From Guest Blogger Eileen O’Shanessy: Pest Products that are Safe to Use Around the House

Insects and animals that move into your home can do some serious damage to the structure and spread or exacerbate diseases. Yet many of the products designed to remove existing pests and deter new ones from entering your home pose a threat to human and pet health and safety. Consider the following safe options the next time you face a pest invasion.

Insects

Instead of relying on products that spread around harsh chemical insecticides, look for safer options that trick insects and prevent the spread of poisons into living areas. For example, several companies now sell fly ribbons that release a scent that attracts gnats, flies, and other flying insects to a pesticide-free sticky surface that they can’t detach from when they land. A pest control service in Rockville, MD recommends deadly liquid bait “food” as a safe alternative to spray and dust insecticides for destroying termite and ant nests. This is a great option that is environmentally friendly and safe to use around the house.

Rodents

Traditional mouse and rat traps use a swinging bar or sharp teeth to crush a rodent’s body. These traps create a scenario where harmful waste and blood can spray all over the trap and surrounding area. Additionally, some rodents do not die right away and try to bite people when removing the trap. These traps are also cruel. Make your home safer and your means of removal more humane by investing in box-style non-lethal “catch and release” traps where you place bait inside a special box that automatically seals the entry point behind a rodent. You then take the box several miles away from your home and release the animal safely back into the wild without physically touching any waste or risking a bite.

Birds

Birds do more than make a lot of noise and splatter cars and other outdoor surfaces with droppings. They also spread lice, mites, and other small insects and microorganisms that can make people sick. You might find droppings anywhere including around windows, on porches, and in attics. Instead of trapping birds, use deterrents that scare them away from areas where they land and roost, such as reflective tape on windowsills, gutter strips covered in non-lethal spikes, and hanging decoys that look like the eyes of natural predators.

If your attempts to remove and frighten away pests fail, contact a professional for additional assistance. A pest control specialist can offer you additional non-lethal and, if necessary, lethal control measures. You can keep the wilderness out of your home without harming yourself or your loved ones. Try these measures today and enjoy a pest-free home for many days to come.