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Eco-friendly ways to solve your pest problems at home

by Paula IJzerman » on Jun 01, 2017 0

As summer arrives, so do the critters, bugs, and pests. No one likes to share their home with insects, but it can often be difficult to find an eco-friendly solution. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 45-million pounds of pesticides are used annually in homes and gardens in the United States, with sales totaling more than $2 billion annually. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) reports that 90 percent of us here in the US have a mixture of up to 43 pesticides in our bodies. Not exactly comforting, especially since pesticides have been linked to to health problems such as cancer, birth defects and neurological problems. Luckily, we have compiled a list of ideas and helpful homemade remedies to help you tackle your pest problems this summer.

According to a recent study conducted by Insight Pest Solutions, the most problematic bugs in the Greater Boston area are ants, spiders, carpenter ants and silverfish. They took a look at the number of service calls and analyzed the data to find the leading bug in each town.

For outdoor pest-control problems that you think you can solve on your own, you can combine a variety of ingredients to make your very own natural garlic-mint insect spray. Just take some mint leaves and garlic cloves and blend them in a food processor, then add a bit of cayenne pepper and a drop of dishwashing liquid.

For indoor pest control, there are a variety of different approaches you can take, but first you need to identify what type of pest you are dealing with. From here you can calculate a plan of attack. Interestingly enough, coffee grounds are fatal for ants. Try placing recycled coffee grounds in the most infested areas. Another trick is to combine ½ cup sugar, 1 cup very warm water and 2 tablespoons Borax to create a poisonous picnic. Just place this solution in a container and watch your pests drop one by one.

If your pest problems persist, there is also the option of hiring a natural pest control service, but the best way to control pests is to not invite them inside in the first place.  

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