Natural and humane ways to get rid of common pests
Now the weather has turned colder, you might find a growing number of pests making their way into your home. Here are some natural and humane control methods to keep them at bay…
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Mice
If you think you’ve got mice nesting in your garage, loft, or home, it is important to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Interestingly peppermint essential oil can be an effective method of saying goodbye to these pesky pests. Just add a few drops to a cotton wall ball and leave where you think the mice might be frequenting.
Mice also hate cayenne pepper, so you can also disperse this in infested areas. But, remember – it’s more effective to keep mice at bay in the first place. Cover up any holes that the mice may entering through, and ensure all food is properly stored.
Spiders
While it’s worth remembering that spiders are friendly house guests and keep smaller bugs at bay, if you really don’t want them living in your home, there are natural, kind solutions to keep them out.
Conkers placed on windowsills or corners of a room will repel spiders, as will keeping a small dish of vinegar where you think spiders like to live in your house, as spiders can’t stand the smell of either.
Slugs
If you usually throw away your old coffee grounds, keep them instead and scatter them on your soil to keep slugs at bay. If you’re not a big coffee drinker, you can also often pick up waste grounds from coffee shops.
Image: Andrea Tummons
Another method is to sprinkle sand wherever you want to keep slugs at bay. This will irritate them and deter them from entering your garden or in your home.
Moths
Suffering from a moth infestation? A great natural way to get rid of them is to infuse a cotton ball with lavender oil and place in your closet or drawers. It is highly repellent to moths!
Rather than using toxic moth balls, you can also put a block of cedar wood in your closet to stop them feasting on your clothes.
Image: Annie Spratt
Pigeons
If you find pigeons nesting in your roof, this can cause a lot of issues so it’s best to get rid of them. Honey is a natural way of deterring pigeons from nesting as the stickiness won’t allow them to settle.
Set up bird reflectors, which are highly reflective materials that create beams of intense light. This is not very appealing for pigeons and will stop them from inhabiting your roof space.
Do you have any other natural ways of getting rid of pests? Let us know on social! Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.