Homeowners commonly want to know how to get rid of pests so that they can enjoy more time in and around their home without creepy crawlies ruining the fun. While a quick internet search will bring up lots of ideas for homemade pest control, we hate to see people waste time, money, or energy on these strategies that don’t work very well.
People commonly search “best DIY pest control methods” but there simply aren’t any highly effective solutions. Let’s be honest, smearing Irish Spring bar soap on your door frames smells nice, but it isn’t actually going to keep pests away.
While natural bug repellant sounds like a good idea, you ultimately want something that really works. This is particularly true for potentially dangerous pests like mosquitoes and ticks.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the most common homemade pest control strategies, why they aren’t very effective, and what actually works.
We’ll cover:
Common New England Pests
Common Homemade Pest Remedies
Why Homemade Pest Control is Often Ineffective
Advantages of Quarterly Pest Control
Choosing Pest Control in Southern NH and Southern Maine
Common New England Pests
Unfortunately, here in New England, there are a lot of different pests that we have to deal with. Some of these include:
- Ants
- Spiders
- Centipedes
- Millipedes
- German Cockroaches
- Earwigs
- Crickets
- Silverfish
- Pillbugs
- Sowbugs
- Mice
- Mosquitoes
- Ticks
Different seasons can mean different pests which is why it’s always important to have an effective pest control strategy in play.
Common Homemade Pest Remedies
As we’ve mentioned, a quick internet search for “best DIY pest control methods” is going to bring up a lot of different ideas.
There’s old-fashioned ideas like putting pennies in a baggie with water to repel flies or making homemade ant traps with soaked cotton balls. There are also ideas for natural bug repellant plants like lavender or mint. And there’s lots of ideas for homemade sprays made from household ingredients like garlic, vinegar, and dish soap.
Many companies also make products that could fall into the “DIY” category like insect repellent candles, traps, and zappers.
Why Homemade Pest Control is Often Ineffective
The problem with a lot of the different ideas that you find for DIY pest control is that they aren’t going to be as effective (or even effective at all) as commercial-grade solutions. Some methods might work. You might capture a couple of bugs in a homemade trap or maybe an insect repelling candle is keeping a handful of mosquitoes away.
But the fact is, pests tend to be opportunistic creatures that will overcome adversity to get what they need. Mosquitoes and ticks are an excellent example of this. Since they need blood for survival, there’s a good chance that they’ll deal with a scent they don’t like if it means finding their next meal.
There simply aren’t any great DIY methods that are going to be highly effective on a large scale.
And since pests are a problem throughout the year here in New England (often with different pests emerging at different times), these strategies must be ongoing. It can be a lot to tackle with a DIY approach.
Advantages of Quarterly Pest Control
To deal with household pests, we recommend quarterly pest control. A huge advantage of quarterly control is that it addresses the seasonality of pests in our area. You want to make sure that you have adequate and effective coverage no matter what the season.
At Seacoast Turf Care, our pest control program also focuses on being preventative. We’re trying to keep pests from entering your home in the first place. Our quarterly pest control program also covers mice.
In addition, we also have control programs for mosquitoes and ticks that are much more effective than DIY methods like repellant plants or candles. Since these pests can carry diseases, you want to make sure that you’re taking an effective approach to keeping your family safe.
Choosing Pest Control in Southern NH and Southern Maine
At Seacoast Turf Care, our pest control services cover most of the common household pests, as we listed above. That also includes stinging insects (typically found outside, but that may accidentally come in) and it covers mice.
And as we’ve mentioned, we also have a mosquito and tick control program to address these pesky buggers trying to ruin your summer outside.
If you truly want peace of mind that you’re keeping pests away, investing in professional pest control is a wise choice. By taking the right steps, you’ll be able to get back to enjoying life as usual.
Want to learn more about how pest control services can protect your family and give you peace of mind? At Seacoast Turf Care, we service NH towns near Stratham, North Hampton, Exeter and many more. Get pest control pricing for your Southern NH, Southern Maine, or Northeastern Massachusetts property.
Image Sources: mouse in snow
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