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How Do You Keep Bugs Out?

Nobody likes bugs in our kitchens -- ewwww!! --- or anywhere else in our homes.

I try to keep things as natural as possible, mainly so that I don't poison the whole family; but sometimes, ya just gotta get tough!! The ants in this area are so pervasive and persistent. I use physical barriers as much as I can -- if I see where they are coming in the house, I use caulking to plug up the hole. Sometimes as a quick fix or in an area where I can't use caulk (like carpeting), I will use cleanser. On nasty spiders, I often use hairspray -- stops 'em in their tracks long enough so that I can catch them and dispose of them.

What do you do to keep the bugs out of your home, food, cabinets, books, etc.?

Out Bugs You How

To kill the fleas in the carpet ~ if there are animals in the neighborhood, there will be fleas in your house, you bring them in with you on your shoes, pant legs, etc.even if you don't have pets in the house ~ I use table salt. Yep, I buy it by the bag and salt my carpet. Mostly getting the edges first and around the entrances. You don't have to vacuum right away. Don't even try to get all the salt up. It won't hurt your carpet at all. It will also kill the potato/pill bug too. Borax will work too. You know, the laundry additive, Twenty Mule Team Borax. Same stuff, only it is real powdery. Sift it on, use a broom to 'brush' it in, wait an hour or so or better yet over night, then vacuum.

I haven't had any luck with 'natural' stuff to kill the sweet/grease ants. I have found that the ant traps that have the 4 little holes in them or Grants Ant Killer( brand name) are the best. The traps I prefer are Green Thumb (True Value/Tru Serve brand), and in some places where I can not put the trap ~ my cats would get it ~ I only punch out two holes, then use mounting foam type tape and stick them on the wall, making sure that the punched out holes are on top. Don't want that stuff to fall out for the cats to get. Works great in my little bathroom! When you wash down your counters when cleaning up after the little ants, wipe with vinegar! Yes, vinegar. When ants are threatened/killed they give off a vinegar like scent to warn other ants of danger ~ so if you wipe your back splash area and the baseboard/mop board on the floor with vinegar you are warning the ants of danger.

For the big black ants the only thing I have found that will work on them is Diazinon. Yes it is lethal, so before you get pets, get some in the crystal form and pour it around the base of the house outside. Generally the big black ants come in the house looking for food. The nest under the house in the ground. Here we won't be bothered by them until August or September. I use Diazinon every year. Last year there were just a few, out in the old shed. We shall see how many I have this year.

For spiders, I suck them up with the vacuum then I suck up a little but of Diazinon Dust! I also let the Daddy Long Legs live. They kill spiders. This year the landlord is going to have to spray the spiders outside; the shed, porch and carport are infested with them and I am allergic to their bites! So they have to go.

How Do You Keep Bugs Out? Reviews Consumer & Travel Family Culture

Well with ants I always look for the 'scout' one (the first one that usually appears, checks around and then goes to the others and inform them about it). I usually kill that one and no ants appear after but if it is too late I just spray them being extremely careful.

Out Bugs You How

Last weekend I sprayed the entire perimeter of our house with ant spray -- they were coming in the walls and coming out inside the house in the oddest places, traveling through, and then leaving through the walls. Weird. Then, of course, the little brats get vengeance by ending up in my bedroom closet!! Through a hole in the floor, up and over the shoe rack, up the purses to the upper storage rack, across the edge, and down the other side to exit... through a hole in the floor. Where are they going? What are they after? No food there, no water. Grrr. Sorry, but they are all *dead* now.

Out Bugs You How

Pests are a big problem here in Florida. Thankfully, my home is free of them at the moment. In the kitchen, food storage is a major factor in combating these nasties. We keep pasta, sugar/sweets, rice, dried beans/legumes, pastries, etc. in either plastic or glass containers, or zip-lock bags. We keep flour in the freezer- it stays fresher in there anyway. Also, garbage cans should have lids, be emptied regularly, and sanitized.

For moth prevention I prefer cedar chips. They smell better than moth balls and are non-toxic. Fleas hate eucalyptus. Place a few sprigs near doorways and windows to help keep them out.

Down here in Florida we have fire ants, horrible, viscious little things that attack mostly in groups. Their bites do feel like a burn, and they leave gross pus-filled welts. Pour corn starch on the nests outside. They eat it and blow up.

How Do You Keep Bugs Out?

Name: Roy
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Comments: For fire ants... Mix about 3 oz of pure orange oil with a gallon of water. Apply whole gallon on fire ant mound. Do this when dry weather and apply about 9:10am to catch ants most active... Ants do not move, it kills the queen... I only had to do this twice to just one mound. So usually one treatment is enough. Buy orange oil at organic center or online.