How to Get Rid of the Most Common Household Pests

If you have never had to struggle with getting rid of any kind of household pest, consider yourself lucky. Most people have had to deal with pest infestations at some point in their lives, whether it was just a small issue or an entire swarm of insects invading their home.

Pests range from annoying to dangerous, and some can even cause permanent damage to your house’s structure, so it’s best to get rid of them as soon as you realize there’s a problem. Luckily, there are a few ways of going about this. You can try getting rid of them on your own, or hire a professional. Some pests can even be removed by using natural methods that won’t harm them. Keep reading to learn more about the most common household pests and how to get rid of them.

Bed bugs

As their name suggests, bed bugs are most commonly found in beds. They usually hide in mattresses or bed springs. However, this isn’t the only place they can make a home. They can hide in other pieces of furniture, and even your clothes. Aside from the irritating itchiness caused by their bites, bed bugs can lead to other health-related problems, such as rashes or allergies. They can even cause psychological trauma if they aren’t gotten rid of in a timely matter. It’s natural to want to know how to get rid of bed bugs fast, since they feast on human blood at night and you’ll likely have a hard time falling asleep if you know they’re there. The most common way of getting rid of bed bugs is to treat the infested area with heat, or to hire professionals to get rid of them for you.

Ants

While most ants don’t cause much harm to you or your house, some ants can have bites that hurt . . . a lot. And, even if the ants invading your house are mostly harmless, they will probably annoy you to no end. Many people need to get rid of a lot of their groceries due to ants entering the packaging. If you don’t want to buy expensive pesticides, vinegar is a homemade ant-killer. You can also mix lemon juice and water in a spray bottle and spray it on areas that are covered in ants.

Mosquitos

A lot of people agree that mosquitos are the worst part of summer. Between their constant buzzing in your ears and their itchy bites, they can drive you up the walls. Luckily, it’s pretty straight forward to get rid of them. You can buy various forms of pesticides to kill them, from spray bottles to plug-in devices. You can also get rid of them in more natural ways if you want to go easier on the environment.

Cockroaches

Most people find that any form of insect makes their skin crawl, but few insects are as hated as the cockroach. These brown bugs tend to send people running towards the phone to call exterminators. While calling in the professionals is a viable option, and the one most likely to get quick results, there are a few home remedies you can try. Many people place strips of upside-down duct tape all over the house in order to trap and kill cockroaches. This is one of the more popular methods of getting rid of roaches, since it will allow you to see where the infestation was most prominent so that you can take preventative measures.

Termites

Remember the structural damage we were talking about earlier? Well, you can thank termites for that. Because termites are most often found in the foundation of a house, people often only realize they have termites once it’s too late and the damage has already been done. Attempting to get rid of termites on your own will probably take quite a while, and there’s no guarantee that it will work. Since you want to prevent the damage from spreading, time is of the essence when it comes to termites. It’s therefore best to get a professional to handle the extermination. However, there are a few things you must do before hiring termite control services.

Rodents

The main types of rodents that infest houses are rats and mice. These can be quite dangerous as they often carry diseases. While poison used to be the go-to for getting rid of rodents and mice, more and more people have been shying away from that and leaning towards more natural rodent removal options. If you want to remove rodents without harming them, you can always choose a humane mouse trap.