Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Getting Rid of Pests - Naturally!
This time of year, the bugs seem to come out of nowhere! If your household is anything like mine, no matter how clean you think you are keeping it, sometimes pests such as ants or fruit flies try to invade! I have two small children and a dog, so I don't like to use methods to rid my house of these bugs that could also harm my family!
Two solutions I have found for the pest problem are corn meal for ants, and apple cider vinegar for fruit flies. For the ants, I spread a line of corn meal in the area where I see the ants are entering the house. (or anywhere that you can see a grouping of ants) The ants will eat the cornmeal, take it back to their nest and continue to eat. They are not able to digest it, so it will kill them, resuling in fewer and fewer ants in your house!
After having fresh produce sitting on our counter a few weeks ago, we noticed fruit flies swarming around. They multiply quickly, so I wanted to find a way to get rid of them quickly! A blog I enjoy, Gallimaufry Grove, had a solution, so I quickly tried it! I was so pleased with the results, I wanted to share them with you all! Pour some apple cidar vinegar into a small bowl or dish. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the top is tight. Poke holes in the top of the plastic wrap, making them large enough to interest the flies, but not so big where they can easily fly out. The fruit flies are attracted to the vinegar, will fly in, but won't be able to get back out! I typically leave the same vinegar for a day or two, then rinse and repeat if necessary!
I came across the apple cider vinegar trick a few days ago when I had 50 lbs of peaches that I didn't can quickly enough. Before I knew it the fruit flies were invading...it really works!
ReplyDeleteHere's another trick I found for ants. We had a colony of ants that invaded our kitchen every spring and fall. I tried this 2 years ago, and we haven't seen them since! http://thehappyhousewife.com/home-management/how-to-get-rid-of-ants-with-three-ingredients/
Thanks for this post!
We use white vinegar and it works like a champ. Cockroaches, ants and assorted other "crawlies".
ReplyDeleteI already tried the cornmeal, but I don’t find it as a fast solution to kill ants. The vinegar that we usually use for cooking can also be used for killing pests, like ants. It’s actually fast and effective. You just have to mix it with water based on a 50-50 proportion. Then, you can add essential oils if you hate the smell of vinegar. Spray it directly to the trail of ants. Wipe and wash all the trails you see to get rid of them easily. #Lucile Lynch
ReplyDeleteSince it’s easier to find the ingredients for natural solutions, most homeowners prefer the use of these. However, they should be reminded that these solutions will only control the population of the pests in your home. If you want to eradicate them totally, you should call the pros.
ReplyDeleteChristian Lewis @ BeelinePestControl