Nontoxic pest control

Even though pesticides are the most effective detriment to pests, they are toxic and can be harmful to pets and family members. When used outdoors, pesticides can be hard to control in the wind and may wind up traveling to unwanted areas. Used inside the home, they can be very dangerous due to their persistence to stay on surfaces or get into the air conditioning units and are distributed throughout the home. Another option that many people have started looking into is nontoxic pest control.

The safest way to stop pests is with prevention, but it is not always possible to be 100 percent effective in prevention, so we must look at nontoxic pest control to supplement the by preventions.

There are three preventive pest control methods. The first is sanitation, keeping things as clean as possible. Insects and other pests are attracted to food sources. If dirty dishes and food droppings are left on the table and floor, then they will act as an open invitation to pests. Just because you can't see anything doesn't mean that there are not microscopic particles or food caught under edges of cabinets and appliances.

The second preventive pest control method is screens. Screens on doors and windows keep insects out of the house and screens on crawlspaces keep pests from getting underneath the house where they can really create a cozy home for themselves.

The third preventive pest control method is caulking. This closes off small areas that insects can pass through. Be especially thorough around water sources such as kitchen and bathroom.

Nontoxic pest control products fall into four categories. The first category is traps. Traps are specifically designed for many pests such as cockroaches, mice, flies, rats, gophers and moles. Home and garden stores generally have a supply of all types of traps.

The second category for nontoxic pest control is pheromones. These are insect scents that attract insects into a trap where they die. Pheromones are specific to each species, so you need to know exactly what pest you are dealing with.

The third category for nontoxic pest control is biological. Biological means using one desired organism to defeat an undesired organism. These can be plants or other insects depending on the specific problem you are having.

The fourth category for nontoxic pest control is repellents. These are nontoxic substances that target specific pests and keep them away. They may either be chemical or plant based substances. ...