How To Get Rid Of Household Pests Without Using Chemicals

Household pest is a big problem these days. The spread of pests in the house not only leave a bad odor but also make the atmosphere unhygienic and unhealthy. Household pests that remain unattended will result in the increase in their population resulting in various health related problems. At times some of the diseases become too serious as well. So for a healthy atmosphere and healthy living, it is important to get rid of these pests by using natural and safe methods instead of using chemicals which pose danger to children and senior citizens of the house.

Use of insecticides and pesticides for getting rid of household pests not only leave an unpleasant strong smell but also these are harmful to human health particularly when there are small children in the house. Moreover, after long period of use, the pests become immune to these chemicals which stop working on them. In order to get rid of the household pests, instead of going for stronger and stronger chemicals, it is always safe to get rid of these pests without the use of chemicals.

Best natural ways to control and get rid of household pests

Give utmost importance to cleanliness of the surroundings. A clean and neat surroundings seldom attract pests like rats, mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, lizards and other insects. Use natural repellents that have strong smell or irritating taste which is not liked by the pests and use of such repellents would keep the households pests at bay.

1. Mosquitoes

   These are one of the most dangerous pests that are the carriers of many disease-causing germs like malaria and dengue. Mosquitoes become very active in the early evenings and make their way into the house during this time.
   
   • Prevent the entry of these mosquitoes either by closing all the door and windows or by installing fine mesh screen on the doors and windows.
   • Stagnant water or water that remains in pools provides the best breeding ground for mosquitoes. Make sure that there is no stagnant water in and around the house. In case there is pool of water, spray a thin film of either kerosene oil or petrol on the surface of water which kills the mosquito eggs and thus helps in reducing their population. Garlic juice or white vinegar sprayed on the pool of water also helps in killing the eggs of mosquitoes.
   • The fragrance of marigold flowers is a natural mosquito repellent. It is good to grow these plants in the house which helps in getting rid of the pests. In traditional Hindu families, marigold garlands are tied on the main entrance doors as toran during festive occasion. This not only enhances the beauty of the house but also helps in repelling the mosquitoes.
   • Neem leaves are also one of the best natural repelling agents and is safe too.
   • A combination of powdered garlic with little water and lavender oil sprayed in the corners of the house acts as a natural mosquito repellent.

   Cockroaches

   Though cockroaches are not as dangerous as other pests yet the presence of these pests spread an irritating smell in the house and these insects really make you sick with their presence particularly in the kitchen. They literally eat each and every food item / leftovers in the kitchen leaving a bad odor to the food and of course you need to take extra care in case there are infants in your house.
   
   • One of the best natural ways to get rid of these insects are placing bitter cucumber slices, crushed garlic, mint leaves and bay leaves in the favorite places of cockroaches.
   • You can even try any natural product which has a strong irritating smell for getting rid of such household pests.
   • Boric powder which is mostly available in any provision store is a good cockroach killer. Mix little boric powder in little wheat flour and knead to a dough. Make small balls of this dough and place these in the affected area during night time. For few consecutive days you can see the dead bodies of cockroaches in the kitchen. However, be very careful in case there are small children in your house as they might unknowingly pick it up and put it in their mouth. So you need to be very careful while using this. This works for even small golden brown color cockroaches seen in the kitchen.
   • Clean surroundings is an important factor which keeps the cockroaches away. So keep your surroundings as clean as possible.
   • Also do accumulate trash in your kitchen but dispose it regularly to avoid the cockroach menace.

   Ants

   These are the common problem in every household. Though not very dangerous yet these literally feed on most of the food items particularly sweets and they cause much trouble. There are many natural ways of getting rid of ants.
   • The first thing to keep in mind is not to keep the food items particularly sweets without a cover on the kitchen counter tops as these attract the ants. Instead always keep the foods in closed containers.
   • Use natural products with strong smell for getting rid of ants. Slices of bitter cucumber, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice, neem leaves, crushed garlic, camphor and other such products can be placed in the affected areas to get rid of ants.

   Lizards

   These are yet another dangerous pests in the house. However, these days the population of lizards is decreasing.
   • To get rid of lizards, the first thing to do is to get rid of the insects on which the cockroaches feed. If they don't find their food in your house, they gradually move away.
   • Still if there is lizard menace, you can place camphor balls in the corners where you find these animals the most. The camphor smell will keep the lizards away.
   • Regular cleaning of house and cleaning cobwebs would be helpful in driving away lizards.

In this way you can use mostly natural products for getting rid of the household pests which are safe to use.