DI-Why?! – 9 Mistakes in Makeshift Pest Control

DI-Why?! – 9 Mistakes in Makeshift Pest Control

There are plenty of pest control solutions online that do make a difference in the population of pests around your home. A fan blowing on the patio will keep flies and mosquitoes at bay, while essential oils can help deter pests from invading your kitchen. There are some great preventative methods to use, but unfortunately, there are plenty of ineffective tactics that don’t solve the problem or even make the problem worse. Let’s talk about common mistakes and falsely advertised home remedies for some frequent pest problems, and why it is important to avoid doing some of them at all costs.

Don’t Use Outdoor Insecticides Inside

This may seem like an obvious rule, but we are including it because it is so important to follow. Any type of outdoor insecticide or treatment should only be used outside because it is so powerful and potent. Any kind of unhealthy fumes fade away quicker outdoors, especially when the treatment is used in moderation. If an outdoor insecticide were used inside, the harmful chemicals stay contained in the area for a long time. This is dangerous for everyone in the home, both humans and pets, and pests will not be the only creatures affected in the process. Make sure to read all instructions and warnings on any pest control product you purchase. An aerosol spray seems pretty easy to use, but it is essential to make sure that it is used only as directed for the safety of everyone in your home or business. 

Don’t Use Too Much Pesticide

Similar to the last point, it is important to not use more than the recommended amount of insecticide. It’s satisfying to spray a wasp nest or ant hill (carefully!) with a can of store-bought insecticide, but don’t use too much! Not only is it a waste of product, it is more hazardous to any person or pet in the area. These treatments are such strong concoctions that are manufactured to treat all kinds of pest problems, so a little goes a long way. Any insecticide residue in the air or on surfaces has the risk of contaminating food and houseplants. The amount you use depends on the size of the pest infestation, but there should never be a case where you are emptying a full can on a horde of pests. If an invasion is that big, professional pest control services would be a better use of your time and money. Moral of the story: read all of the directions and don’t be heavy-handed with a chemical solution.

Don’t Use Dryer Sheets for Roaches

This is the first of many popular DIY solutions for pests on this list. You may have been told that rubbing a dryer sheet on baseboards, door frames, and cabinets will deter roaches. The argument is that the scent from the sheet is terrible to cockroaches, so they won’t come near the area. To put it bluntly, there isn’t anything effective about this method. The smell doesn’t do anything to prevent roaches, and there is not evidence to back up the claim that says otherwise. Basically, there is not a chemical reaction between the dryer sheet and the surface that it is rubbed upon. Plus, roaches are very persistent when they find a food source that they actually want to pursue. So save your dryer sheets for the laundry and don’t waste them on this falsely-advertised method. 

Don’t Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Ants

This is another popular tactic that will likely be near the top of your search results when you are looking for an easy way to get rid of those ants that are invading your kitchen. Unfortunately, apple cider vinegar won’t be the preventative force against ants. The common method with this resource is to soak cotton balls in it and leave them where you see ants the most. This could work against a few ants; they would either get too curious for their own good, or choose to turn the bus around and leave your home alone. But it will not put a dent in a large ant invasion, especially if it has been happening for a while. A big group of worker ants will simply go around the vinegar in their fearless pursuit of food for the colony. They care more about getting food than about potential dangers, so they will do whatever it takes to get what they want. 

Don’t Use Chocolate for Mice

Mice are another persistent pest when it comes to finding food. This is why mouse traps are so famous in our culture, and one of the newer so-called effective baits is chocolate. Mice are famously attracted to chocolate, as are most of us, but this is not the best bait by any means. While it will likely attract the mice, they can comfortably get away with their decadent dessert if it’s not completely within the trap. An even worse scenario is that if the mice don’t find it, chances are high that ants will. And the idea of an ant invasion combined with a mice infestation sounds like the complete opposite of fun. Save your chocolate for yourself, and stick to other methods of trapping mice if that is what you use for pest control. 

Don’t Use Surface-Level Sprays

While it is important to read the directions and actually follow them when it comes to store-bought insecticide, it’s also crucial to keep in mind that surface-level treatments won’t solve the full pest problem. A small spritz of canned insect killer won’t terminate a pest infestation of any size. The goal with insecticide is for the pests to either find it and be immediately eradicated, or for them to bring it back to their home and end the invasion that way. A surface-level application will not do either of those things since it is easily removed. It likely won’t stick around long enough to work, plus it won’t be strong enough to be tracked all the way back to the colony. Any pest control service worth its salt will use a combination of methods to attack every angle of the pest invasion, so the solution doesn’t simply scratch the surface. 

Don’t Use Baseball Chalk to Block Ants

This is a very specific one that many people have not heard, but those of you in the baseball or softball world may have come across this supposed life hack. The idea is that the powdery white chalk will deter ants from literally crossing the line and invading your home. Some say that making a line around the area you don’t want pests in will do the trick. This is not a useful tactic for a few reasons. One is that chalk is easily ruined by natural elements. Anyone who has drawn works of art on a sidewalk with chalk knows the destructive nature of rain. And since field chalk is much more powdery and thick than sidewalk chalk, it will easily blow off of the concrete or tall grass with a gust of wind. So the chalk will likely take an exit before the ants even come across this strange white substance. If the chalk does last long enough, the ants can easily make another trail to get where they need to go. Field chalk serves its purpose on the diamond, not near an ant hill.

Don’t Use Peanut Butter to Trap Possums

Possums are a large pest that aren’t serviced by every pest control company. And they aren’t super common in many suburban areas. But anyone who has had the misfortune of a possum taking up residence in their yard or garage knows that it needs to be removed immediately. One commonly discussed way is to put some peanut butter in a possum trap. There’s not much extensive science behind this reason; possums eat a wide range of organic matter, so peanut butter seems like it would be alluring enough. The reason why this is an inadequate tactic is also simple: it doesn’t do anything. Some lucky homeowners may experience success with this method, but most will tell you that it does nothing in attracting possums to a trap. If a larger predator (or faithful dog) doesn’t get to the possum first, calling animal control is a better idea than wasting peanut butter on an empty metal trap.

Don’t Use Any Other Pest Control than Pointe Pest Control

If you choose to invite pest control services into your home or business, you may as well choose the best services to actually get the job done in a professional and caring manner. Our team at Pointe Pest Control is dedicated to solving every pest problem at hand, and will do so with our EPA-approved treatments that are tough on pests without being dangerous for you and your family. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can solve your pest concerns without the risk and low success rate of these DIY methods. 

Citations

Do’s and don’ts of pest control. (n.d.). EPA. Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/dos-and-donts-pest-control 

Glover, E. & Pelchen, L. (2022, March 9). What is the best way to prevent a pest infestation? Forbes Advisor. Available at https://www.forbes.com/advisor/home-improvement/prevent-a-pest-infestation/ (Accessed on May 10, 2022).