The 10 Best DIY Pest Control Tips For Homeowners and Renters

This advice is for homeowners or renters who are looking for DIY pest control tips. When you have a pest problem at home do you do-it-yourself or do you call a professional? There’s a growing trend in the United States where homeowners and renters prefer to tackle the tough job of pest control themselves.  Instead of going with a professional service these DIYer’s step up to the challenge of getting rid of pests in their home using pesticide products or natural remedies.

What most DIYer’s like most is they can save a few hundred dollars and can take care of the problem quickly themselves. While other DIYer’s are concerned for the health of their pets and family members. Instead of using poisonous chemicals and pesticides this group would rather control pests with natural methods. Good looking out for the environment.

Well, I’ve compiled a few “best of the best” DIY pest control tips. If you want to make your home pest-free, these do it yourself pest control tips will go a long way toward helping you meet your goal.

Top 10 Pest Control Tips For DIY Homeowners and Renters

1. Keep Your Home Clean

Dirty dishes that need to be washed.

If your house is less than spotless, make it a habit to keep it clean. Here is our list of things you can do on an ongoing basis to make your home less attractive and hospitable for pests.

  • Wash your dirty dishes daily
  • Drain dirty water from sinks daily and clear away any leftover food
  • Wipe down any countertops and kitchen surfaces you come in contact with
  • Store food and drinks in air plastic or glass containers
  • Sweep, mop, and vacuum your floors regularly
  • Garbage cans containing food scraps should be tightly covered
  • Mow your lawn regularly and manage weeds
  • Keep plants and tree limbs trimmed back and away from your home
  • Maintain proper outdoor drainage systems; remove any standing water

Don’t underestimate the results you can get by taking the simple actions listed above. Give these methods a try and see for yourself how unlikely insects and pests will be attracted to your home.

2. Keep Your Home Well Ventilated And Dry

Attic should be well ventilated and dry

Why is it important for you to keep a well ventilated and dry house? Because pests are attracted to moist areas which are perfect breeding grounds for bugs, insects, and rodents.

Pay special attention to basements, attics, and crawl spaces as these are ideal locations where pests like to hide out and reproduce. Use dehumidifiers to reduce moisture and dry out any questionable locations.

Improved ventilation will often time encourage pests to move on with any other intervention. That said, don’t underestimate this DIY pest control tips.

3. Seal Off Entry Points To Your Home

Believe it or not, the best way to keep pests out of your home is by denying them entrance in the first place.  I’m sure you can find at least one-way pests can enter your home if you take the time to inspect outside of your property.

Pay attention to cracks in the foundation, door frames, windows, utility pipes, and tv/cable wires, which could all contain small cracks which pest can squeeze through to get inside your home. Don’t forget to check the roof to see if there are any opens that you’re not aware of.

Repair broken windows and screens. Fill any holes, cracks or gaps you find in pipes or vents leading into your home.

An all cases, you must seal off any areas or entrances that you discover. By doing so you will keep pests outside where they belong.

4. Remove Sources of Food, Water, and Shelter

Fix all leaky faucets and water supplies

Insects, bugs, and rodents are just like people. They need food, water, and shelter to survive and thrive. If you can deprive pests of these three necessities they will have no reason to hang around your home.

Identify and repair any leaky pipes or faucets both inside and outside your house.

Don’t leave your pet’s food and water out during the day or night. If you do this becomes a good feeding source for many of the pest you want to keep out of your house. Try to train your pet to eat and drink their food within a few minutes of your placing it out.

Out of all the DIY pest control tips, this is probably the most important.

5. Learn to Identify Common Pests In Your Area

Bug, insect, and rodent types vary widely from location to location. Many of them look alike but require different treatment and prevention strategies. As such, you must be able to positively identify a pest before you can properly combat against it.

You also need to know how to detect common pests in your area and understand what type of damage they can cause if left uncontrolled. Knowing all this information will go a long way in helping you develop the best pest control strategy to eliminate your pest problem.

6. Don’t Neglect Your Yard

Picture of junky back yard with abandoned car and garbage dumpster

Pest will invade your yard first before making their way inside your home. That’s why it is so important not to neglect your yard. Yes, an untidy yard looks unattractive. But this should be the least of your worries.

You’re just asking for trouble if you leave your yard in an untidy condition.

Yards with tall uncut grass, weeds, piles of leaves, and fallen branches are attractive to a variety of pests, from snakes and termites to ants.

You definitely want to remove abandoned cars, trash cans, and dumpsters.

7. Wash Your Laundry More Often

Wash your bedding, sheets, and blankets to prevent pest

Not all pests are easy to see and identify. Some pests like to live in close proximity to you. Two such pests are dust mites and bed bugs. These pests love to find shelter in your bed, bedding, and clothing. That’s why it is so important for you to wash all your laundry more frequently.

Clothing, bed sheets, blankets, quilts, towels, and other clothes should all be wash regularly. A rule of thumb is if you can wear it or use it as cover you should give it a good washing. At a minimum, you should wash three to four times per month to eliminate and reduce bed bugs and dust mites in your home.

8. Not All Pests Are Bad

Termites can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage and even render your house condemned.  Cockroaches can contaminate your food, spread disease, and cause asthma. However, not every pest you encounter around your home is harmful.

There are a few beneficial bugs you should not kill. Lady beetles, kill plants and destroy aphids so they are a blessing to gardeners. Green lacewings are another good bug to have around especially for gardeners, as they eat aphids and spider mites. Bats, as long as they cannot get into your home are very helping in control mosquitoes and other insects.

There are many other bugs and insects that are beneficial for pest control. You can check out the list of beneficial insects here.

9. Plant Natural Repellents

You can use repellent bait to keep bugs and insects out of your house.

I’m not talking about chemical repellents, instead, you can use nature’s natural repellents. More specifically, there are a few varieties of plants you can grow that repel insects like crazy. You’ll have to decide which bugs you want to repel and then pick a corresponding plant that can get the job done.

Here are a few examples to give you an idea of what plants and herbs can do.

  • Spearmint can repel ants, beetles, fleas, moths, and rodents
  • Catnip can repels ants, cockroaches, flea beetles, squash bugs, and weevils
  • Chrysanthemums can repel ants, bedbugs, beetles, fleas, ticks, and roaches

There are many more examples just like the three listed about. If you’d like to know more, read our article titled 9 natural pest control plants that keep bugs away.

10. Don’t Be Afraid Get Help From A Pest Control Professional

There may come a time when your do-it-yourself pest treatments do not work. You identify pests correctly, you research them, and apply the treatment you think works best. But you are not able to eliminate your pest problem. In fact, the pests come back again and again. Seems as if the problem has gotten worse.

During times like this, it’s important that you consult with a pest expert. Do not be scared or too ashamed to seek professional help. Do it yourself pest control works, but not all the time.

I can think of at least one situation where you’d want to call a professional right away. If you have a termite infestation, it would be a good idea to call in a pro to help you fumigate your property.

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pest control tips for homeowners

Why Do It Yourself Pest Control Fails

Just talk with any pest professional and the can easily give you 101 reasons why do it yourself pest control won’t work. If you don’t believe me just do a google search and see for yourself.

All you have to do is visit the websites of your local pest control companies and they will tell you how much you need them. They will go on and on, they will discourage you from doing the job yourself. Do you have to ask yourself why is this the case? What is the motivation for them to do so?

Could it possibly be for a monetary reason? I believe so.

According to Pest Control Technology magazine, professional pest control companies generated over $8.5 billion in 2017.  Your local pest professional has a vested interest in you not doing things yourself.

I must admit there may come a time when you will need their help. An example would be if you have a termite infestation. Another example, in some states it is illegal to remove, poison, or trap nuisance wildlife such as bats, foxes, squirrels, raccoons, and rabbits. If this is the law in your state you’ll have to call on a licensed pest control professional.

When that time comes you won’t hesitate and will willingly pay for their service. But in the meantime, don’t fall for the misinformation you get from the pest control industry. They’re in it for the money.

Easy DIY Remedies to Keep Your Home Pest-Free


Source: PartSelect.com

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Lynn Edwards

I founded DIY Pest Control Guide with the intention of sharing practical, user-friendly pest control strategies. If you need assistance, reach out to me at lynn@diypestcontrolguide.com - I'm here to help you reclaim your peace of mind.


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