The best tips for do-it-yourself pest control tend to vary depending on the type of pest a person wants to get rid of. Most people who say they want to get rid of pests are typically referring to either insects or rodents. In general, do-it-yourself pest control for insects may be possible with the use of store-bought insecticides and preventative measures. Problems with rodents may be dealt with by using traps or poisons. Before a person uses insecticides, traps, or other types of poisons for getting rid of insects or rodents in his home, he should think about where he is going to use the products so that no unintentional harm will come to any small children or pets.
Almost every lawn and garden center or major discount store will carry a product designed to help people deal with almost any type of insect problem imaginable. There are insecticides that will get rid of fleas, roaches, and fruit flies, as well as spiders and scorpions. All of these products are not created equally, and a person will probably have to go through a trial and error process to find the product that works best. In addition to the use of insecticides, preventative measures might also be very useful for keeping bug populations down. If fleas are a problem, indoor animals should always be treated with flea killers at least once a month, and roaches might be kept to a minimum if a person keeps her kitchen and bathroom areas very clean because those are the rooms roaches tend to inhabit the most.
Do-it-yourself pest control for rodents may be handled a little differently than insect problems. For rats and other rodents that often find their way indoors, a person might need to set out several traps. There are both humane and non-humane animal traps available, but animals that are captured in the humane traps and then released may find their way right back into a person's home if he doesn't make an effort to find where they are entering. Rodent problems may be prevented if all holes outside a person's home that are large enough for a small animal to fit through are sealed up. Many stores additionally carry poison that can be set out in places where evidence of rodent activity has been discovered.
It is possible to save lots of money with do-it-yourself pest control, which is likely why many people opt for it over hiring a pest control professional. In the event that this type of pest control is ineffective, it might be necessary to call a pest control professional to deal with the problem. Sometimes pests cannot be dealt with successfully by people who have no training in the pest control field. The most important aspect of do-it-yourself pest control is safety. People who have children or indoor animals need to be incredibly careful of where they place their traps and poisons.