- 1). Mix 1/3 cup of dishwashing detergent with 1 gallon of warm water. Stir the mixture to combine. Pour some of the soapy water into a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on flying insects, such as mosquitoes, flies and gnats. The detergent will stick to the insects and knock them out of the air, rendering them powerless. You can either scoop them up with a dust pan or simply use a vacuum to clean them up once they hit the ground. The soapy water can be useful in areas where you do not wish to spray pesticides, such as in the kitchen.
- 2). Set bait traps in areas of frequent insect activity. The traps contain poisoned bait that the insects will consume and then die shortly thereafter. Insects such as ants will carry the bait back to their nests, which can result in the death of the entire ant colony. Bait traps are also available for roaches and for some flying insects. The bait is not harmful to pets, which can be appealing if you have curious dogs or cats in your home.
- 3). Fill a spray bottle with coffee. Spray the coffee on any slugs or snails that sneak in along your door jamb. Coffee contains caffeine, which is a neurotoxin to slugs and snails, and will poison them. Besides being inexpensive, coffee is also a lot less messy than pouring salt on the slugs or snails.
- 4). Mix borax powder with an equal amount of flour. Sprinkle the powder around the doors or other spots where you notice insects emerging from outside. Ants and other insects such as beetles will eat the tainted flour, and die. Place a gate or other obstacle around the powder if you have pets or small children. Sweep up the powder a day or two after you notice less insect activity.
- 5). Squash the insects with a fly swatter. Though it can be messy, a fly swatter is useful against flying insects, as well as those crawling around on the ground. Wipe the areas clean with a damp sponge after you smash an insect.
previous post
next post