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7 ways to get rid of fleas and ticks on your Minnesota property.

June 5, 2022 by Pest & Critter Control Media

flea-lifecycle-infographic.jpgIt’s easy to bring fleas and ticks into your home when returning from hikes, walks and outdoor exercise, and far harder to eliminate them.

Not only are ticks unpleasant and painful, they spread disease and infection through their bites. Fleas are even more common – especially when you have a pet in the house – and can quickly become an out of control infestation.

By following the seven simple tips below you can reduce the number of bugs that make their way into your home, and also learn how to remove them quickly and efficiently.

While there are thirteen different known kinds of ticks in Minnesota, the primary kinds of ticks that you are likely to find are the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the deer tick / blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), and the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus).

They are commonly found in longer grasses, in woodlands and on trails, and even the tidiest back yard is not immune to them. Dogs and cats can pick them up while playing outside, irrespective of their breed or coat type, so some kind of tick preventative on your furry friends is important.

The size and color of the tick can vary, depending on whether or not they are engorged with blood, and on the species, but hatchlings can be as small as under 1mm, while adults can be the size of a sunflower seed, growing to half an inch long if engorged.

There are four phases in a tick’s lifecycle: egg, larval, nymphal and adult. They suck blood during all stages, emitting and transmitting pathogens, living beings that cause illnesses in the host. It is important to identify and remove ticks as soon as possible, as infections can result from a bite, and also transmit Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis in both animals and humans. These are the most common tick-borne diseases in Minnesota, with 1,200-1,400 reported Lyme cases each year, and 600-700 cases of human anaplasmosis being seen.

If you find yourself with a tick invasion in your house, look to repairing any cracks that come inside from the outside, and also keep the area outside tidy and the grass cut.

A more likely source of ticks in the home is pets coming indoors with ticks on them. The ticks may not necessarily be attached, but may be making their way through the fur and can fall off inside as the pet makes its way through the house.

Check your pet before he or she goes back in the house after exercise; problem areas will be armpits, inside of the rear legs, inside ears, bellies and around the eyes. These are all places where the fur is less dense, making it easier for the ticks to attach.

Remove ticks found on people and animals immediately, being careful to remove the head. Clean the area well with antiseptic or alcohol to reduce the risk of infection. Do not crush the body of the tick, but grasp carefully with tweezers around the head, and twist counter-clockwise to remove. To avoid spreading bacteria, it is important not to squeeze the body of the tick. Wash hands thoroughly before and after removal.

There are many other folk remedies touted on the internet for removal of ticks from yourself or your pets, including covering in vaseline, using alcohol, nail polish remover or burning matches, but these are not recommended by the health department and should be avoided for safety.

Should Lyme disease be suspected, often characterized by a red ‘bullseye’ around the wound, retain the removed tick for medical inspection and testing. Symptoms of Lyme disease include severe fatigue, fevers and muscle aches.

Removing ticks promptly is crucial to the prevention of Lyme disease; it is necessary for them to remain attached for 24-48 hours in order to transmit the bacteria. However, there is evidence to suggest that human anaplasmosis is transmitted more quickly; in around 12-24 hours. Symptoms are similar to Lyme, including fevers, headaches, muscle aches and chills and shaking.

In pets, and Lyme is significantly more common in dogs than cats, symptoms include lameness and swollen joints, fever, lymph node enlargement, reduced appetite and lethargy.

Where you are not able to remove the tick safely or if you leave the head embedded, seek medical or veterinary attention.

Fleas can be found in all areas of Minnesota. Indications include itching and redness of affected areas. For fleas on dogs, veterinarians will be able to prescribe chemicals to kill and repel them, and some can also be purchased over the counter in pet stores.

Fleas also carry disease, including plague, cat scratch fever and flea tapeworm. It is very easy for fleas to hide in carpets, rugs and soft furnishings, in areas that don’t get cleaned very often even in the cleanest of houses, and breed indiscriminately.

For more widespread infestations in homes and buildings, it may be necessary to call a pest control company to spray and treat the affected area.

Fleas and ticks are both parasitic in nature, sucking the blood of their hosts and transmitting disease and infection through the bite.

The following advice can make your home less welcoming to fleas and ticks:

  1. Investigate Your Yard.

The main line of safeguard is shielding your property from bugs and ticks setting up housekeeping anywhere you or your pets frequent.

Keep bushes and trees trimmed back, and the grass cut.

Discourage wildlife and other pets from coming into your yard and bringing pests with them. Keep your pets’ food inside to discourage visitors such as opossums, raccoons and non-domesticated cats.

  1. Monthly pet treatments – spot on

Use spot on treatments and preventatives on your cats and dogs.

When returning to the home after a walk, brush your pet outside before going indoors to remove any ticks they may have picked up outside, and check the high-risk areas of your pet visually and by feel. The tiny ticks are the hardest to detect, and may not be found with just a cursory glance.

Shearing long haired pets during spring and summer will make it easier to spot any fleas or ticks they may pick up.

  1. Pet treatments – collars

Flea and tick collars are available in long lasting formulations for both cats and dogs. While a little more expensive than the spot on treatments, they are said to be very effective in preventing bugs from taking up residence on your pet.

  1. Pet treatments – pills
ticks dog
ticks on dog

If you prefer, there are flea and tick treatments for both cats and dogs in pill form. Many also prevent heartworms, so can be a one-stop-shop for a healthier pet.

  1. Keep Your Home Clean.

Vacuum frequently and in all the corners and under furniture to remove bugs. Change out your vacuum bag or empty the canister frequently – and do it outside – to prevent the bugs from returning to the house and eggs from hatching inside your vacuum cleaner.

Wash pets’ bedding frequently and consider spraying with some kind of flea and tick repellent. If you prefer to stay away from chemical use in your house, there are several kinds of essential oils that are very effective in the fight against fleas and ticks. Once again, be careful when using essential oils around cats as they are extremely sensitive to them.

Lavender, lemon, citronella, bergamot, cedarwood, peppermint, geranium, sweet orange and rosemary are all good for repelling fleas and ticks, and a mild solution can be made up in a spray bottle, mixed with purified water, for use on pet bedding. Alternatively, there are several commercially available herbal based flea and tick sprays and shampoos.

  1. Use repellant

Both Diatomaceous Earth and Borax are effective repellants; Borax can be toxic to children and animals, however, so should be used with care. When sprinkled around problem areas in the home they can repel and eliminate fleas and ticks.

Using repellent on yourself when outside will also help to prevent fleas and ticks from hitching a ride inside. Products containing DEET or permethrin are excellent repellents, but it’s important to be cautious when using them around animals. Permethrin in particular is highly toxic to cats.

Only use permethrin on your clothing, do not apply directly to skin. Wearing long sleeves and tucking pants into socks can help create a tick barrier.

  1. Treat infestations promptly.

If you suspect a flea or tick infestation in your house, move quickly to treat with bug bombs followed by extensive vacuuming, or call in an exterminator. An infestation will never resolve itself, and can become out of control in a very short space of time.

Fleas in particular have a long life cycle, and eggs can remain dormant for some time. It may be necessary to have repeat treatments to kill adults and then further treatment after eggs have hatched, so if you choose to tackle the situation yourself, remember to plan for ongoing treatments.

A hands-on approach to both prevention and cure is obviously the best way to handle any kind of bugs, inside or outside of the home. By making your home less inviting to them and removing their opportunities to reproduce, you’re less likely to encounter problems. Repellants and bug bombs are your next line of defense, and you know what they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

One or two fleas may not seem like a big deal, but remember that fleas are like cockroaches: if you can see a few of them, there’s sure to be millions you can’t see. And when these bugs have the potential to bring illness to hosts, both human and pet, it’s crucial to act immediately. With these seven tips in mind, you’ve got a handle on keeping them out, getting rid of them and making sure your family stays healthy and bug-free.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cats, dogs, fleas, pest control, pets, ticks

Getting Rid of Minnesota Mice? 15 things you need to know.

December 23, 2019 by Pest & Critter Control Media

For Emergency Call Pest Control: (651) 646-6431

There’s no such thing as one mouse… if there’s one there’s usually dozens! Find out here, the why and how on getting rid of mice.

Mousey Mousey….

Ever hear this conversation at 11.30pm?            

Night 1:

Honey! What’s that noise?

It sound like little feet in the attic!

Sounds like chewing to me!

I’ll get on it first thing in the morning….

Night 2, 1.30am:

Honey, wake up!! I hear those noises again! Did you look in the attic yesterday?

No, Honey, I didn’t.

Well, if you don’t, I’ll be living at the Sheraton tomorrow night!

FACTS IMPORTANT TO GETTING RID OF MICE

  1. A mouse can live for about a year
  2. Mice are rodents, all rodents must chew. Their teeth grow constantly and they must wear them down.
  3. A female mouse can have 3-6 pups per litter, every 21 days after sexual maturity. Populations can explode.
  4. Mice can squeeze through a hole as small as the circumference of a pencil.
  5. Mice are almost blind – “Three blind mice, see how they run…”

THAT’S WHY YOU SEE THEM RUN ALONG WALLS.

  1. Mice need to stay warm, that’ why you see their nests lined with chewed paper or cotton.
  2. Mice urinate as they travel,leaving odor and pheromones in their trails for other mice to follow.
  3. Mice can extract moisture from their food – they do not need water.
  4. Mice are GREAT climbers, they can crawl up stucco and drain pipes.
  5. Mice usually live within 10 feet of their nest (horizontal or vertical).

HOW DO I GET CONTROL OF THESE LITTLE CRITTERS?

11. Trapping: there are a variety of mouse traps on the market: Snap traps, glue boards and live traps.

Remember mice travel along a wall or surface, and they feel their way along with their friscae, or whiskers. So if you want to be getting rid of mice, set your traps perpendicular to the wall, trigger base against the wall. That way they snap against the wall; some mice will get smart and jump snap traps. If this is the case, set another trap 3″ from the first trap. Do the same thing with glueboards and live traps.

12. Sealing holes – exterior.

Products for sealing exterior holes include:

  • Foam – aerosol. This isn’t the greatest option because mice chew constantly.
  • Caulk – works well.
  • Steel wool – this is ok, but it rusts.
  • Copper mesh – this is great, and doesn’t rust.  

13. Rodenticides. You need to be careful using these products; the rodenticide should be in tamper resistant stations, so that non-target animals will not consume them.

14. Find the entry area and home base. If you have one mouse you likely have a dozen. As mentioned, once they reach sexual maturity they can have a new litter every 21 days. They are also territorial so they may have set up shop in different areas of you home and you may not know it. Be sure to find all of their favorite haunts and eliminate them.

15. Call a professional pest control operator; they have the experience and do this kind of work every day. They know what to look for and how to eliminate these critters from your home.

Call Pest Control: (651) 646-6431

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: getting rid of mice, mice, pest control, rodents, vermin

NO LONGER OFFERED Minnesota Squirrel Removal Methods For 2018 – 5 Tips

February 7, 2018 by Pest & Critter Control Media

Hearing a telltale scratching in your attic? Here is a standard squirrel removal method.

squirrel removal methods

 

 

For Emergency Call Pest Control: (651) 646-6431

One of the most common pest problems are squirrels that have chewed their way into homes. The method to remove those squirrels is fairly simple, provided you don’t mind working on a ladder. These critters are very persistent so therefore you need to put on your best game face. They normally find their way inside homes via a tree that is overhanging the house, across power wires or possibly by just crawling up the stucco.

Attics, basements and sheds are all attractive areas for squirrels to build their nests, so they must be carefully sealed to prevent the rodents from finding their way in.

When a squirrel takes up residence in a home, they can present a serious fire hazard as they like to chew on exposed cables and electrical insulation, which can cause a short and therefore a fire. Persistent noise, unpleasant smells and eventual structural damage can also result from having an unwelcome resident. Don’t ignore a squirrel nest in your home!

These 5 tips can help you remove these critters:

  1. Locate where they have breached your home.
  2. Set traps near this point.
  3. Traps these squirrels with trap baited with Peanut Butter.
  4. Relocate these squirrels at least 15 miles from your residence – also check with Department of Natural Resources regarding transporting these animals, and where they can be released. There may be laws and regulations applicable to your town or state.
  5. After you think all squirrels have been removed, paper test the hole to make sure nothing is entering or exiting the hole. At this point you are ready to seal the hole and get on with life – minus your non-paying tenants!

Hope this Laughlin’s Pest and Critter Control squirrel removal method helps you to a safer and cleaner home.
Minneapolis, Maplewood and Metro Area’s best Exterminators

Call Pest Control: (651) 646-6431

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: removing squirrels, rodents, squirrel in attic, squirrel removal, squirrel trapping, vermin

How to Remove Minnesota Bees and Wasps Safely

August 7, 2017 by Pest & Critter Control Media

bee on flowerThis year’s war on wasps in Minnesota is necessary in part due to climate change: when there are not enough freezing days these insects flourish, and it allows them a much higher probability of survival than when the winters are harsh.

Therefore, colonies are larger than ever, wasps and bees (which we need to save) are hungry, and this makes them more likely to attack in response to the danger pheromone released when one of their own is under threat of death. That’s why swatting wasps and bees is not recommended; try one of the following techniques instead.

Wasps do have certain uses around the yard, consuming dead bugs and flies, but stings are painful and can be deadly to those who are allergic. Removing them can be difficult, as chemicals are toxic and can be harmful to children and pets – you might want to consider a more natural approach to eliminating these pests.

Prevention:

Prevention is always the first step to keeping your yard wasp and bee free. If you remove any discarded food, even pet and bird food, and cover trash cans, that will be one less attractant. Sweet smells attract wasps, including nectar, lotions and perfumes.

ground wasp nestDiscourage bees and wasps from making their home in your yard by checking your house and areas around it for places that need repair. Any broken siding or cracks in construction are ideal places for wasps to build a nest, and if there are ways to get into the house, such as through broken air ducts, vents or windows, they will take the opportunity.
Rodent holes and burrows in your lawn will also give them a safe place to live, so be sure to fill them in and keep the grass cut short.

Decorative wasp decoys will help too. They can be purchased at most home improvement or garden stores, or on Amazon. They’re especially effective for paper wasps, which can be territorial and generally will not construct a nest that is within 200 ft of the next one. Placing a couple of decoys, one on each side of the house, can dissuade them from going in. If you don’t want to purchase them, you can create your own and it requires no crafty skills. Simply crumble up some old newspaper into chunks, stuff them into plastic grocery bags and tie them shut. Stuff the bags into paper lunch-size bags, and then hang them up in corners and additional spots where wasps could be likely to nest in or around your property.

Grow wasp repelling plants:

Removing plants from your landscaping that attract wasps and bees will also help, and replace them with plants that they do not like, such as spearmint, thyme citronella, eucalyptus, and wormwood.

Not only do wasps stay away from all kinds of mint grown in the garden, you can back it up with peppermint oil, but putting several drops on a cotton pad and placing them strategically around your yard, such as on porch roofs, beneath eaves and in other cracks and on ledges.

A research printed in the Journal of Pest Management Science at 2013, reported exceptional results with peppermint oil.

The study also found that a combination of lemongrass, clove and geranium essential oils repelled employee wasps. Try a mixture of many drops of all the oils in a spray bottle full of water, and a couple of squirts of dish soap. Spray it liberally on and around your house, in areas where wasps are known to build nests.

These traps described below work by attracting wasps to fly into the container of sugar water, and they are not able to escape.

First, cut off the neck a two-liter plastic soda bottle.

Then remove the bottle cap and turn the neck upside down and put it in the jar opening which you just cut.

Bait the trap by putting a mixture of sugar and water inside. You could also use beer, soda, vinegar and water or even laundry detergent. By including a little bit of cooking oil to the edges of the trap, you will make it slippery and ensure the wasps cannot crawl out.

Hang your trap somewhere where wasps will be attracted to it, or close to an existing nest, and when it is full, simply take it down, throw it out, and build a new one.

hanging paper wasp nestEliminating wasp nests:

IMPORTANT: Eliminating wasp nests can be exceedingly dangerous. It’s strongly suggested to seek the services of a seasoned professional to perform the task for you. If trying yourself, first make certain you’re not allergic to wasp stings by assembling an allergy test with your health care provider. Make certain you wear protective clothing, and plan an escape route if the wasps opt to swarm.

An eco-friendly approach to eliminating wasps would be to use plain soap and water. Add two tablespoons of dish soap into a spray bottle full of water, and squirt it at the nests. Experts say the soap functions to clog their breathing cubes and they die almost immediately. It is far more humane than using pesticides to kill them, as these substances can take hours to be effective.

If you have got big nests, you might choose to handle them using a garden hose. Simply join the hose-end sprayer and fill it up with warm water and dish soap. This technique could be quite a bit messier and might increase the possibility of being stung, so make certain to stand as far back away from the nest that you can, and wear protective clothing.

Protective garments such as shorts, boots, socks, a hooded sweatshirt with the hood pulled over your head, gloves and protective goggles or eyeglasses are vital. Also remember that this is work that’s best done at night since that is when the wasps are least busy, so their response time is slower, and they’re not as competitive. Use a reddish or amber colored light for secure visibility as regular flashlights will bring wasps to you.

Another alternative is to light a fire in a barbecue just under the nest. Let it smoke for an hour or two, then once you are sure the nest is empty, you can knock it down with a broom. It is a good idea to keep a spray bottle of dish soap on hand in case any wasps remain. This technique only works on free hanging nests on tree branches or similar; do not use it if the nest is attached to the house, as you risk a fire.

Getting rid of bees in your yard:

beekeper catching a colonyBefore you take any action, it’s vital to be certain that it is definitely bees you’re addressing, and not wasps or hornets. Bees are valuable pollinators and aren’t aggressive or harmful (unless someone in your family has an allergy), so killing them must be avoided if possible.

You can identify bees by examining them (that is easiest if you can find a dead bee). Start looking for hairs on the body – all bees have hairs, whereas wasps tend to have smooth exteriors. Honey bees build their nests from wax, in a honeycomb formation, whereas other stinging insects often construct their nests from wood, fiber or sand.

Honey bees have a tendency to be most active in spring, even when they are collecting pollen. Watch for signs of them flying back and forth from the nest.

The best course of action is to telephone a local beekeeper or contact a pest control company. If you have confirmed the presence of honey bees and have found the nest (they prefer enclosed spaces like wall cavities, roofs and chimneys), then your first step must be to call a local beekeeper. Honey bees are disappearing quickly, and it is crucial that their habitats be preserved.

Beekeepers will often physically remove both the bees and their hive, without having to exterminate them. They may do this for free or they might charge a commission, depending on the location of the nest and the effort involved. In certain places, they might even pay you.

The beekeeper will usually cut out the honeycombs and set them in frames, which the beekeeper can later transfer to their own hive box.

If the nest is hard to reach, the beekeeper may use a special vacuum to suck up the bees without killing them.

If the nest is behind a wall, you might have to call a contractor to knock down a portion of the wall to give the beekeeper access to the bees. As the homeowner, you will have to cover the cost of the any repairs which follow.

The bees will probably become agitated as the beekeeper does his/her job. Therefore it is recommended that you keep your family, especially any pets or children, inside. The beekeeper will be protected by their beekeeping suit.

beekepper and honeybee hiveIn certain situations, local beekeepers may be unwilling or unable to eliminate the nest. If this is the case, you’ll need to call a professional pest control expert.

Once the exterminators have removed the bees, it’s important to remove the nest, otherwise the bees and the honey from the combs could begin to rot, producing a very bad smell and potentially causing damage. Then you’ll need to thoroughly clean the region with warm soapy water, and repaint if necessary.

bees in a colonyAnother choice for eliminating the bees without killing them would be to trap them out of the nest. This really is a time-consuming procedure, so it must only be undertaken by homeowners who are not in a rush to get rid of the bees or hire a pest management professional.

To trap the bees, you will need an exit cone created from screen wire.

For this procedure to work, it is very important that you seal up all other entrances (like holes and cracks) leading into the hive, otherwise the bees will simply find another way in.

To ensure that the trapped bees survive, you’ll want to put a small hive (provided by a beekeeper) as close to the exit cone as you can. When the bees that are trapped find that they can no longer return to their first nest, they’ll join this new nest instead.

Depending on the size of the original colony, it might take up to two months for all the bees to exit. The original queen will not abandon her brood, so you will need to inject pesticides into the wall to kill her and any residual bees. Clean up after. Once the bees have been removed, it is important that you remove the hive and then wash up any dead bees or honey prior to sealing the area.

The smell of old honey and wax can draw in new swarms who will begin to prepare their hive in the same place, so it’s important to eliminate the old one and seal off the area to be able to avoid going through the whole bee removal procedure again the following year.

To get rid of a large hive, you might need to tear down a wall; this is a nuisance, but remember that the cost of repairing the wall is less than the possible cost of replacing damaged drywall. Clean up the old hive, then paint over the area.

The last step would be to fill in the cavity (expandable foam insulation is recommended) and seal up any holes or cracks in the wall in which the bees could potentially reenter. It’s also a good idea to inspect the area periodically throughout the year, to make sure all of the entrances remain sealed.

We’re here to help so feel free to  call us  for more tips at (651) 646-6131.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bees, exterminator, minnesota pest control, wasps, wasps and bees

How to Exterminate Minnesota Cockroaches

August 30, 2016 by Pest & Critter Control Media

Cockroaches are among the family of pests that are most irritating. They can be dangerous to human beings as they contaminate our food and act as carriers of disease. They distribute the microorganisms within their spit into the foods, causing various health problems. Damage is also caused to things in houses like books, clothing, electronics, wires, and so on. Read on to learn how to exterminate cockroaches.

cockroach

  1. Insecticide Spray

There are many chemical insecticide sprays on the market which can be quite successful in removing the roaches entirely. Cockroaches typically reproduce in places that are moist and warm. It is necessary that you follow all the security instructions before spraying, and keep pets and kids away from the insecticide.

 

  1. Cockroach Traps

This can be another powerful strategy to remove roaches from your house. An adhesive material is in the cockroach trap with scent as the lure, and when they enter the trap to taste the lure, they become entrapped in the adhesive. Correctly set the snare in the regions that are generally infested, and leave them for a minimum of one week to eliminate the roaches fully. Set new traps after two weeks to check for any re-infestation.

 

  1. Cockroach Bait

The cockroach bait features a chemical gel which functions as slow toxin for the roaches. The roaches will be brought to the lure and will bring more of their family to the lure. The cockroach who takes the bait will be killed within fourteen days. Put the lure in areas which cockroaches frequent such as trash, cracks on the ground, under the sink, cupboards, toilets etc.

 

  1. Liquid Concentrates

Liquid concentrate acts as a toxin for cockroaches, but it’s important to keep pets away when used. Use the diluted mixture, and duplicate the treatment to prevent re-infestation.

 

  1. Professional Pesticides

If other methods don’t work, you might need to use use powerful professional pesticides. These contain substances including Cypermethrin, which will help if your house or flat is having multiple roach infestations. The remaining effect of these compounds will kill all types of bugs and insects in your house and will continue for at least three months. This treatment should be used exclusively as a last resort and by a professional. If you’ve got children and pets at your house, try not to use this treatment without a pro.

 

Most of the repellent or cockroach prevention systems accessible the marketplace contain dangerous substances.

You’ll find many home cures for cockroaches without using substances that are dangerous for those who believe it is the best way to do away with cockroaches. Here are a few home or natural remedies for cockroaches.

 

cockroach infestationNatural Methods to Do Away With Roaches

It can be a simple process to remove cockroaches. It’s possible for you to combine sugar and baking soda in equal parts and sprinkling this mixture near the roach infested places within your house. As the baking soda reacts inside the cockroaches it causes them to gas up, and the roaches feeding on this mixture will die.

Alternatively, bay leaves are aromatic leaves mostly used in Indian cooking. It’s a pleasant although pungent smell. It’s possible for you to set the bay leaf powder near the nest and other places where the roaches commune. The scent will make the cockroaches move from the area as they do not like bay leaves.

You can also use bathing soap to eliminate cockroaches. Prepare the solution of water and soap with a large quantity of soap and scatter it directly on the roaches’ paths. You can even spray the solution on the nest to get the cockroaches to come out and then you can then kill them.

Ammonia has a pungent odor which will repel and irritate the roaches. The scent of the ammonia will keep the cockroaches away. Duplicate this treatment once in fourteen days to keep your house free of roaches.

Boric acid can be used in a home made lure to kill the cockroaches. Put little dough balls in various places in the house, where roaches are seen to eliminate them. Add sugar and flour into the mixture to lure the cockroaches and they will be killed by the boric acid in the mixture. You can even make a similar lure by combining 1 part of hot chocolate, 1 part of boric acid and 2 parts of white flour. Continue using the lure to make sure all the roaches are gone. Keep this mix where your children and pets cannot reach them as it is hazardous to pets and people.

Make a mixture of one garlic clove, cayenne pepper powder and one onion and combine one tablespoon in one liter of water. Allow it to remain for one hour. Add one tablespoon of liquid soap to this mixture and use it in all areas at home where the roaches gather.

Listerine acts as a very effective cockroach repellent. Combine equal parts of Listerine and water, and add two drops of dish soap to make a solution. Place this mixture in a spray bottle and spray it on top of the roaches if possible and on places where the roaches make routine visits. They’re going to certainly escape from areas where this is spread.

Bleach and Pinesol mixed has an incredibly strong odor which will discourage cockroaches. Pour on the roach infested regions then clean the area after 20-30 minutes.

Set peelings from banana, apple or mango inside an open bottle with petroleum jelly inside the rim in your kitchen and toilet space, which are frequented by roaches. The roaches will be attracted by the scent of the fruit rinds and they get trapped by the  petroleum jelly. Empty the cockroaches inside the jar into a pail full of soapy water to kill them.

Take an aluminum can and put bits of some cucumber rinds inside it. Leave it. The cockroaches will go in and most will not be able to get out. This really is an excellent, non-toxic way to remove roaches.

Another straightforward strategy to do away with roaches is the water trap. The roaches will enter into the jar and they’re going to not find a way to escape from your water trap. Only mature roaches can be captured with this process.

 

cockroach babiesPreventing Re-Infestation

Once you eliminate the cockroaches using home treatments, it’s important that you simply take suitable measures to prevent re-infestation. Here are the strategies to prevent cockroach re-infestation in your home or office.

 

  1. Locate The Nest And Destroy

If you see any cockroaches the nest will be likely in cracks or holes in the region. Use insecticides or any home treatments to ruin the whole nest once you’re able to find it. Be sure to seal interior walls along with any outside access points to prevent entrance of these insects into your home.

 

2. Setting Protective Traps

Unless done professionally, even if you’re successful in removing the cockroaches you should set traps to prevent additional infestation. Before they become resistant you have to kill the cockroaches before they lay eggs. They will be a threat if swift action isn’t taken, and they breed fast.

 

3. Spray Nest Areas

Spray insecticides in places where the roaches will potentially construct their nest. Spaces near drainage pipes, and moist and dark spaces under the bathroom or kitchen sink are prime locations. Repeat some of the natural home remedies for roaches every so often to ensure that the house is free of roaches. Keep the bathroom stoppers in place to steer clear of the entrance of roaches from your drain.

 

4. Keep Your House Clean

Keep your house clean to keep the roaches away. Wash your dishes and put the leftover food away quickly. Any food spills or crumbs should promptly be cleaned.

 

Tricks To Remember While Trying to Search for Roaches

The previously given home remedies for cockroaches are useful in removing roaches from your house, however you have to consider certain things while trying to do away with cockroaches. Should you be using chemicals and insecticides, attention should be taken as these substances may cause breathing difficulties and lung irritation in people.

Substances used for terminating roaches may include ingredients that are dangerous for kids and pets. Keep substances in positions not accessible to kids or pets but reachable to roaches. Attempt to keep the kitchen area and toilet dry, so that it doesn’t become a breeding place for roaches. Cleaning floors and  kitchen counters using disinfectant liquids will help keep roaches away. Make sure dirty dishes are not left overnight.

Cockroaches cannot live without water. Repair any water leaks, and always keep your cooking containers and pots upside down so that there are not going to be droppings or any cockroach eggs in them.

Clean up the area instantly if you kill cockroaches manually. They despise the smell of naphthalene, so keep naphthalene balls in your house as and inside the cupboards to keep cockroaches out.

Do not permit litter to collect at home. Anything from old paper to clothes can be their domain for breeding.

You could get the aid of professional pest and critter controllers if you are unable to remove cockroaches using the above procedures. They are going to be nicely equipped to get the job done using techniques to eliminate them and keep them from popping back up.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cockroaches, exterminate, minneapolis, pest control, roaches

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