9 Types of DIY Pest Control Methods for Homeowners

Do It Yourself Pest Control Ideas

Pest control can cost an arm and a leg especially when the problem is perennial. Some pests are seasonal and will keep coming back again even after previous successful eradication processes. This does not mean that homeowners should give up. We hope the DIY Pest Control Methods tips below help you prevent pests in your home.

1. Keep the house clean

If my friend hadn’t undermined the importance of cleanliness, he probably wouldn’t have needed my DIY pest control methods to begin with.

Dirt is a magnet for pests. Dirt symbolizes neglect. Neglect means freedom for them. Leaving uncleaned kitchens and bin areas leaves a food source for them.

Cleaning your house daily is paramount to every homeowner. It helps eradicate existing infestations and starves new ones.  A clean house is a pest-free house.

2. Organic Poison

Some of us have toddlers in the house. Ideally, we would love to use pest control products that won’t affect us adversely. We also want to preserve our environment. Organic poison is biodegradable.

You can use oil sprays, parasitic nematodes, floating row covers and insecticidal soaps.

3. Chemical pesticides

As a quick way of getting rid of flying insects, chemical pesticides are a go-to option. You can find these at your nearest shop or chemist.

These are aerosol sprays that you spray on flying insects. Most of them are made from pyrethrum. Others are in powder form and these are used to kill crawling insects like cockroaches, insects, termites, dust mites and many more.

4. Use of Predator Animals

Using predatory animals the easiest and most autonomous homemade pest control method. This method is called integrated pest management.

For example, in the case of rodents, you can have a cat in the house. The mere presence of the cat will terrorize the rodents which will disappear lest they get devoured by the cat. Geckos are our friends. They eat most crawling bugs and flying insects.

5. Plant insect-repelling Flowers

Some plants have certain scents that don’t sit well with insects. These scents repel them and let them know they’re not invited into your compound. For example, a rosemary plant repels flies and mosquitoes with its minty smell.

Marigold also works in a similar way. Not only will these repel the pests, but they also beautify your outdoor space. Pyrethrum plant will also work owing to the fact that it’s the main ingredient in most insecticides.

6. Lemon and Orange

Lemon has citric acid. Extract the lemon/orange juice and mix it with liquid soap. The citrus smell will repel the insects and the mixture will suffocate them when they come in contact with it.

It will also leave your house smelling fresh. You can use the mixture to wipe surfaces and clean the floor to keep the pests away.

7. Kerosene

Kerosene has a pungent odor that most crawling insects detest. The kerosene also suffocates them when it gets on their body. Put some in a spray bottle and spray along the path of the ants all the way to their nest.

You can spray it around the outdoor of your house.

8. Seal off all entry points to your home

While it’s impossible to seal off every entry point since your house is not a bubble, you can check for the most easily accessible holes around your house.

These are places where ants easily enter, rodents have burrowed their way in, ventilation pipes that do not have mesh, creaks, and cracks on your walls or spaces under the door.

9. Trim bushes and grass

Bushes and tall grasses are the main breeding areas for most pests. That’s because they can hide and come out only when searching for food.

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