For many, the first response is to grab the nearest can of Doom and go postal on the pests, but this can be bad for pets. As nasty as the critters under your closet and behind your fridge might be, green awareness is growing and natural pest deterrents are favoured for exterminating the pests without harming the owls in the neighborhood or sending your cat to the vet for a stomach evacuation.
Here are some suggestions that our Propvest team has found to help you put those pesky insects out of your misery:
ANTS
- Instead of spraying poison, spray the trail of ants with a concentrated mix of soap and water
- Draw a thick line of chalk along window and door frames where the ants might enter
- Leave some bitter cucumber pieces in their pathway, they are not fans of old salad
- Crushing some dried cloves or mint leaves works as effectively as the cucumber
COCKROACHES
- Catnip is rated among the top natural nasties for cockroaches as it has an active ingredient called Nepetalactone, which is most irresistible to cats and mortally injurous to ‘roaches
- A mixture of beer and cement, left in a jar lid in small dark corners, is a little inhumane but gets the job done (do not use this option if you have pets)
FLIES
- Flies are attracted to meat and petfood, try not to leave uneaten pet-meat lying open and thaw meat in the fridge overnight, instead of on the kitchen counter during the day when you’re out at work
- As with the ants, crushed mint works a dream
- Citronella candles or an oil-diffuser (you can hang an old rag in a hidden corner…) with eucalyptus oil working fairly well
Anything larger than that… we recommend calling an expert! If you feel the need to leave and find a new place, you know who to contact.
