Eliminate Ants, Cockroaches, & Mice Naturally
by kimmerCARE.com (Fostering Care Family Medicine, LLC)
If you've got little creepy crawly things at home, you are not alone!
Ants are particularly popular pests that try to find their way into our homes. There are several things you can do to naturally get rid of them. First, avoid attracting them by keeping your kitchen as clean as possible. Ants like sticky spots and crumbs. If you get them as visitors, a sure-fire way to control them is by spraying them down with soapy water. Try to find how they got into your home. Cucumber peels are a natural ant repellent that can be left in their path. You can also use lemon juice, mint tea bags, and dry mint leaves as repellents.
Other awful visitors are Cockroaches. You've heard that cockroaches are hard to kill so many folks try using really toxic pest control methods for getting rid of them but they are also toxic and dangerous to you and your loved ones. Instead, prevent cockroaches from by keeping your kitchen and bathrooms clean with disinfectants--they leave nothing to attract or keep cockroaches around. Wash surfaces with a strong soap because it repels cockroaches. Another great way to keep cockroaches out of your home is to use garlic, catnip, boric acid, bay leaves, cucumber slices, diatomaceous earth, and soapy water spray. If you see cockroaches spray them down with a soapy water spray. It will kill them. Leave the other natural repellents in high traffic cockroach areas.
Other unwelcomed visitors are Mice. They are hard to get rid of and you don't want to use poison where it could hurt your pets or kids. Try these other tips besides keeping bushes, debris, and woodpiles away from your home.
Many people swear that mice hate the smell and taste of cayenne pepper, peppermint and cloves. If you lightly to soak some cotton balls with oils from one or more of these foods and leave them in places where the mice seem to be living! You can also make cheesecloth sachets from dry cayenne, mint, and whole cloves and leave them in places where mice are hiding (like in the garage, under beds, in corners, and in the attic insulation. Try using an essential oil (like clove or peppermint) and sprinkle to directly on the walls, floors and other items where mice live. You can make a scented spray easily by combining two teaspoons of peppermint oil with one cup of water. The peppermint oil works by repelling mice as long as the scent lingers--which ends up being about two to three weeks.
Another common trick is the use of ammonia because it is thought to smell like the urine of possible predators. You can fill caps from plastic bottles with ammonia and leave them out anywhere mice might be tempted to enter, such the pantry, under the sink, and along the attic or garage walls.
Another slightly more expensive, less natural trick is to purchase and electronic emitter that sends out a high frequency pulse that rodents don't like to be around. If you look on the packaging, it can tell you how large of an area it covers. It works well in garages, boats, and trailers where mice like to hide for shelter.
If you have mice or rats in your yard, they may be attracted to animal poop. Be sure it is picked up and buried away from the house or garage. If you are pretty sure they have nests outside of your home then try this old Indian recipe. Mix equal parts of quick cooking oats and dry plaster of Paris. Place it in a baggy and seal. The mice or rats will drag or eat some of it and die from "hardening of the arteries". This is more humane than letting them bleed out due to rat poisoning. It also won't hurt larger animals.
Remember, Mice, rats, and squirrels do a lot of damage and are said to cause a huge majority of house fires because they chew on the wiring in the attic and garage and inside home walls. Don't take chances and let them live in your home!
Pests are no fun, but hey, you don't have to spend a mint to get rid of them. Try these friendlier tips and see if you can get rid of those "roommates".
Good Luck: Bernard Loh
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