Great Info Tips

Do you remember the moth balls your grandma used in her attic? She used them for a good reason: mice! Place the moth balls around the perimeter of the attic and the garage to keep the mice away. They don’t like the smell. This is also supposed to work for spiders, too. It’s not expensive at all for a box. You can buy them in the grocery store or even the dollar stores.

How about a recipe for homemade bug killer? Use an empty plastic milk jug, washed out really well. Put 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of vinegar and a banana peel in the jug. Hang the open jug in a tree or place in your garden to keep the bugs from eating your fruits and vegetables. I guess the smell and the sweetness will attract the bugs.

For house plants there is a simple recipe for a safe pesticide. Use a spray bottle to start. Put in one teaspoon of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Then add 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Yes, the kind you use for washing your dishes. Mix this up and use it to spray your plants. There’s no smell, either.

Did you know cayenne pepper will keep pests away from your outside plants. They don’t like it. Ants, aphids and even those pesky squirrels will stay away when you sprinkle cayenne pepper around your plants.

Here’s a recipe for an all purpose insecticide. You will need to grind up 1 garlic bulb, 1 small white onion, and then add 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Place this mixture in 1 quart of water. Let it stand for about 1 hour, then strain the mixture through some cheesecloth. Now add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap and mix well. This can be sprayed on your plants, but make sure you also spray the underside of the leaves, too.

Mosquitoes love standing water. To keep them from bothering you over the summer months make sure there is no standing water around. Get rid of empty soda cans, bottles, and other containers that hold water. Keep the grass cut low. Make sure your screens have no holes in them. You can find repair kits for screens in all major hardware stores. Make sure the gutters are running clear, too, as the mosquitoes will be there, too. Empty birdbaths often, at least every day when it’s really hot and humid, every other day when it’s not. Kiddie swimming pools are another place where these nasty bugs will breed. Keep the pools clean and empty them often.

Houseflies love the hot summer months. They will lay their eggs in garbage, soil, lawn clippings, sewage, water, animal waste and rotting food. Keep your yard free of all litter to prevent flies from breeding. A natural source of pest control for flies is to squirt them with a solution of 1/2 cup of mild dishwashing liquid in one gallon of water. This will knock them down and out.

Borax powder of boric acid sprinkled at the entrances to your home will keep ants from getting inside. Boric acid mixed with an equal amount of flour or cornmeal can be used inside the home. Just be very careful not to let pest and children touch the powder. Keep surfaces clean and put food away at night to keep the ants away. Take out the trash often and keep your kitchen floors washed. The more surfaces ants find food or sticky areas, the more ants you will find around your home.

Bee and wasp nests are usually made around buildings, under eaves, in bushes and attics. You will need to purchase an over the counter product to spray directly in the nest at NIGHT! This is when the bees will be “home”. Don’t remove the nest for a few days or have a licensed professional do the job. They have all the equipment so they won’t be stung. Yellow jackets love sugary foods, so keep your trash cans covered. Don’t drink out of a soda can while outdoors. You would be much better off using a straw since you can accidentally drink a bee or wasp and get stung on your tongue. This could be traumatic as your tongue can swell up causing breathing problems. Be careful!!!!!

Did you know roaches come out a night to feed? They love crumbs, paper, glue, pet food, and wax. Sanitation is the major rule. Keep it clean and the roaches won’t bother you. If you do find some roaches, try this recipe for bait balls: 1/4 cup shortening, 1/8 cup of sugar, 8 ounces of powdered boric acid,1/2 cup of flour and water. Mix all the ingredients, pouring water in until a soft dough forms. Shape the dough into small balls. Place these balls in areas where you have seen the roaches. Don’t place the balls where children or pets can find them. Don’t use them where you store or prepare food. It’s not a fast cure, but it will help. If there are too many roaches, you may have to resort to using an insecticide.

Silverfish like food sources high in starch such a books, magazines, wallpaper, flour ,cereal, and starched clothing. Store things properly, but if you have an ongoing problem, try this recipe: 1 cup of oatmeal (ground to flour in a blender), 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon powdered boric acid. Mix all ingredients and place a teaspoonful in a shallow container near hiding spots.Place some crumpled paper on top. The silverfish will have a feast and then die. Make sure to keep this bait away from children and pets.

Have you ever had a cricket inside the house? Annoying, but easy to “catch” overnight. Just put a wet washcloth in the bathroom or kitchen sink and the cricket will be found hiding there in the morning, waiting for you to either flush him down the drain or toss him out the door!

One way to chase away moths is to put newspaper around an stored woolen items.

If you should be stung by a bee, put a slice of onion on the spot and hold it there for a few minutes. This helps take away the pain.