Top 20 DIY Pest Control Tips From The Pros – Handyman tips

While the pros might not give away their secrets, they are more than happy to give you 20 of the best DIY pest control tips. These tips given by a licensed pest control company that are game changers when you want to fend off specific pests.

No more talk, let’s get right to it:

1.    Use cornmeal to kill ants

Ants don’t have the right digestive system for cornmeal. After they eat this, they will basically starve to death. It will take a few days to a week.

2.    Dryer vents will need to be sealed

A dryer vent will have a damper that will open when needed and shut itself automatically. If the damper is left open or missing, that’s a good entry point for plenty of pests. You’ll want to make sure it’s sealed tightly.

3.    Take care of the outdoor landscape

You’ll want to trim the bushes, brush, and everything in between. Especially when they are located within your home. These can be great opportunities for termites and other pests to take advantage of and access entry points that you might not be able to know about.

4.    Don’t throw away your used coffee filters

Coffee filters that are used don’t need to be thrown out yet. You can place them near entry points where ants and other small pests will usually access. They hate the smell of coffee and they’ll turn the other way.

5.    Pet food storage the right way

If you are storing pet food in bags, move them to plastic containers. If they are in large bags, transfer them into a container like a trash can. We mean a trash can that you don’t mind using for storage purposes.

6.    Give your crawl spaces some love

Your crawl spaces will be a good place for termites to pass through. It doesn’t matter what kind of rodent it is, they’ll use it to their advantage. Your crawl spaces should be a place where termites will set up shop. Check for any presence of nests in the area and get rid of termites accordingly.

7.    Dehumidify your basement

Your basement will be a good place for spiders to hide out. As you already know, Australia has spiders that are dangerous. Keep your basement down to optimal humidity levels and you won’t find a single spider in the vicinity.

8.    Clearing spiderwebs

Aside from dehumidifying your basement, clear off any spiderwebs that are in your basement. It will take a few sweeps of the broom up top to clear them off. Plus, it’s the safest way to do so since you don’t want to get into any contact with a spider.

9.    Build wire cloches to protect your garden

Your garden may not be safe from small critters. To keep them out, you can create wire cloches out of chicken wire and place them over parts of your garden. The spaces will be too small for critters to get through.

10.  Use apple cider vinegar to ward off fruit flies

Fruit flies are annoying. One of the best ways to get rid of them is using apple cider vinegar. Put it in a bowl, wrap it in plastic wrap and punch a few holes. Fruit flies will go inside and will not be able to get out of there.

11. Seal off entry points with copper mesh

Copper mesh can be used to seal off access points underneath your home. It won’t be easy installing it because of the small spaces. For this reason, you’ll want to use a screwdriver to push it through the space and let it sit there.

12. Use onions to scare off spiders

Onion is pungent in terms of smell. Enough to make you ‘cry’. And also enough for spiders to cringe and move in a different direction.

13. Put out food away from your home

Perhaps you don’t want to kill any pests. So your best option is placing food sources away from your home. Think of what the pests usually eat and set up feeding stations. However, take any other precautions to ensure they don’t get any closer to your home.

14. Fresh herbs win the day

There are a lot of fresh herbs that will smell great to humans. Yet, many pests will hate them. For example, consider citronella, lavender, and sage as a few of your best choices in fending off mosquitos, flies, spiders, and more.

15.  Place wood piles elsewhere

If you have wood piles leaning up against your home, you’ll want to relocate them to a different place. Preferably, some place that is far from your house. Termites love wood and will want nothing more than to feed off of it before moving to the inner workings of your home.

16. Keep cleaning your house

A tidy home is a happy home. Of course, it won’t be so happy for pests. Make sure that the rubbish is disposed of, food scraps are thrown out and furniture, carpets, and everything else are cleaned regularly.

17. Weather stripping

Your garage could be a place where termites and other pests will attack. That is unless you are weather-stripping your garage door. Doing this will reduce any entry points.

18. Fix any doors and windows

Check your doors and windows for any holes or open areas. If there are any present, you’ll want to be able to get them fixed as soon as possible.

19. Use white vinegar

White vinegar will be your best defense against ants. One of the main reasons: the smell. Add it in areas where ants may be known to get in and they’ll turn the other way.

20. Close off any other entry points

Whether they’re located within your doors, windows, crawl spaces, and pipes, you’ll want to seal them off accordingly. There may be gaps that you won’t be able to notice until you see a leak or if it’s too late to fend off a large-scale infestation by yourself. With that in mind, if the situation gets worse, you’ll want to contact a professional pest control service that will help get rid of them.