[OldFashionedTips] Solutions for Pests- Indoors & Out

[Guest guest]

I love learning " old fashioned " advice, a great source of less

chemically laden solutions... See if any of these work for you..

For myself I can attest to boric acid working great on roaches.

 

Best Wishes,

Misty L. Trepke

www..com

 

Old Fashioned Tips!

Down to earth advice and inspiration...

from http://www.oldfashionedliving.com

August 10, 2006

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T O D A Y ' S Q U O T E

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Happiness is something that comes into

our lives through doors we don't even

remember leaving open. ~Rose Lane

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T O D A Y ' S T I P S

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HOME & HEARTH: PESTS INDOORS & OUT

 

Today I have tips on controlling those pesky pests

indoors and outdoors. I appreciate Shelly sharing

her experience with roaches. I certainly wish I had

known this information when I was just out of college!

 

HOW TO GET RID OF & CONTROL ROACHES

When I was a poor newlywed we could only afford

a very low budget apartment in our first move to

Dallas. I had always lived in rural Oklahoma and

had never even seen a roach before, but anyone

who has seen those Texas size roaches can tell

you they are scary even to those who have seen

roaches before. I tried every trick and eventually

got rid of them- where they were so thick that they

were even in the common outdoor halls of those

buildings. Our management company sprayed

regularly and it would slow down the population

but did not make a real dent it the problem. After

a few months of this nasty problem, I decided I

could not take it any more. So here is what

worked for me.

 

First, you need keep the house very clean. Sweep

and take out any trash, no matter how little, every

night. Hang all damp laundry up to dry. Never ever

leave food or dirty dishes around, this includes pet

food, water, and dishes. Keep pet food in containers

with tight fitting lids. Keep dry goods, such as cereal

or crackers, in Ziploc type bags. Remove as much

clutter as possible to eliminate hiding and nesting

areas.

 

Next, the boric acid clumps when you put it in to the

squeeze bottle and is very hard to apply this way.

It was more efficient to mix it with peanut butter and

put it on a small square of cardboard or plastic in

the backs of cabinets, behind the trash can, stove,

and refrigerator.(Make sure pets and children can

not get to these.) It's the same principle as the

prepackaged roach baits but a lot less expensive.

 

And last, pour a couple of tablespoons of bleach in

every drain in the house every night. They don't

have to have a leak to get a water source.

 

After you notice they are gone, they are probably

not, but the reduced numbers find it easier to hide.

A week or two after you see fewer adult roaches,

previously laid eggs will start to hatch and it seems

that they are coming back. You can tell because

you see mainly babies. Just keep it up, especially

in an apartment where you can not control how the

neighbors keep house. After a couple of months,

you can probably quit worrying about the damp

laundry and bleach in the drains. But if they do

come in again, go back to the previous pattern.

 

Also, if you have any roaches and you move, they

move with you. It is easier to get control if you

start with these steps before unpacking anything

and keep at it for a few months even if you are

not seeing any roaches. ~Shelley

 

PESKY PESTS & BUGS

Another tip I have gotten seems to be a lifesaver. On

the coast after heavy rains we get fly and mosquito

swarms. If you fill a zip-lock baggie about halfway

full of water and hang it above the doorway most

used (ours is the back door), the prisms in their

eyes can't focus (or something like that) and they

won't come in the house as much. This only works

during the day with the sunlight shining and the light

refracting through the water. We also use it on our

patio and it helps keep the flies, especially the biting

ones, to a minimum. Hope this helps to enjoy those

dog-days of summer! -Barbara

 

I was watching CBS one morning and they had a

garden lady on the show and she said to put a

soda bottle filled with beer in the area where the

slugs are. She said they love it and it is easy to

throw away! ~Jessica

 

I was re-reading the question the lady wrote in about

keeping neighbor cats off lower shelf of her birdfeeder.

I have cats, and to keep them off something I put

mouse traps on it till they learn to stay off. The traps

do not hurt them, but the sound it makes when they go

off scares the cats. I have used this for my dining room

chairs, and other places around the house I do not

want them going. ~Pat H.