Taking Control of Pests with Organic Pest Control Products
For insects such as cockroaches, the natural solution is actually pretty simple when it comes to controlling them. The first thing that anyone should do when faced with a pest problem is to take a look at the cleanliness of their living spaces. This is occasionally overlooked and yet is one of the most vital aspects in making sure that the agents that are applied will have lasting effects and that the roaches or other insects that are killed will not return in the future to start new infestations.
Reduction of waste, both in and around the home, should also be included in the list of any organic pest control methods. Food and other refuse often acts as the most powerful attractant of virtually every pest species on the planet, and therefore it is recommended to employ a mixture of cleaning and the application of materials that are designed to kill pests.
Helpful Tips For Doing Natural & Organic Pest Control
1. Always Consider The Possible Side Effects Of Any Products
In getting rid of pests, it’s true that these natural and organic products, when properly applied, represent a serious reduction in the overall threat to human health versus some other techniques such as synthetic chemical compounds. However, you should still be aware that there can be some unintended consequences to the misapplication or misuse of these safer products. For instance, the same fine crystalline chemical structure that makes diatomaceous earth so deadly to insects can also cause mild to moderate lung irritation if accidentally inhaled, so it is wise to minimize exposure by employing the proper safety practices during the application of this and similar products.
This can be as simple as getting a mask that covers the face, including the mouth and nose, while spreading the dust to avoid accidental inhalation and subsequent irritation.
2. Sometimes Killing The Pest Isn’t Absolutely Necessary; Look Into Repellents As Well
There are definitely some occasions where you don’t want a pest around a certain area, but you don’t necessarily want to kill it either. This can be the case with numerous insects that are actually beneficial in the long run. Spiders, for example, sometimes help us by eating dangerous and annoying pests, like mosquitoes, and generally are not harmful to humans.
If this is the situation you’re dealing with, there are actually quite a few natural repellents that can be used regularly to minimize the presence of a specific insect in a specific location. This also fits in quite well with the overall environmentally friendly concept and can be of particular use in settings such as gardens where you want to combine organic pest control with what is known as biological pest control which entails letting predator species of insect maintain the proper balance of creatures in the eco system.
Again this makes the most sense in an outdoor or agricultural setting whereas in a home the desire is to rid the area of pests entirely. However in a garden setting it pays to follow the knowledge that farmers have had for years, and that is that there are so many benefits to be reaped from the presence of most kinds of insects that it makes more sense to invest in a product whose aim is repelling harmful bugs rather than killing them with some possible bad side effects down the road.
3. Organic Pest Control Should Be Done With The Aim Of Keeping The Health Of The Eco-System Intact
While the reduction of pests in places such as farms and vegetable gardens is usually a net positive, there is a bigger picture that should be considered while searching for natural solutions to these issues. To be truly green in one’s approach, you have to aim to diminish or completely eliminate the so-called footprint you leave on the ecosystem at large when doing anything including organic pest control methods.
Obviously some of the earlier methods of pest elimination such as DDT were lacking quite noticeably in this respect, and the resulting negative effects have been felt over several generations of wildlife. This in part is the reason why natural and organic alternatives are becoming so popular, because they give you the same level of control over the problems you might encounter without harming anything other than the pest species.
By using an organic approach to pest control, that includes things such as baits and repellents, you can quickly and easily gain control over the insects that can destroy your peace of mind and make your life more stressful than it has to be. There are many effective organic pest control solutions on the market today and you should pursue those first if possible.
Twitter: TalkSmallBiz
says:
I totally agree about using organic pest control. I don’t like the idea of spreading chemicals around the house – inside, or out.
One thing that we have found that works to control ants is cornmeal. If you have ants inside, or outside, your house that you want to go away, spread some cornmeal where the ants are tracking, and they will take it back to their nest. I think the cornmeal expands inside of them when consumed, and once the queen ant consumes some cornmeal, she dies and the whole ant colony disappears. Works every time for us so far!
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Twitter: postboxesuk
says:
Perhaps slightly off topic, but cat mess in your garden can crate it’s own problems, especially if you have small children. But an effective way of keeping cats out of your garden or a certain area is to have curry plants. The smell to a cat is somewhat off putting and yet hardly detectable to the human nose.
Thanks for the cornmeal/ant tip too Marshall. I’ll be trying it out this summer.
Twitter: GTAMattKerr
says:
Do you have any suggestions for mosquito repellent?
Most on the ones available here (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) are either ineffective or pretty toxic.
Very interesting article Heather. Pests are troubling a lot of people! I really liked the part about considering the side effects of the products we use for pest control. Some of them can make serious damage to nature! I also totally agree that, we should try to repel pests that are beneficial to the eco system!
Thank you Heather.
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Love your post. I use a DIY insecticide concentrate in my house that I bought online a couple of years ago. A friend who was paying $400 per year to have a service apply the same natural insecticide discovered she could DIY and turned me on to the savings.
With a dog, I don’t want to use the toxic stuff. I use a hand held garden pressure sprayer to apply and I keep some always mixed up in the basement to use if I ever see the bugs return. The concentrate has been enough to treat my house iand several friend’s houses. Still have some. Very cost effective to DIY.
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Great post. I have pets so have been adamant about using repellents that are pet-friendly and even then get worried that whatever I’m spraying will harm my pets. I’ve read about using things like cinnamon to keep ants out of the house, but didn’t have success with that. But, of course, one of the main reasons the insects are coming around in the first place is because of food being dropped on the floor or left out accidentally. So keeping the house clean is definitely an important first step to keeping insects out!
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Very interesting article. Organic and natural pest control is certainly the way to go. Hopefully your article will help raise awareness in this area.
Thank you Heather.
Twitter: metabolicdiets
says:
Had a lot of problems with ants a few months ago. Used chemicals but it was a short term solution and the smell was pretty bad too.
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