|
Banishing Pests Without Poisons
Forget commercial pesticides. Using them is like using a hammer to kill a fly. The best remedy for unwanted pests is to maintain your house so it is unattractive to them. Keep your house clean, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Store food in containers that close tightly, wipe up crumbs and spills, and empty garbage cans frequently. Fix leaky faucets and eliminate all sources of standing water. Fill holes and cracks in the structure of your house so pests cannot get inside.
When getting rid of pests of all kinds, consider old-fashioned mechanical means first. Flyswatters and window screens may replace fly sprays. A well-aimed stream of water from a garden hose may replace garden sprays. Careful sanitation may replace cockroach and rodent pesticides. If these methods don't solve the problem, choose a low-toxin, or no-toxin alternative before resorting to synthetic chemicals.
It helps to remember that pests, too, have a reason for being. About 98 percent of all insects are harmless or beneficial to humanity. We should try to share our planet with them and live in harmony as best we can, but we don't necessarily need to share our homes with them.
|
