to deter ants.

6. Vinegar

Vinegar is a useful ingredient which should exist in every house. This is a folk remedy which is effective for getting rid numbers of insects, including ants. To effectively eliminate ant infestation, you will need to find the nest and pour several drops of vinegar onto it—if the nest is small and built from mounds of soil, or a half liter of vinegar—for deep carpenter ants’ nests. If it is too hard to find the nest, you can do simpler treatment which can be used to get rid the visible adult ants. Mix a cup of vinegar into the water you are using for mopping the floor and cleaning the counters. The acid in the vinegar will prevent the ants from coming, passing through the vinegar-wiped areas.

Eliminating entire ant infestation might not be easy. Hence, prevention is the most effective treatment. Try to keep your house as clean as possible, and be sure to check for any outdoor and indoor infestation immediately to prevent it from spreading.

Many people have found that weevils have been a problematic issue around the kitchen. Grains, such as flour and rice are those kinds of food which are often infested by weevils—a very small species of beetles with size not more than ¼ inch.

Despite the tiny size, weevils are visible and in fact, may lay hundreds of eggs in the infested food goods, such as cookies, cereals, biscuits, cake premixes, flour, rice, cereals, and other grain-based foods. The nastiest thing is that when a single weevil is present in your rice, flour, and other grain foods, there are numerous weevil eggs which in fact, had been laid.

Hence, you will need to know how to get rid of these tiny beetles and to prevent them from re-infesting your pre-packed foods.

How to kill weevils

1. Killing weevils with cold

The Very low temperature will freeze not only adult weevils but also their larvae and eggs. This is, therefore, an effective method of getting rid of them before they spread all over the stored foods. To kill weevils using cold, do these simple yet powerful steps:

• Set the freezer to the coolest temperature.
• Put in grain foods and other susceptible ones. It is better to directly put your food goods after purchasing it so that you will be able to inhibit weevil infestation which may probably be brought from the store storage.
• To thoroughly kill infesting weevils, store the foods for four consecutive days.

2. Killing weevils with heat

In case you do not have enough space in the fridge for freezing those weevil-infested food goods, you might move to another alternative—the heat. To do this, you can use either the microwave or the oven. However, this technique should not be applied to those fine-grain goods, to avoid the risk of combustion. To kill weevils with heat, these following steps should be your guidance:

• Preheat the oven to 120°F.
• Spread the infested food on a baking sheet if you are using the oven, or spread it on a heat-resistant glass container without a lid if you are using the microwave.
• Leave it in the oven for 1 hour, or in the microwave for 5 minutes.

3. Killing weevils with chemicals

Killing weevils with chemicals might only be effective for adult weevils, which hide around the corner of the kitchen shelves. This will not be applicable for treating weevils which have infested food goods since the chemicals are going to contaminate all the foods. To kill weevils using chemicals, there are some things to consider:

• Empty all the shelves before applying any weevil-killing chemicals. Make sure there are no food goods around the places you are going to treat with those chemicals.
• Spray or wipe pyrethrin-containing products to the shelves to kill infesting weevils. Do not spray or wipe it directly to the containers you are going to use for storing edible goods.
• Wait for the toxic residue to evaporate before restoring the goods.

Preventing reinfestation

Once you manage to get rid of infesting weevils, you will need to do every possible effort to avoid them from re-infesting your stored foods. Some actions can be done to perform this, and some of those are:

1. Place a dried bay leave or clover in packed grain foods which are to be stored.
2. Keep fine grain foods, such as flour in airtight containers.
3. Avoid storing flour, rice, and other grain foods for a long period. You should purchase these grain foods which you will consume within a month or so to prevent possible pest infestation.
4. Clean kitchen shelves regularly, especially if you have discovered weevil infestation previously. To do a regular cleaning, avoid using chemicals. Instead, here are some helpful steps to clean them naturally:

• Remove all goods from the shelves and the shelves itself if possible.
• Wipe the shelves clean with soapy water—water mixed with few drops liquid dish soap.
• Rinse with water and put the cleaned shelves under direct sunlight to dry it completely.
• Re-wipe dried shelves with eucalyptus or peppermint oil, which will deter weevils.
• Put some clover heads in the shelves before putting all the containers back in. This will discourage adult weevils and prevent them from laying eggs there.

We all know that wasps are a nuisance. They build nests around your garden and even house, are attracted to various drinks, and even worse, they sting—a painful sting which can be deadly for people allergic to it.

Most people assume wasps as harmful creatures which are constantly disturbing. Are they, indeed? Are there not few good things about why these creatures were created? In fact, despite how afraid you are of wasps, and how bad the image about this animal is, you might want to learn that this insect can be beneficial for the environment.

1. Wasps act as a natural pest control

What kind of pests? Various kinds of small insects, especially crop-eating insects. Wasps—especially the paper wasps build their nests near the crops providing small insects as food sources—while these insects are pests for the crops. Wasps will eat grubs, weevils, and caterpillars, and are recently used as all-in-all natural agricultural pesticides.

2. Wasps help pollinate

Pollinators hold an important role in pollinating wild flowerings and plants, although bees are more beneficial for this activity. However, the population of bees is degrading recently, so that the occurrence of wasps in pollination becomes something important.

Should wasps be eliminated?

Despite the benefits wasps give to the agricultural world, many people think that the animals should not be around the house and garden. Under some circumstances, therefore, wasps are better to dismiss from the surrounding. Below are some conditions in which wasp’s nests should not be ignored.

1. Wasps building nests inside the house and other places used for activities, such as basement and garage.
2. Wasps’ nests located on a rarely used place which makes its growth unnoticeable and thus, hard to be controlled.
3. Wasps’ nests which grow too big and can be harmful to the building. For instance: wasps’ nests which are located in roof eaves which are too big and heavy, and may cause the eave to break down.
4. If some house members are allergic to wasp stings.

Wasp control

Wasps, hornets and yellow jackets are not only bothersome but can also be harmful, since they might likely to sting, compared to bees. Hence, wasps building their nests around the place you are doing your activities should be gotten rid of. There are various ways any homeowners can choose to perform in order to eliminate this disturbing colony. Note that wasp stings can lead to allergies, and for those allergic to these stings, it may be deadly. In fact, thousands of people are dead after stung by wasps, hornets, or yellow jackets. To avoid this, wasp treatment should only be done with cautious. If you are allergic to the sting or have no courage to go near the wasps, it is better to ask for bits of help to those with better experiences.

Inspection

Inspecting susceptible areas is an important thing to perform before deciding suitable methods which should be used in treating wasp infestation. This step will find out how wasp and other stinging pests, such as hornets and yellow jackets behave and what places are used by those pests to nest. Inspection can be done by doing such procedures:

• Checking susceptible places for wasp nestings, such as large trees and bushes, wall voids, roof eaves, and attic eaves.
• Checking for wasp nest droppings, especially when paper wasps is suspected to infest the house. The nest is made from organic pulp so that its droppings are ash-like and grayish.
• Checking the areas which are rarely used and with low human traffics, such as the attics, garage, and thick bushes.

Removing wasp nests

Once you discover the wasp nests, you might tell how severe infestation you have got is. This will be useful for determining early treatments to perform in getting rid of the infesting wasps and their nests. Removing wasp nest does not necessarily remove the entire colony since wasps will likely to rebuild the destroyed nest. However, if you manage to target the queen which resides inside the nest, this treatment can be effective, since no new nest will be rebuilt. To remove wasp nests, do the following procedures:

• Remove only wasp nest which is within your reach. Avoid attempting to remove the nests located in high places, requiring you to sit on a ladder. This will put you into a serious injury when the wasps fly once you disturb the nest since you are likely to fall off the ladder.
• If you see no wasps wandering around the nest for the whole year, it is not necessary to destroy the nest, since it may have been vacant after the wasps were killed by freezing temperature in the previous winter. If you insist on destroying the nest, simply vacuum it or use the ceiling broom.
• If the nest is still in use—signed by wandering wasps going to and from the nest, only attempt to remove it after dark, when the colony is less active and most of those are resting inside the nest. This way, if you manage to get rid of the nest, you will also find a number of wasps killed.
• Finding out the types of wasps you are trying to remove is also helpful since different wasps also possess different characteristics and behavior.

Killing wasps

Once you know the procedures of removing wasp nests, you can move into another step—killing the culprits. You can attempt to kill wasps—hornets and yellow jackets while they are wandering around, or you can target the whole colony by destroying the nest. Either way, you choose, make sure you are doing it safely.

Wear protective clothes, face mask, and hat if necessary, and plan an escaping route when the wasps get too aggressive when disturbed. Various methods of killing wasps can be chosen and those consist of:

• Killing wasps using pesticide spray

Pesticide spray works instantly and therefore, is effective in removing wasp colony if used properly. You can either target the wasps or its nest when performing the action, although the latter is often preferred. Use the spray intended for wasps, since lighter spray for smaller insects is not effective enough for killing wasps. To kill wasps using pesticide spray:

1. Aim at the opening of the nest, which is commonly located at the bottom of the wood pulp-based nest. Apply the spray continuously within 5 seconds and quickly get away from the area. Spraying should be done at night when the wasps are in the nest and less aggressive.
2. Leave the spray to work during the night and check the nest for any activities on the next day. Do not approach until you are sure there are no activities which will harm you.
3. If no activities found, you can knock down the nest with a long stick or broom. Clean any nest residue to prevent rebuilding. If activities still present, repeat the treatment at night.
4. A DIY nest removal and wasps killing should be done to paper wasps only, as hornets and yellow jackets—which build the nest in abandoned holes underground are far more aggressive than the former. Hence, their nest removal should only do by professional exterminators.

• Killing wasps using traps

Killing wasps using pesticides which have to be aimed directly to its nest might be scary for some homeowners, as the risk of getting stung is quite big, especially when the critters become aggressive. Hence, traps with baits placed around the suspected areas can be more helpful and practical. To kill wasps using this trap, you will need a glass jar or a soda pop bottle and a bait. You can use any glass jar and plastic bottle to wish to use. Afterward, prepare a bait which is less attractive to bees, but will invite wasps, such as:

1. Tuna and other protein-containing meat
2. Greasy foods, such as hamburgers and hot dogs.
3. Root beers and colas

To make the bait more effective, pour a little dish soap into the water-and-bait mixture. This will stick the wings and make prevent wasps from escaping after eating the bait.

After preparing the media, use the directions on how to make the trap and make it works.

1. Cut the bottle neck part and place it onto the other half part upside-down after removing the cap.
2. Attach the bottle trap onto the wall, tree branch, attic eaves, or any places you wish using an S hook. You can use any kinds of nails and hook to attach the trap, only making sure that you will be able to detach it for replacing the bait and removing any dead wasps.
3. Fill the bottle with water, with which you are going to mix the bait. The water should only fill the bottle below the cap hole to make sure the trapped wasps cannot access the exit way through the opened cap hole.
4. Put the bait of your choice inside the water and pour one or two drops of liquid dish soap and stir.
5. Remove any dead wasps and replace the bait within 2 or 3 days.

Natural wasp repellents

Getting rid of wasps, including the hornets and yellow jackets can be dangerous. Many people get stung performing wasp treatments, and for people allergic to wasps’ stings, this can be deadly. Hence, if you think your surrounding is susceptible to wasp infestation, keeping them away is always the best solution. One of these natural wasp repellents and preventions might be helpful for keeping the pests at the bay.

Preventive actions

1. Removing the source of wasp foods. Wasps are attracted to protein. Hence, keep them away by covering the meat and other protein foods when having a barbecue or other outdoor activities. Pet foods and open garbage containers should also be removed or covered.
2. Do not wear strong, sweet-scented perfumes, as sweets are an attraction for yellow jackets—the most aggressive type of wasps.
3. Hanging false nest made from a burlap cloth filled with rice grain can prevent wasps from building nests around it. It is possible since wasps are territorial and will not likely to build nests where there are other wasps’ nests.
4. Seal off any possible wasps entrances. Broken window or door screen should be repaired immediately, as wasps may build nests in the space between the window and broken window screen.
5. Avoid wearing bright color clothes. Wasps may perceive these bright colors as flower image, and they will approach, looking for nectar to feed.
6. Avoid swatting the wasps, as when wasps are smashed, they release a pheromone which invites nearby wasps.

Natural wasp repellents

1. Deter wasps with peppermint oil. Wasps do not like strong-smelled herbals, such as mints and it will keep them away. To use this deterrent, apply peppermint spray to the areas susceptible to wasp infestation, such as bushes, tree branches, and roof eaves. Peppermint spray can also be applied to your clothing and hair while doing outdoor activities to deter wasps from stinging you. Make peppermint spray by mixing a bottle of water with 2 to 3 drops of peppermint oil and dab a small amount to your clothes and hair.
2. Keep wasps away using spicy spray. Wasps do not like the spicy smell so that peppers will deter them. You can apply the spray directly to any wasps invading the house. To make the mixture, boil 2 cups of water and add 2 chopped chili peppers. Let it cool down and strain the mixture into a spraying bottle. You can also use ground cayenne pepper to make the mixture using similar directions.
3. Planting strong-smelled mint plants around vegetation you want to protect from wasp nests. You can also plant mints in the pots which are placed around the house to prevent wasp from infesting.
4. Spread cinnamon powder near wasp nests to make the colony move into a new place. You will need to do this constantly for several consecutive days to pass the message and irritate the colony.
5. Liquid dish soap spray is also an effective deterrent for keeping wasps away. Mix a bottle of water with 3 drops of dish soap and shake well. Spray the mixture to any wandering wasps to repel them. You can also apply the repellent to wasp’s nests to kill the queen staying inside.

Despite the harms they may cause, wasps can be a beneficial insect pollinating wild plantation. In some countries, they are recently used as a natural pesticide against crop-destroying insects. Hence, unless they reside inside the house, or some home members are allergic to the stings, it is better to leave the insects alone for preserving the ecosystem balance.

Commonly, thrips are feeding on other insects by sucking out their insides. Yet, there are some kinds of thrips which reside inside the buds and leaves of various plants, sucking their zaps and leave them to die. Thrips infestation over plants can be identified through some black seed-like materials attached on the leaves and flower buds. As a result of thrip infestation, plants turn pale and eventually die. Infested plants are also commonly discolored or scarred. Some vegetation such as carrots, beans, onions, and other garden plants, including roses are susceptible to thrip infestation. Indoor thrip infestation is possible since potted plants which are placed indoor might be the source of these pests.

Thrips infestation over plants can be identified through some black seed-like materials attached on the leaves and flower buds. As a result of thrip infestation, plants turn pale and eventually die. Infested plants are also commonly discolored or scarred. Some vegetation such as carrots, beans, onions, and other garden plants, including roses are susceptible to thrip infestation. Indoor thrip infestation is possible since potted plants which are placed indoor might be the source of these pests.

Some vegetation such as carrots, beans, onions, and other garden plants, including roses are susceptible to thrip infestation. Indoor thrip infestation is possible since potted plants which are placed indoor might be the source of these pests.

How to kill thrips

Thrip management can be done with or without chemicals. In large lawn where plants have been severely damaged by this pest, chemical treatment is usually preferred. However, there are also some non-chemical treatments which can be used in killing thrips. While chemical–based products are assumed to be more practical and quicker, non-chemical ones are safer and more eco-friendly. To kill thrips, here are some methods which can be tried.

1. Traps

Thrips which have been invading your house through some potted plants can be killed using sticky traps. It may be difficult to find specific thrip traps, but you can consider sticky traps used for ants and other insects. Put some traps around the areas you find thrip infestation in. To use sticky traps outdoor—in the garden, for instance, put or hang the traps near the tree stems.

2. Vacuuming

Vacuuming is another simple method you can use to kill thrips. This method can even be employed not to kill only adult thrips but also its eggs and larvae. Make sure you empty the vacuum bag outside to prevent indoor re-infestation. You can also place some mothballs in the vacuum bag to make vacuumed thrips are killed prior to disposal.

3. By using thrip toxicants

There are some things which can be used as thrip toxicants. Soapy water and Neem oil mixture are some of those. Both are safe to use with flowers and vegetation so that you can use the mixture both indoor and outdoor.

• Killing thrips with soapy water

Mix 250mL water with 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray directly on infested plants and objects. Reapply when washed by rains.

• Killing thrips with Neem oil

Mix water and Neem oil with 3:1 proportion. Spray directly on infested plants or to the areas susceptible to thrip infestation to discourage them.

• Killing thrips with insecticides

Insecticides for grubs, ants, and aphids are applicable for killing thrips. However, this chemical should not be spray excessively to minimize its toxic residue. Indoor application of insecticides should be done with sufficient ventilations.

Thrip control

To minimize thrip infestation, there are some preventive methods which can be performed. The most effective one is by eliminating susceptible places which adult thrips will use for breeding and laying eggs. Hence, prevention methods include:

1. Eliminate crop debris in the garden, and get rid of weeds and grass around the garden.
2. Scrutinize potted plants’ health before moving them into the house. Make sure there are no white thrips on the leaves and stems which may infest your indoor area.
3. Prune tree branches regularly to minimize possible places for adult thrips to lay the eggs.
4. Immediately cut off infested leaves and buds which are infested by thrips. You can inspect the infested stems, leaves, and branches by either see the thrips physically or investigate possible damages the pests might cause.
5. Do not shear the plants, since sheared plants will attract more thrips, which may cause a larger infestation.

When doing preventive methods or performing treatment methods for getting rid of thrips, make sure you do not exterminate beneficial insects at the same time. In order to ensure this, perform the safest methods which employ more natural substances. Avoid using toxic chemicals, especially when performing treatments for plants and the garden. When using chemicals to get rid of thrips indoor, use it wisely after evacuating house members and open possible ventilations to minimize toxic residue it may leave behind.

A single colony of Formosan or super termites is believed to be able to eat the whole structure of a house within two years. Isn’t this statement horrifying that such tiny creatures as termites can easily dismiss a whole house? Despite any denial that might cross your mind, this is a researched fact, which makes the attempts of getting rid of termites definitely required. It may take a long time before termites infestation in a house is discovered since there might be very little sign of it which is not easily noticed. Hence, you might want to consider checking your house thoroughly before termite infestation promotes damages to any of its structures.

It may take a long time before termites infestation in a house is discovered since there might be very little sign of it which is not easily noticed. Hence, you might want to consider checking your house thoroughly before termite infestation promotes damages to any of its structures.

Termite inspection

Termite might seems harmless as an animal. However, continuous infestation might cause damages to the infested buildings. Formosan termite queens may lay more than 1000 eggs per day and termite colonies are a non-stop eater. This means, they are going to consume the woods of your house parts for 24 hours a day, non-stop, which can be dangerous. To perform the treatment as initial as possible, termite infestation needs to be inspected. You might call a professional termite exterminator for doing the inspection. However, if you know how to look to find the colonies, you might save the expense by doing it yourself in following directions:

To perform the treatment as initial as possible, termite infestation needs to be inspected. You might call a professional termite exterminator for doing the inspection. However, if you know how to look to find the colonies, you might save the expense by doing it yourself in following directions:

1. The attic of the house might be prone to various pest infestations including termites. It is because an attic is most likely framed with wood, which is termites feed. Look carefully to these wooden frames as it may have termite colonies in it. Search for the colonies near any possible cracks and holes in the wood. You can also take a look under the eaves of the house.
2. If you have a wooden house balcony or deck, check the wood of this part, as it may be eaten without you noticing. Look closer if your balcony wood is not painted or varnished, as termites are likely to hide inside this kind of wood.
3. Check the basement, as well. This is a place which is commonly filled with various wooden objects. You might want to check the door hinges in the basement or the wood sills. You can also check any suspicious objects around the floor, which might come from termite colonies.
4. Check the backyard, as termites can easily enter the house through the soil. You also need to remove dead trees and limbs. Woodpiles and woodchips should also be thrown away to block termite colonies from growing.

Knowing the places which can possibly be the locations of termite infestations is essential in preparing initial treatment to get rid of the critters. To help you spot the colonies easier, you might want to seek for things as the signs, such as discarded wings, brownish mud tubes, and droppings.

Termite wings are commonly found in the infested room floor, windowsill, or outside foundations. Termite excrement, however, can be found on posts and beams siding, while various-sized termite mud tubes are commonly found in the infested cabinets or bed frame, or scattered on the infested room floor.

How to kill termites: Methods to get rid of termites

Termites can be a serious home problem. Hence, once you found out that you have termite infestation at the building, you need to immediately start the treatments which are helpful in getting rid of termite colonies. Various methods are beneficial in performing termite removal. However, to perform these termites control, you will need to determine the type of infested termites and your home construction. However, the following tips and tricks can be done to perform home termite killing.

1. Killing termites using insecticides

Similar to most bug-killing treatments, insecticides can be used to kill termite and get rid of its colonies from the house. Insecticides contain chemicals which are effective in killing the whole population and cut the life cycle. In most cases, termites are found to hide inside the wooden panels, making it hard to spot. Despite the poisonous chemicals it may contain, insecticides which are not properly aimed to these hiding spots will not be effective. Hence, this is an upmost importance to find out the termite’s nest before applying any treatments. Once you find this nest, you can decide the type of insecticides which fits your needs best.

Insecticides for killing termites and its colonies come in a variety of forms—the aerosol to the foam one. The foamy insecticides are effective to get rid of termites which reside inside any wooden panels, as it allows the poison to get through the cracks of the wood and eventually kill the colonies. This kind of treatment promotes fast termite killing but will require the infested house to be emptied while the insecticides are working.

Despite the poisonous chemicals it may contain, insecticides which are not properly aimed to these hiding spots will not be effective. Hence, this is an upmost importance to find out the termite’s nest before applying any treatments.

Once you find this nest, you can decide the type of insecticides which fits your needs best. Insecticides for killing termites and its colonies come in a variety of forms—the aerosol to the foam one. The foamy insecticides are effective to get rid of termites which reside inside any wooden panels, as it allows the poison to get through the cracks of the wood and eventually kill the colonies. This kind of treatment promotes fast termite killing but will require the infested house to be emptied while the insecticides are working.

2. Use bait station

Bait station can be used for trapping termites and its colonies. The most frequently used ingredient for termite bait is borax. Borax contains boric acid, which is a natural substance derived from the earth. This substance is toxic to termites and kills them by shutting down its nervous system. To set bait station up for trapping and eventually getting rid of termite infestation, you will need borax, sugar, and a jar. To make the bait, mix equal amount of sugar and borax. Pour the mixture into the jar and place it on the ground or floor of the infested areas.

If your house has a large termite infestation, you can seal or coat a wood with boric acid. This will trigger the termite colonies to crawl onto the poisoned wood while leaving the other woods untouched. Regular boric acid treatments will be beneficial in killing termites eventually.

3. Getting rid of termite’s possible habitats

Termites are attracted not only to the woods inside your house but also the old trees branch and wood mulch in the garden. Getting rid of these mulch will kill the termite colonies which reside around it.

4. Flooding

This method is beneficial for subterranean termites which usually find a way to infest a house through the soil. When infesting an area, subterranean termites reside inside the soil, so that flooding might be an effective way of killing the entire population. Flooding the soil will drown the termite colonies, which are unable to swim. This is also an effective way of getting rid of termites which infest your garden.

5. Heating and freezing

Termites are unable to live in extremely cold temperature as well as hot one. To kill termites effectively, freezing the colonies using nitrogen is advised. This will easily kill termites which have contact with the substance. Conversely, heat also contributes well to a termite-killing procedure. Exposing termites to fire will work, as direct sunlight might not produce sufficient effect, since the soil—where termites reside, provide sufficient humidity in a hot, sunny day.

Professional termite control

Getting rid of termite colonies using home remedies and natural ingredients are more flexible and low-cost. However, limited knowledge about termite infestation often leaves people devastated with re-infesting termites. Besides, termite colonies are often residing inside the wooden structures of a house instead of around it. As a result, homeowners often find out about it late, when the infestation has been severe. Thus, professional exterminators are often relied on, regarding their broad knowledge about termite infestation and multiple methods of controlling the pests. To control termite infestation, some below actions will be taken:

1. Treating lawn and garden soil, which is done by drilling and injecting foam-based termiticide or installing a bait station around the places infested with termite colonies. Biological control methods can also be done by involving natural termite predators, such as ants and nematodes. Moreover, termite-repellent plants can also protect the garden soil from termite infestation. Sweet basil is one of those beneficial plants.
2. Fumigating termite colonies by placing a tent over a home before releasing a fumigant throughout the structure. This requires the house to be emptied for 24 to 72 hours. The released fumigant will be spread across the infested areas, into wood seals and cracks with termite colonies inside.

Using a professional termite exterminator might be effective if followed by precautions to control termite re-infestation. Since professional treatments might be costly, home remedies can be an alternative to getting rid of termite infestation in its initial phase. Once the colonies are eliminated, start to do termite-controlling actions to prevent the critters from coming back. Regularly check the building, especially with cracks and holes might help you spotting termite attack if it exists.

Fleas are parasites which are commonly found in animals’ body, and house cats and dogs are the most susceptible animals to this parasite. In houses—whether ones with or without pets, fleas are usually easy to spot. They are tiny, but visible, rather than microscopic. In most households, fleas are residing in beds and feed on human’s blood while they are sleeping. This can be a big nuisance when house members or pets are allergic to flea saliva. Flea bites, hence, may cause severely itchy blisters all over the skin. Hence, thorough monitoring against fleas is important, and prevention, as well as removal, needs to be performed immediately inside the house with and without flea infestation.

Why do I have fleas in the house?

Sometimes, people are shocked to find out they are having the tiny critters all over the house walls and foundations. With pets around the house, this might not be that surprising. But there are many homeowners who do not keep any pets, yet still, find some critters inside the house.  Possible ways of getting fleas around your house could be:

1. Fleas are mostly hitch-hiking in pets’ skin when they are wandering around outside to play around, and your cats or dogs are going to bring these little critters in.
2. Adult fleas lay eggs frequently, and these eggs remain inside the place where they are laid in for a long period. Unhatched eggs will remain in house foundations and other crawl spaces and are going to hatch when triggered by movement, body warmth, and CO2 resulted from breath. This explains how some homeowners without pets are having a flea infestation in their house.

How to kill fleas?

This might be the most frequently asked question when coming to flea infestation, apart from how they can possibly encounter our houses. In fact, there are various remedies and ingredients which can be used for getting rid of fleas by killing them.

1. Vacuuming

The vacuum cleaner is your number-one weapon to combat fleas in the house. Regular vacuuming may kill not only adult fleas, but also their pupae, larvae, and eggs. Vacuuming susceptible areas once a day for two to four weeks will be helpful in killing the entire flea population. But, make sure you remove the vacuum bag properly after vacuuming these tiny critters. Otherwise, they are going to multiply and get out of the cleaner to re-infest the house.

2. Steaming

A steamer is also a beneficial instrument in killing infesting fleas in the house. This weapon is specifically useful to use with beds and furniture, as it is able to kill fleas infesting small folds and cloth pores. Similar to a vacuum cleaner, steamer also kills adult fleas, pupae, larvae, and its eggs. Fleas are dehydrated and exposed to high temperature resulted by the steamer, which is essential in thorough extermination.

3. Hot water

Besides heat, hot water also kills fleas. This method is useful when fleas are infesting some washable items, such as bed sheets, pillows, blankets, curtains, and clothes. Washing these items regularly do not only kill existing fleas, but also preventing them from re-infesting.

4. Soapy water

Soapy water is not going to kill fleas when used for washing them. However, this can be an effective treatment for killing fleas when used as traps. Concentrated dish soap is one of the most effective ingredients which can be mixed with water or other liquid to eliminate flea population.

5. Sunlight

Direct sunlight in a hot, sunny day is also another method you need to consider when trying to find a method of flea killing. Exposing fleas to direct sunlight is going to eliminate the adult fleas and its eggs. To do this, put infested objects under direct sunlight on a hot day for one to two hours. You also need to expose infested pets for 15 minutes to get rid of fleas infesting their bodies.

6. Pesticides

To fight and kill fleas, pesticides are known to be effective. However, no matter what kind of pesticide you decide to use, it will still have some side effects. Hence, these toxic ingredients should be applied wisely and not excessively. There are ready-to-use pesticides which can be used not only around the house but also on your pets to eliminate fleas effectively.

How to kill fleas in the house

Using above remedies, you will be able to minimize flea infestation around the house, especially in indoor spots. Below are elaborated methods of killing fleas in the house.

If you have pets in the house, treat your pets as well.

This is important because fleas often find that pet’s fur as a beneficial hiding spot. To treat your pets and kill infesting fleas, you can do these treatments:

• Bath cats and dogs with anti-flea shampoo, which contains substances which discourage its population and kill them.
• Add some drops of apple cider vinegar to warm water you use for bathing the pets.
• Add some crushed garlic to pet’s bathing water. Wet the pets and let the garlic water mixture sit for 5 minutes before shampooing.
• Comb the fur using a fine flea comb, which is able to remove flea eggs and adults which reside in pets’ fur.
• Expose the pets to direct morning sunlight every day for 15 minutes. Make sure you don’t expose cats and dogs to afternoon sunlight since it may trigger dehydration.
• For daily treatment, spray a mixture of 250 mL water and few drops of lemon juice to flea-infested dogs. Spray the mixture directly or rub it into their fur. However, this might not be recommended for cats, which are allergic to lemons.
• Killing fleas in infested house pets can also be done internally. Coconut oil or apple cider vinegar is an effective treatment which can be fed by these pets to discourage fleas by changing the way their blood taste. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil or apple cider vinegar to your dogs or cats daily diet to repel fleas.

Do good housekeeping

Good housekeeping is going to eliminate possible flea hiding spots, as these tiny critters often hide in bedding items and other fabric and furry items. Deep clean the house regularly and do these advise treatments to make sure fleas are killed.

• Vacuum susceptible areas and non-washable items prone to flea infestation, such as beds and upholstered furniture. If you are vacuuming the beds, make sure you reach the folds and corners which may be infested by flea eggs and hatchlings.
• Bedding items should always be washed in high-temperature water. Machine washing the beddings using minimum 55°C water works best in killing adult fleas, as well as the hatchlings and eggs.
• Non-washable items, such as hand-woven carpets, which are also susceptible to infestation should be put under direct sunlight for one to two hours to kill any infesting fleas. You can also use diatomaceous earth and boric acid to do the trick with carpets and rugs. These two ingredients are effective in tearing flea’s exoskeleton and dehydrate them so that they will die eventually. To do this method, follow these directions:
  • Unroll suspected carpets and rugs which cannot be machine washed.
  • Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or powdered boric acid all over the carpet and rug parts.
  • Let it sit for a half an hour. Meanwhile, keep pets and children away from the treated items. Although some food-grade DE and boric acid are not harmful, the flea droppings which may be left on the carpets can cause allergies.
  • Vacuum up any left DE and boric acid thoroughly, making sure there is no more left on the treated items.
  • Remove the vacuum cleaner bag and dispose of dead fleas immediately.
• If you are sure that fleas are hitch-hiking the pets to be brought into the house, drench the spots your pets often use with a mixture of a bucket of water and 3 tablespoons dish soap. This will kill existing fleas and repel re-infesting ones.
• Mop the floor with the mixture homemade lemon solution. This should be done daily to kill fleas using citric acid contained in the lemon juice. To make the mopping solution, mix a ½ gallon of water with lemon juice extracted from 5 lemon fruits. Use this to mop the entire flooring and drench susceptible crawling spaces.

Eliminate flea breeding environment

In order to lay eggs, adult fleas need a moist environment. If your house is humid, then you are providing a perfect environment for this purpose. Hence, kill hatchlings and flea eggs by turning your dehumidifier or air conditioner on, so that you are able to create drier air and prevent fleas from multiplying in number.

Trapping fleas

If you find a large infestation of fleas around the house, flea removal can be a devastating thing to perform. However, it is not impossible. To help to kill the entire population, you can combine several working methods. Aside from killing fleas using effective ingredients, you can also build flea traps, which are quite simple and easy, yet can be helpful and practical. Unlike traps for bigger mammals, traps for fleas are rarely found in wide markets. Despite this, you can try making one by yourself, using all instruments you are going to find easily around the house. Here are some ideas you might want to consider:

1. Electric traps

These traps are often store-bought and are made of a small housing which contains a sticky mat. The traps work by attracting fleas using light and warmth and trap them in the sticky mat when they are coming near the light. Some of these electric traps also produce odors which fleas are often attracted to. These products are quite effective to be used for getting rid of fleas foraging in your carpets and other areas of the house.

2. DIY lamp trap

If you cannot find any flea traps in your local hardware stores, you can always consider making one by yourself. To make the trap, you need to gather supplies as below:

• A desk lamp with a bright bulb
• A dish plate
• Few drops of dish soap

To make the trap, here are the directions:

• Fill the dish plate with water to its ¾ part
• Add two or three drops of dish soap and mix it with the water
• Place the dish plate filled with water under the lamp
• Turn on the light overnight
• Fleas will go around the water and then fall into the soapy water and drown
• Replace the water and reuse the same method for next treatment

3. DIY glass trap

Another effective trap to invite fleas and kill them is the see-through glass trap. This simple trap only requires:

• Some see-through glasses or cups
• Water
• Dish soap

To make the traps, fill ½ part of the glasses or cups with water and add few drops of dish soap into it. Stir well and place them on some window sills, where adult fleas are usually wandering around to lay their eggs. The light from the glasses will lure and thus, attract the fleas, while the water dish soap solution will trap them without a capability to escape. You can also add bleach to the solution, but do not use this chemical if you are going to put the traps in lower window sills reachable to children and pets. If your pets or children accidentally drink the solution, give them milk to neutralize the effect of dish soap in the solution.

Getting rid of fleas

Once you have managed to kill existing fleas in the house, you might find to find some ways of keeping them at the bay or repel them. To get rid of fleas, perform these helpful acts:

1. Minimize the use of non-washable carpets, especially if you keep pets in the house. Instead, use throw rugs which can be washed in hot water frequently.
2. Clean and dust every part of the house frequently. Similar to dust mites, fleas attracted to damp fabrics and dusty areas. Vacuum regularly and wipe upholstered furniture and non-washable items with wet cloth three times a week.
3. Clean your pets regularly. Have them bathed and dried fully every once a week. Comb the fur using a flea comb to get rid of flea eggs infesting their skin.
4. Sprinkle boric acid all over non-washable fabric items and carpets before vacuuming to make sure infesting fleas are killed.
5. Trim grasses and bushes in the yard and garden, where your pets are usually playing. Longer grasses and thick bushes can be used as a perfect hiding place for fleas.
6. Place a flea collar inside the vacuum bag to avoid fleas from laying eggs and hatching in the bag and eventually re-infesting your house.

When concerning about weeds growing in between plants in your garden, there are various species of invasive plants to concern. While some of them are not quite harmful, and instead, may be beneficial in triggering plant growth, some others might be invasive. These aggressive types of weeds might grow very quickly, covering grass and other plants in your garden, making it unattractive. Besides, some species of weeds are poisonous for pets and cattle.

Why should weeds be removed?

Fast-growing weeds do not only grow very fast but also leave numerous seeds all over the areas they used to grow. Hence, these parasite plants are going to re-grow even after thorough removal. Despite their appearances which are similar to those grasses we intentionally plant in the garden, weeds are not that innocent. There are some harms these unwanted vegetation possess, such as:

1. Competing with other intentionally-planted vegetation for nutrition, sunlight, nitrogen, and water. A large number of weeds—and bigger roots will thus leave non-weed plants to starve from not getting enough growth substances.
2. Weeds, which grow in between plants may not only compete for nutrients but also space. Weeds which are not immediately removed will take over other plants’ place to grow. These aggressive plants may even grow on existing grasses, making the overtaken plants more prone to insects and other pests.
3. Weeds growing in between pavements, in sewer walls, and other cramp spaces will cause blocked drainage. They also cause these spaces to be unattractive, as it may seem less cared for.

How to get rid of weeds

Knowing the harms they might cause, it is reasonable that homeowners and gardeners decide to get rid of these invasive plants. There are some methods to consider in getting rid of weeds around your garden and lawn, which have taken over the intentionally-planted vegetation.

1. By hand-pulling

Getting rid of weeds by pulling them out by hands is conventional, yet quite effective if you have spare time dedicated to gardening. This method is effective since it lets weeds to be pulled out thoroughly to the roots if done properly. However, some weeds are poisonous and may cause allergy to the skin. Wear gloves while doing this by-hand method to avoid this.

2. By over-seeding

Over-seeding is one of the best methods of getting rid of weeds from the lawn. It works by crowding out the soil so that weeds do not have sufficient place to grow. Spread grass seeds to let it grow thicker and prevent weeds from overtaking the soil.

3. By Hoeing

Hoeing is effective to perform with young weeds since it will kill the weeds without bringing its seedlings to the surface of the soil to grow. Hoeing is best done in the afternoon when the day is hot and dry. This will limit the chance for the weeds to re-grow and since the soil is dry, it limits clogging from happening to the hoe blade.

4. By spraying

There is store-bought weed spray which can be used to kill these unwanted plants. This may be the simplest method for those with limited time in caring for the garden. However, some chemical weed sprays might leave toxic residue behind, so make sure your pets will not be able to eat any grass and plants from the garden while it is being treated.

5. By using natural remedies

If you are not a big fan of chemical ingredients, you can still handle the fast-growing weeds around the garden and pavements using more natural or organic remedies you may get around the house. There are methods which are more affordable, yet can be more effective with fewer side effects for treating weeds invading the garden.

Organic weed killer

Although there are some different methods of killing weeds in the garden, many of you may prefer the methods which do not involve any chemicals at all. Some organic methods of killing weeds are in fact, the most effective ones. Not only they do not involve any toxic chemicals, these organic methods employ the easiest to get and the most affordable ingredients around you. Here are some of those:

1. Boiling water

Boling water is the best weed killer. It is cheap, easy, and kill everything harmful in the soil. The method is as simple as filling your kettle with water and put it on the stove to boil. Afterward, directly pour this to the weeds you want to kill. The water which is at a very high temperature will effectively cook the weeds and its roots, leaving it dry and dead.

However, killing weeds with boiling water is more effective and advised for those in-between-pavement weeds, rather than weeds growing in soil bed, because this method is going to kill not only the weeds and its roots, but also some beneficial earthworms living beneath the soil beds.

2. Vinegar

White distilled vinegar is another effective method for killing weeds, because of its high content of acid. To kill weeds with vinegar, here is the direction:

• Put white vinegar in a spray bottle or a garden pump sprayer.
• Spray the liquid on the weeds you target.
• Reapply if it is wiped off by rains.

Despite its effectiveness, white vinegar acts similarly to other herbicides, which is not being able to differentiate between weeds and your non-weed plants. Hence, it is going to kill every plant in contact. To avoid this, weed killing using vinegar should be done in the time of day when winds do not blow too hard, that is on an early morning. White vinegar also works effectively under sufficient sun, so apply this on a less cloudy day.

3. Cardboard or newspapers

If you are thinking of disposing of your old cardboard or newspaper, think again, as these things can be an effective media for killing weeds. Some gardeners even think that cardboard or newspaper is the best method for weed killer. To do this, read on the steps to do:

• Prepare newspaper or cardboards you are going to use. Large and wide cardboards are the most advised since they cover a large area of the soil. Flatten the boards.
• Wet the soil where the targeted weeds are growing on. Do deep watering to keep sufficient amount of water just beneath the soil.
• Lay the flattened cardboards or thick layers of newspapers down on the wet area. A thick layer of this cardboard or newspaper will prevent sunlight from reaching the existing weeds or its seeds so that they won’t sprout.
• If you are using newspapers, wet the layer and add mulch on its surface to fully block the sunlight. Do regular watering every time the layer dries out. This is going to kill weeds growing beneath the layer as well as prevent the seeds from sprouting.
• If you are using cardboards, wet the board regularly and dispose of it when the existing weeds beneath it have died. Add mulch to the soil after the cardboards are removed.
• This method is not only beneficial for killing weeds, but also for inviting earthworms, which is beneficial for soil ecosystem to come into the treated soil.

4. Salt

Despite the weirdness, it may seem, killing weeds using salt can be effective when done with cautions. Salt kills weeds by disrupting plant’s internal water balance, which in the end, dehydrates the plants. However, a large concentration of salt used for killing weeds may cause imbalance substances in the soil, which cause it to be uninhabitable. Hence, only use a small pinch of salt in targeted area for killing weeds. Avoid sprinkling salt over the grass and non-weed plantations. Here are the salt recipe and method for killing weeds:

• Mix water and salt—any kind, with a 3:1 proportion.
• Pour the mixture to the targeted weeds by avoiding grass and plants you want to protect.
• After applying a salt solution to the weed-infested area, water nearby plants well to mitigate any damage from the solution.
• Once the solution kills the weeds, stop the application and drench the previously-treated spot with water to dilute any left salt.
• Wait for a couple of days—3 days to a week—before you reuse the treated area for planting.

5. Cornmeal

Cornmeal is another organic solution for weed killing. It will keep weed seeds from sprouting and growing into plants. However, cornmeal does affect any kinds of seeds, so avoid sprinkling it when you still have newly-spread vegetable seeds, to avoid them from dying.

More natural weed killers

Aside from those organic ingredients, there are some more natural ways for getting rid of weeds. These weed killing methods can be done using some conventional methods and low-toxic chemical ingredients. Despite its safe properties to the lawn, natural weed killers should be applied in cautions, so that those are well-targeted and well-purposed.

1. Hand pulling

This is the most conventional yet effective method of killing weeds, especially if you have a small garden. Hand pulling helps you to control weed population and enables you to have a closer look at the possibility of bug infestation in the garden. If done regularly, this natural weed killing method can leave your garden well-looked and healthy.

2. Using dish soap

Dish soap will kill weeds quite instantly. To do this, fill a spray bottle with water and add few drops of dish soap into it. Spray it on targeted weeds to kill them.

3. Using alcohol

Alcohol is also a natural weed killer. Alcohol solution will burn weeds to die and thus, leave your garden weed-free. To do this, follow these steps:

• Prepare a bottle of rubbing alcohol and water.
• Mix 3 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of alcohol.
• Spray targeted weeds with the mixture, avoiding nearby plants.

Lawn weed control

The best way of getting rid of weeds would be controlling them from excessively grow at all. There is lawn weed control for you to perform in order to prevent weeds from taking over the entire lawn.

1. Spreading mulch

Mulch is a natural weed control which is not only protecting the soil from growing weeds and parasite plants but also giving it additional nutrients from broken down mulch seeds. As a weed controller, mulch works by inhibiting direct sunlight which triggers weed seeds from sprouting. Without sufficient sunlight, these seeds are not sprouting and thus, will eventually die beneath the soil. As a garden natural fertilizer, mulch provides a moist area of the soil, which will attract earthworms, which is a beneficial creature for the lawn.

2. Using calcium

Crabgrass is an annual weed which reproduces fast and may spread all over the lawn very quickly. When crabgrass grows excessively in your lawn, this is a true indication that the lawn is a lack of calcium. Hence, spreading calcium-containing substances over the garden soil will help to control this parasitic annual weed. To do this, apply calcium lime and sulfur or gypsum to reduce it in volume and to make it rot over time. Crushed egg shells also work as a beneficial calcium natural agent. Thus, instead of tossing these shells into the trash, crush it and keep it refrigerated to be used with the lawn in the future. These shells will break into calcium, giving your lawn additional nutrients while killing potential weed seeds and bugs.

3. Discover weeds benefits

Many of us assume certain kinds of unwanted plants as weeds. In fact, these plants might have undiscovered traits which are beneficial. Some weeds found in the garden are edible, while some others can be used as medicines. Trying to find out how to put potential weeds in use can be a very good method of weed control.

4. Build barriers

Building barriers between your plantations and the areas which are potential to weeds is a good method of controlling weed growth. These barriers can be made from bricks or concrete which are not only affordable but also have less pore and rooms for weeds to grow. You can also cover your vegetation with a plastic bucket with a removed end. This will prevent weeds from overgrowing and feed on your plant’s nutrients.

5. Cultivate

Cultivating the lawn regularly also help to remove the roots of the weeds from the soil, which will leave them dry out and die. Use your hand hoe to do this in small areas in the garden. Be cautious not to hoe non-weed plant roots. Cultivating your lawn also spread beneficial nutrients beneath the soil, which the roots can easily absorb in the future.

6. Keep the grass healthy and long

Healthy grass is an effective weed natural barrier. This will prevent weeds from taking over the spaces and thus, nutrients, leaving them to die eventually even without chemicals or other substances.

Stink bugs are large bugs which possess glands to produce odor as a defense against their enemies. Most stink bug species feed on plants and therefore, might be a serious crop pest. This bug also attacks fruits, causing major damages to these fruits. A few species of stink bugs, on the other hand, feed on other insects, such as aphids and beetles. Hence, they might become a beneficial protector for crops against destructive pests. Moving from the garden and lawn, these stink bugs can possibly be an indoor pest, when they start to infest some indoor areas as a barrier against cold. Commonly, indoor stink bug infestation can be seen on the wall crevices and cracks, as well as window sills. Large infestation might cause damages to indoor objects as well as garden plants. Hence, thorough extermination is essential.

How to kill stink bugs

To exterminate the entire population, killing the stink bugs is one of the most effective methods. There are various methods which may put them to death, and these methods might involve physical extermination, chemical extermination, and folk remedy extermination.

Physical extermination

The main problem with killing stink bugs is that this insect may release their odor once squashed or even only disturbed. In fact, the odor glands work when the tiny bugs are threatened. Hence, killing the bugs immediately will be the best solution. To do instant physical extermination, you might want to consider these methods:

• Vacuuming

Vacuuming is a good method for extinguishing various kinds of tiny insects, including stink bugs. While merely vacuuming might not kill the bugs, sprinkling some powdered diatomaceous earth into the vacuum bag before using it to suck the victims adds the possibility of killing the sucked up bugs once they are trapped in the bag. To kill stink bugs by vacuuming, here are some directions:

-Use bagged vacuum cleaner so that you can dispose the bag and trapped bugs thoroughly after treatment.

-Stink bugs are going to release the odor inside the vacuum cleaner since they are threatened. To eliminate the odor, put some deodorizer in the interior for some consecutive days.

• Zapping

Zapping is also an effective method of exterminating stink bug infestation, especially the indoor one. To do this, use zapping instruments used for flies or other small insects. The light will draw the bugs into the instrument, which will kill them by electrocuting. Consider these things when trying to electrocute stink bugs:

-Put the zapper in dark room to ensure the light exposed by the device is appealing for stink bugs.

-This method is beneficial in killing stink bugs in cramps places, such as the attic, wardrobe, or cabinets.

-Zapper kills stink bugs quickly before they are able to release the defense odor.

Trapping

Trapping might be effective for slightly larger infestation, although this method does not kill stink bugs as fast as vacuuming or zapping does. Hence, the bugs can still possibly release their odor after trapped. Stink bugs trapping can be done with these steps:

• Use glue traps for killing stink bugs. You can either use glue traps for ants or cockroaches.
• Put these traps in susceptible places or where stink bugs are seen foraging. These traps can also be placed in the garden or hung on tree branches.
• Trapped stink bugs will not be able to feed so that they will eventually die of starving.
• Dispose traps full of bugs and replace if you still see some others.

Freezing

Killing stink bugs can also be done by freezing the bugs. It seems quite strange to put infested goods or objects in the freezer to freeze. However, liquid nitrogen can be used for this purpose. There are kinds of liquid nitrogen which are sold for the kitchen. Spray the stink bugs with it to freeze and finally kill them. This method will be effective for both indoor and outdoor infestation. If you cannot find any liquid nitrogen, use hairsprays to perform the method. Directly spray it onto stink bugs to paralyze and eventually kill them.

Using insecticides

Insecticides should be the last resort to kill stink bugs. These chemical-based substances can be used indoor and outdoor, as long as you make sure to avoid its residue as much as possible. If you are having stink bug infestation in small crawling spaces, such as window sills, baseboards, or doorways, spraying insecticides may be helpful.

If you prefer some stink bugs traps which you can make yourself, you might want to try making the simple natural trap for killing stink bugs.

Stink bug trap

This trap is useful for catching stink bugs which infest indoor area of the house. The trap is affordable, eco-friendly, yet effective in capturing the little invaders. To make the trap, you will need:

• Two-liter clear bottle
• Black electrical tape
• Masking tape
• Utility cutter
• Stick-on LED light

Required steps for making this trap are as follow:

• Cut the bottle into two pieces and cover 1/3 part of its bottom with black electrical tape.
• Insert the battery-operated LED lamp into the middle of the bottom part.
• Put the upper part of the bottle and position it upside down to the bottom part.
• Gather the two parts using masking tape which later will function as the ladders for the stink bugs to “climb up” the trap.
• Put the trap in dark places and turn the LED lamp using pen or chopstick. The light will function as stink bug attractant, which encourages the bugs to climb up the bottle and fall into the bottom part.
• When the trap is full of stink bugs, remove the masking tape and dispose of the bugs.
• To reinstall the trap, reattach new masking tape and set the trap up.

Some people might think that making a stink bug trap is quite complicated and thus, prefer to get rid of these bugs invading the house by using some natural repellents. In fact, this method can be great, since there are some ingredients you may find around the house, which is effective to work as stink bug repellants. Read on to find out some of those.

Stink bug repellants

Garlic

Garlic has a strong aroma and high acidity. These will keep small insects, including stink bugs at the bay. Sprays made from garlic is thus effective for deterring stink bugs indoor and around the garden and lawn. Repel these bugs by making a mixture consists of 3 crushed garlic (can be replaced with 4 tablespoon garlic powder), and 300 mL water in a spray bottle. Spray it directly onto susceptible spots, or places which are infested by the bugs to repel them.

Mint

Mint is also a remedy for deterring bugs since it produces smell which is very unattractive for them. To make the mixture, you will need 300 mL water mixed with either 10 drops of mint essential oil or a handful of ground mint leaves. Mix the ingredients in the bottle and shake. Spray directly onto targeted spots and plants to protect.

Catnip

In the garden, catnip will be loved by your kitchen, but not stinky bugs. Hence, planting catnip in the lawn or pots will make it easier to get rid of foraging stinky bugs. Catnips have a very strong smell which disturbs stinky bugs’ sense of smell. If you are expecting an easier and simpler catnip remedy, buy powdered catnip from the grocery store and sprinkle it around the garden and other areas indoor which are susceptible to stink bugs.

Essential oils

Some drops of essential oils are effective in deterring stinky bugs—even some other kinds of bugs. Dilute some drops of any essential oils of your preference and spray it to the areas when stinky bugs are seen. For indoor prevention, burn some drops of essential oil in the diffuser might discourage stinky bugs and hence, keep them outside.

What kills stink bugs?

Sometimes, especially when the infestation is severe, it is not enough only to deter foraging bugs. Instead, you will need some remedies which are able to kill the bugs immediately. Moreover, stink bugs excrete unpleasant smell when disturbed, so that killing might be a better option. Read on to know what remedies which kill stink bugs effectively.

Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is not the only natural but also very effective for killing stink bugs. Apply by sprinkling it onto the soil where stink bugs are often spotted. DE is not harmful to plants so that it is also directly applicable to plantation and flowers in the garden. The food-grade DE also does not harm any pets, so that it is safe for indoor use.

Soapy water

A mixture of 300 mL water and 2 tablespoons mild dish soap creates a lethal repellant for stink bugs, yet safe for humans and pets. Spray the mixture directly to areas, crevices, or plants where stink bugs commonly gather. This mixture will repel them and eventually kill them by dehydrating the bugs.

Nicotine solution

If you are a heavy smoker, you might be able to put the cigarettes into a healthier act. Nicotine which is contained by cigarettes is effective in killing stink bugs. To do this, put 2 liters of warm water in a container and put shredded cigarettes in it. Stir it until the water becomes black. Add few drops of liquid dish soap and strain the solution. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray directly to any stink bugs you see to kill them.

Alcohol

Alcohol kills stink bugs by dehydrating them. To do this, fill a jar with rubbing alcohol and drop caught stink bugs into the solution. Be careful not to squash them while catching as they might attack you with the stinky odor.

Hot peppers

Hot peppers or cayenne pepper is a remedy which works best for small bugs. This substance kills the bugs by burning its exterior, leaving them dead. To make the natural yet effective mixture, dilute 2 tablespoons of hot pepper into the water in a spray bottle and shake it. Spray the solution directly onto seen bugs to kill them eventually. Be careful not to spray the mixture in a too close distance, as it might burn your eyes.

Stink bug control

Among all the stink bug repellents and killers, there is none which is going to work permanently and effectively when dealing with a large infestation. Instead, preventing the bugs from infesting the house at all might be the best solution. There are some methods and remedies which are actually effective in keeping stink bugs away from the house and garden. Learn these methods to protect the house and leave it bug-free.

1. Seal all entry points, such as wall cracks and crevices.
2. Patch up holes in the walls or wooden foundation at home, as it might be the place used by stink bugs to lay their eggs. Use instant adhesive or epoxy to patch even small holes you spot.
3. Keep all bushes and weeds in the garden trimmed. Put away all decayed organic matters laying in moist soil, which is susceptible to bug infestation.
4. Switch off all the lights, especially in susceptible places, such as the garden and lawn, and also the inhabitable places, such as the attic, as most bugs—stink bugs included, are attracted to lights. If you insist on turning the light on, replace the bulb with LEDs of yellow bug bulb to minimize bugs gathering around these sources of light.
5. Keep the house clean and dry. Use a dehumidifier to control the level of humidity indoor. Clean unused spaces such as the attic and basement regularly to prevent bug infestation without being noticed.
6. If you notice bugs entering your house, catch them with a paper tissue and relocate them by flushing to the drain or simply throw them outside to freeze in the winter.
7. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth—ground egg shells for kitchen scraps will also work great—in a regular basis to prevent your garden from being infesting by stinky bugs. DE will not harm the plantation so that you are allowed to sprinkle it generously.

If you have a large stink bug infestation outside, soak a towel in the water and squeeze it. Hang this damp towel outside overnight to attract any residing stink bugs. The towel moisture will attract the bugs, which are going to attach themselves to the towel. In the morning, you will see a lot of bugs hanging on this towel, which you can directly exterminate by soaking them in soapy water.

Spiders are creatures you commonly see outdoor. There are various species of spiders which reside on the trees, bushes, and other outdoor spaces. However, you might spot spiders getting into your house through the opened entrances, seeking for food and shelter. In some countries in the United States, spiders have been a common house pest with rising population in the summer. Since humans’ phobia over spiders is also a common thing, homeowners tend to immediately seek for professional help when spotting spiders infestation at home.  In fact, broaden the knowledge about spider infestation might be useful to prevent further or re-infestation, so that you will not have to hire that costly exterminator.

Are home spiders dangerous?

In the wild, spiders live mostly on the tree branches and bushes. They are the predator to smaller insects and other spiders. Wild spiders, such as the black widows are extremely venomous and may cause death from a single sting. However, the case of black widow bites is not common and instead, rare. Home-invading spiders, such as the brown recluse spiders, on the other hand, are commonly harmless. They do bite when startled, but severe bites rarely happen because spiders must be pressed against the skin to be able to pierce it, which is less likely to happen. However, as pests, these home spiders are harmful because it may spread diseases it gets from the other insects they have eaten. However, the existence of spiders as insect predator also holds benefits, since they might eliminate certain insect pest colonies invading your house.

Spiders control at home

Controlling spiders at home may not be easy since this animal is not easily seen when starting to invade the house, but it is not impossible. Paying attention to how spiders live and survive is beneficial for getting rid of the creatures from the house. To perform spiders control and avoid the house from being infested by the eight-legged critters, you might need to put some things into considerations.

1. Find out the type of spiders infesting your house, especially if your residence is located around a wild forest or farms, and can be infested by a poisonous type of spiders.
2. Check for any existing spider webs and hence, the adult spiders inside and around the house.
3. Check all possible entrances from which spiders might get into the house.

When you are spotting a spider walking across the floor, on the wall, or on your house ceiling, you should pay attention that actually there might be more spiders residing inside the house. Although the critters are not deadly, they are still prone to disease transmission and may scare certain people, especially children. Hence, an immediate inspection should be done to perform an initial treatment to eliminate the culprits. Performing spider control can be done through several methods and steps.

Keeping spiders away

Keeping spiders out of the house is the most effective method in getting rid of this pest. Set your house into a place which is less liked by any insects and thus, spiders. By doing so, spider infestation at the house will be less likely to occur. To keep spiders away from your residence, you might need to:

Seal all possible entrances.

Spiders can find entrances to the house through small spaces between windows and wall, holes, and even ventilation. To prevent spiders from getting in, hence, you will need to seal all of these possible way-ins.

• Cover the ventilations with fine insect screens. This will keep spiders and other small insects away from the house. Clean these screens regularly, as dirty screens might invite insects to come, and thus, spiders to eat these insects.
• Tidy up the plant pots on the garden or patio. Regularly lift up these pots to remove any spiders which may hide in the gaps between the pots and the concretes. When watering vegetation, make sure you shower the spaces to encourage any hiding spiders to get away. You should also remove any wood piles and mulch around the garden, as these are a perfect hiding place for spiders as well.
• Trim garden bushes and excessive tree branches to avoid wild spiders from building nest attached to those. Water these bushes regularly to make sure no spider webs are built.
• Turn the patio or balcony lamps off at night. This can be helpful in keeping away the small insects which attract spiders. If you prefer to have some lights at night, turn on only the small garden lamp, instead.
• Seal all cracks and holes leading from the outside. Use caulk to seal in big gaps and cracks. Make sure no small insects are able to get in, since spiders are attracted to these insects and hence, try to find the entrance to follow its living foods.

Keep your house as tidy as possible

• Clean, tidy house gives fewer places for spiders to hide in. Spiders are getting into the house to find food and shelter like any other pests do. Messy houses with piles of old rags, clothes, and paper are the perfect living place for spiders. They are going to build the web there and reproduce.
• Dirty houses invite various insect pests, such as ants, flies, and other small ones. These small insects are food sources for spiders. Hence, when you have those insects invading your house, you will likely to have spiders as its predator as well.
• Vacuuming the entire house and mop the dusty areas might be the most effective cleaning methods for getting rid of both spiders and its webs. Wiping down the counters and couches is also recommended, especially when you can reach the hidden spots, as those are the spots spiders prefer to hide in.
• Avoid keeping old newspaper, paper, and fabrics in a cramp, dark spaces, as those are the criteria loved by spiders.
• Cardboard containers should be avoided and replaced by plastic-based containers to prevent bugs infestation, which can, in turn, invite spiders.
• Wipe off existing spider webs to prevent another spider infestation. Spiders eat other spiders, so that their webs may attract another spider eventually.

Killing spiders

Sometimes, no matter hard you are trying to keep pests away from the house, they keep coming in. when this happens, you may prefer getting rid of the pest by killing it. Various methods can be used to kill spiders and get rid of it from your house permanently.

1. Vacuuming spider webs and eggs to eliminate the entire population. However, large spider population cannot be easily eliminated by vacuuming.
2. Spiders are in fact beneficial in getting rid the population of small insects in the house. Thus, unless your house is severely infested, you might want to move the spiders outside whenever possible, instead of killing them. However, extermination will definitely be needed with a large infestation.
3. If you are sure that you have a dangerous type spider infestation, you might want to choose pyrethroid-based insecticide spray to kill the pest. However, spiders usually come into houses to find foods, so that a large infestation may be a sign of other harmful insect infestation which needs to be got rid of in the first place.
4. In a matter of large infestation, total fumigating needs to be done. Professional exterminators can perform fumigation on your request. However, the house will need to be emptied for a while. Fumigation is done by covering the entire house with a plastic tent and spray fumigating chemicals which can kill the spiders and its eggs. To do this, the house must be emptied for 2 to 5 days consecutively.
5. If you see the visible adult spiders, diatomaceous earth can be sprinkled around the areas the creatures are often seen. This powder will dry the spiders up and eventually kill it.

Regarding spider infestation, people are even reluctant to do extermination, since many of them regard the critters as harmful creatures. However, its infestation can be disturbing and with some poisonous spiders, it may be deadly. Hence, homeowners often choose folk ingredients to keep away the creatures, and peppermint oil is one of the effective deter for spiders. To use this oil, you can dab a cotton ball and wipe it off the cracks and holes to deter invading spiders. Other strong-smelled oil, such as eucalyptus and tea tree oil can also be used to prevent spiders from infesting the house.

Although silverfish is harmless to human body, it is not pleasant to have this pest around the house. This bug damage certain household goods and can be found in the damp areas of the house. Similar to other bugs, silverfish reproduce very quickly and may be invisible until they do severe damages. This bug is nocturnal and is a fast runner so that it will be challenging to kill it by hands. Although often mistaken for poisonous centipedes, silverfish do not bite humans or animals. Instead, they feed on starchy things and are attracted to glue, book bindings, paper, sugar, flour, damp woods, and textiles. Despite being harmless to humans, silverfish do cause damages to those things and leave a yellow stain on the things it has eaten. Although not always easy to spot, silverfish infestation should be banished immediately to prevent further damages to the household. You might want to read on to find out how to get rid of silverfish infestation in your residence.

Checking for silverfish infestation

Silverfish are nocturnal creatures, so it is not easy and almost impossible to spot them during the day. However, these creatures may show you the sign of its preference by what they leave behind. To find these things, you need to consider checking it in the damp, humid areas in your house. You can also look for the infestation where you keep their possible food source in. Inside the rooms, you can check for silverfish infestation in your closets or drawers. These are the locations where you commonly keep your clothes and linen, which silverfish are attracted to. You might not find the creatures easily, but you can pay attention to its excrement which looks like black pepper. Try to find it around the closets or inside the drawers, just beneath the pile of linen. If you spot any yellow stain on the things such as cardboards, linen, clothes, wallpaper, books, and other fabric material, it may also be an indication that they are around. In addition, silverfish exoskeleton casts can also be a sign of their existence in the house. This cast is commonly tiny and see-through and can be found around the things or places they are inhibiting. This pest is attracted to dark, damp, or humid places. Thus, to check for its infestation, you may check the attics, basement, kitchen, storage, garage, or even bathrooms. If you suspect a silverfish cast in the attics, basement, or storage, you need to check the boxes or bags in which you keep old clothing, linen, paper, or books. If this cast is found in the bathroom or another damp, humid rooms, you might need to check the crevices and cracks in the walls, windows, flooring, or doors, as silverfish can easily get into the holes and cracks, and reside with the colonies.

How to get rid of silverfish

Getting rid of silverfish can be done in multiple ways. You can make traps for catching the bugs using simple things or you can buy a store-bought trap and perform the treatment by yourself. Kitchen ingredients can also help you in treating silverfish infestation at home. If you think that silverfish infestation in your house or basement has gone badly and you are not on a tight budget for getting rid of them, you can contact a professional bug exterminator for help. However, before spending a lot of money on those high-cost treatments, you might want to learn some simpler, less-expensive ways to get rid of silverfish from your living place.

DIY silverfish treatments

With a better knowledge about silverfish behavior, various things inside your house might be helpful in assisting you getting rid of this creature infestation. Some examples below might be useful and can be applied right away.

Trapping silverfish

Jar trap

You will need a glass jar (any size of Mason jar will work) and a masking tape (or any other non-slippery adhesive tapes).

To make the trap, wrap the outside of the glass container with masking tape, and place a piece of any sugary baits at the bottom of the glass. You may use a piece of bread, a small amount of chocolate, sugar cube, or any other foods you find around the table.

Place this wrapped jar in the area where you spot the silverfish. This bug tends to build the nest as close as possible to its food source so that a food bait might possibly attract the entire colonies. Set the trap up at night, as silverfish is nocturnal. The bait will attract silverfish to climb into the jar but will make it impossible for climbing out since the jar side is too slippery. Dispose any trapped silverfish and replace the bait to re-use the jar trap.

Newspaper trap

You will need a newspaper, an elastic, water, a piece of bread or other baits, and a match.

To make the trap, put a piece of food in the middle on the newspaper and roll it up—the thicker the roll is the better. After that, wet the newspaper to make it moist. Place it in any places you suspected of having the silverfish infestation. Silverfish, which are seeking for foods and environment to live in will likely be attracted to crawl into the newspaper trap. Throw the newspaper away and burn it without unrolling it. Do this regularly every night to maximize the effect.

If you do not feel like making the traps by yourself, you can find any store-bought traps used for roaches. These sticky traps can be used together with food baits to trap the silverfish onto the sticky part. Dispose the traps and replace with another one when the silverfish are successfully caught.

Getting rid of silverfish using insecticides and repellents

Pyrethrin-based repellents

Pyrethrin is a toxic substance which is produced from pyrethrin plants. This substance is effective for killing silverfish. You will need a bottle of powdered or liquid pyrethrin which can be purchased at any garden stores.

To kill silverfish, spray or sprinkle the chemical around the place where silverfish is suspected. The spray type is more effective since you can spray the chemical not only to visible spots but also inside the cracks and holes.

Boric-acid insecticides

Boric acid has long been known as an effective chemical to kill silverfish. You can buy boric acid at insecticides or hardware stores. However, you have to be cautious when using the chemical to kill silverfish, as this can be toxic to humans and pets.

Getting rid of silverfish with the help of boric acid can be done by making a sticky trap with a bait and boric acid. To make this trap, you can use any adhesive tape and crackers as the bait. Before placing the bait cracker on the tape, sprinkle boric acid onto the cracker piece and place the sticky trap around the silverfish nests you can spot. Boric acid kills silverfish by drying out its body and kill it eventually. The good news is that boric acid is also effective to kill other kinds of roaches, such as cockroaches, termites, and ants.

Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is derived from fossilized materials and is highly toxic to insects. This substance kills insects by puncturing the exoskeleton with its sharp edges, which can only be seen under the microscope. However, the material is non-toxic to humans and pets, so that it is safe to use almost anywhere in the house. To get this material, you can purchase a bag of this white grain powder in pesticide stores or even online.

To kill silverfish using boric acid, sprinkle it along baseboards, cabinets, bathtubs, or any humid places in which you spot any silverfish activities. After a couple of days, you can vacuum up the powder along with any dead silverfish. You can also wipe it using wet towels. Makes sure you are wearing a mask while sprinkling the powder.

Killing silverfish using natural home remedies

If you are a person who prefers organic methods of getting rid the home pests, killing silverfish using toxic chemicals may not suit you. However, this does not mean that you are unable to perform an action to get rid of these critters. There are, in fact, various more natural ingredients you can find around the house, especially in the kitchen, which can be used to perform silverfish extermination.

Spices

Silverfish is known to dislike spices and herbs because of the smell. Hence, this can be beneficial for us who prefer more organic methods of getting rid of silverfish and other home pests. You will need a small bag of spices (tea-bag-sized bag will be perfect) to perform the treatment. Any spices may work, but the most frequently used spices are cloves, cinnamon, vanilla pods, and potpourris. Strong smell of these ingredients repels various kinds of insect, including silverfish.

Do the treatment by placing bags of spices around the places where silverfish are suspected to reside. You can hang the bags if you found out that the insects are inhibiting woods or wallpaper. This natural remedy will keep your house scented while keeping the silverfish at the bay.

Lavender and basil

Lavender and basil are known as plants which can also work as insects repellents. You do not have to use the ingredients in the form of a living plant. Instead, you may use the essential oil form. These oils are non-toxic but can be disturbing for pets, so use it with caution around those.

To kill silverfish, you can dilute the essential oil into a part of fresh water and spray the mixture into the required places. This will work best for small or isolated spaces, such as drawers, cabinets, cupboards, wall cracks, and wallpaper backsides.

Table salt

You might have never realized that table salt is essential for killing silverfish. In fact, this might be the easiest silverfish repellent you can find. Table salt is a dehydrating agent which kills silverfish and other moths by dehydrating the body.

To perform the action, sprinkle some table salt around silverfish nests. These creatures will eat the bait and die eventually from dehydration.

Preventing silverfish infestation

Silverfish infestation might not be too complicated to conquer, despite its quick reproduction and tendency to re-occur. However, with any home pests, prevention is the most effective treatment. This will keep any possible insects away and protect the house from damages. Read on to learn the ways to keep silverfish at the bay and away from your residence.

1. Use a humidifier

Silverfish are attracted to places with 75 to 90% humidity. Therefore, lower this humidity into 50% will be beneficial in keeping the insect away. In the bathroom, basement, and utility rooms you can install an exhaust fan which eliminates excessive moisture that builds up over time. Ventilating isolated rooms, such as the attic is also important to deliver the humidity out.

2. Keep the house clean

It is said that silverfish still occurs even in the cleanest houses. It is reasonable since these insects are not attracted to dirty places. Instead, they are attracted to places which serve the foods. Hence, removing the sources of foods may help to prevent silverfish infestation. Seal all foods in a tight, air-proof containers, clean any left food crumbs, clean up dirty laundry as soon as possible, and do not let a pile of paper sit on the damp floor or cardboards.

3. Vacuuming

Vacuuming is not only getting rid of silverfish but also any other potential insect pests. Deep cleaning the house using a vacuum cleaner may help getting rid of existing silverfish and preventing re-infestation.

4. Sealing off cracks and holes

Cracks and holes in the walls or floors can be used by silverfish as a hiding place to build a nest. Regularly check the house constructions and seal off these cracks to prevent insects from infesting. To do this, you can use a caulk, which is effective for covering either tiny or big wall, window, or door cracks.

5. Repair damp wallpaper

Silverfish also tend to hide in the back side of wallpaper. If you notice that your wallpaper is getting damp or ruined, remove and replace it as soon as possible. If you notice some cracks on the walls, repair it first before you put the wallpaper back. You should also check any wooden frames, as silverfish might also hide behind the frames.

6. Inspect the storages and basement regularly

You might keep old clothing, linens, paper, or books in the storage. Make sure you check these things regularly to initially encounter any infestation. You might also need to check the basement wooden foundation and ceilings since damp constructions also attract silverfish.