Taking pest control into your own hands doesn’t necessarily mean you have to call an expensive exterminator. There are plenty of pests that you can get rid of by using old-fashioned tried and true simple tips. This article is jam packed with great advice to help you make your home less than desirable to common pests.

Try a do-it-yourself spray. If you can’t afford to have a professional service come out to spray your home for pest prevention, try any of the number of pest control sprays available at local hardware and box stores. Most come in easy-to-use bottles with trigger spray nozzles that allow you to spray around the foundation and windows of your home, both inside and out.

Do not leave any food out or unsealed and make sure that you clean up any crumbs or food scraps. Bugs, especially roaches love to get into food scraps that have been left out. Put used food in a tightly sealed container or in a baggie that bugs cannot break into.

If you are having a pest control problem at your home, take a look at your garbage for clues to why this is happening. Garbage needs to be in air tight bags and disposed of on a regular basis. Keep your trash outside your home and not inside your kitchen to reduce the chances of having a pest problem.

When you put bushes around your house, put them about 12 inches away from your home at minimum. A pile of brush is an inviting home for household pests. If you place the brush too close to your windows or other home entry points, you’ll risk those bugs visiting you inside.

Make your own inexpensive ant traps using boric acid and sweet liquid. Mix a couple of tablespoons of boric acid powder into a cup of honey, molasses, or simple syrup. Pour the mixture into bottle caps or shallow plastic lids. Place these traps in areas where you have seen ants, but keep them out of the reach of children and pets.

Eliminate fallen trees from your yard. Hack up the trunk and limbs for use as firewood. You can sell it, use it, or give it away. Don’t just leave the stump there. Termites will make a beeline for the stump if it just left outside.

Carpenter ants are attracted to damp wood; therefore, if you notice an increase in carpenter ants, check your pipes and roof for leaks. Once you have found where your problem is located, fix the leak and replace the wood to help quickly rid your home of carpenter ants. You may also want to call in a pest-control expert to treat your home.

Try sprinkling borax around your home to keep insects out. Borax is a chemical that can dry insects out internally, thus killing them. The great thing is that it is not harmful to humans or pets in small amounts. If you are sick of insects in your home give this trick a try.

Make sure that there is proper ventilation in all areas of your home and also the attic. This is important as pests will feast on low quality air, which can be caused by poor ventilation. Make sure that your vents are working efficiently and get them checked frequently throughout the year.

Make sure that all of your windows and doors have mesh screens. Make sure that all the screens are in securely and are repaired if necessary. Be sure to use a fine mesh for screens as this is a larger deterrent for pests. Check your door and window seals as well for any points of entry.

If you are struggling with an ant problem in your house, make sure you are not feeding your unwanted visitors! Be very diligent about putting away any food after you eat it and keep your countertops and floors clean. Take out your trash regularly and if you have pets, don’t leave their food out overnight.

Pests love a cluttered house! The more stuff you have laying around on the floor or shoved into cupboards, the more places they have to hide and thrive. In order to eliminate this, a good idea is to go through your entire place a couple of times a year and getting rid of things you no longer need or use. The less things you have, the less things they have to hide in and under.

If you decide to use pesticides to eliminate pest, make sure you select a pesticide adapted to your situation. You should read the label carefully to make sure the product can be used inside a home and keep the product away from your food, children and pets at all times.

As you’ve just read, there are literally hundreds of ways you can save your home and reduce the amount of pests in your house. This article only discussed a handful of tactics that you can choose from. Use what you have just learned to get rid of those nasty pests and make your home a pet friendly place again!

Having Pest Issues? Start Using These Pest Control Tips Now was originally published on Spring