CHEMICAL-FREE WAYS TO HELP KEEP BUGS OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND YARD
To help get rid of pests naturally, you have to think like a bug. How do they get in the house? What are they attracted to? Where do they hide and breed? Find the answers and solutions to these problems below.
Powered by the SC Johnson® Institute of Insect Science for Family Health
Don’t make your home an enticing place for creepy critters. We’ve got expert, non-chemical pest control tips to help you:
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Prevent insects from getting in the house.
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Remove their food and water sources.
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Eliminate bug hiding spaces and breeding grounds in and around your home.
CREATE BUG BARRIERS
Even tiny cracks and gaps in your home are like a welcome mat for unwelcome bugs. Follow these simple tips to help keep insects out of the house:
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Caulk foundation cracks and gaps around windows and doors where bugs can enter from the outside.
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Add weather stripping and door sweeps. This not only prevents cold drafts, but also helps keep pesky bugs out.
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Repair any holes in drywall and caulk gaps around floor molding where insects can invade your home from neighboring units.
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Patch holes and loose edges on window and door screens. And be sure to keep windows and doors closed if they do not have screens.
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Repair gaps around pipes, air conditioners, and dryer vents.
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Trim tree limbs and shrubs that touch the house, particularly the roof, as they provide easy access to your home for a variety of pests.
THINK SMALL TO HELP KEEP BUGS OUT
Insects can crawl through the tiniest of spaces. For example,bed bugs are only about the width of a credit card. So, if you can squeeze a credit card into a crack or crevice, a bed beg can squeeze through it, too.1
KEEP YOUR KITCHEN CLEAN
Hungry insects often invade homes looking for a meal. That’s why it’s so important to pay special attention to the kitchen and other areas where you eat or store food. Follow these simple tips to help make your kitchen less palatable to pests:
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Store all food in air-tight containers and clean up food spills immediately.
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Wipe down bottles and jars before putting them away. Even small dribbles of honey, syrup, jam, and cooking oil make an irresistible treat for many pests, including roaches and ants.
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Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink. The leftover food on dishes are a gourmet meal for many insects.
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Clean kitchen shelves and cabinets regularly using the crevice tool on your vacuum or good, old-fashioned soapy water.
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Vacuum or sweep the kitchen floor weekly. Pay special attention to areas under and in between appliances where crumbs and spills can build up.
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Empty trash and recycle bins regularly. And don’t forget to thoroughly clean any spills or leakage on the inside of the bins.
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Use a wire brush or drain cleaner to remove eggs and larvae from drains. The slimy film that collects in drains creates a perfect breeding spot for drain flies.
GET BUG-SPECIFIC PREVENTION TIPS
Entomologists estimate there are approximately 10 quintillion insects crawling and flying on earth at any given time. That’s about 200 million bugs for every human being alive!2 Use our insect identification too lto find out what types of bugs you’re fighting and how to help get rid of them.
CLEAN. DE-CLUTTER. REPEAT.
Keeping your home clean and clutter-free not only makes it more inviting for loved ones, it also makes it less inviting for insects.
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Vacuum regularly to help get rid of fleas, bed bugs, and clothes moths. Don’t forget to use the crevice tool to reach along the baseboards and closet shelves. And be sure to empty the vacuum bag and discard its contents outside the home right away.
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Sweep and mop hard-surface floors weekly, or more often if you notice spills.
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Get rid of clutter and recycle old boxes and stacks of newspapers where roaches, bed bugs, silverfish, and other bugs like to breed and hide.
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Wash your pet’s bedding in hot water regularly to help keep fleas at bay.
ELIMINATE MOISTURE
Standing water in and around your home acts as both a breeding ground and drinking fountain for pesky insects. Help prevent a bug invasion with these quick tips:
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Identify and repair indoor water leaks.
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Wipe down the insides of sinks and bathtubs after each use.
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Run a dehumidifier in damp areas of your home, especially if you spot moisture-loving critters like centipedes, millipedes, sow bugs, silverfish, or earwigs.
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Empty, cover, turn over, or remove any items in your yard that can hold water once a week. This includes items like buckets, planters, children’s wading pools, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, trash bins, and old tires.
DID YOU KNOW?
Mosquitoescan lay eggs in as little as a teaspoon of water3. That’s an amount that can easily collect in something as small as a plant saucer or even a bottle cap.
HOW TO HELP KEEP BUGS OUT OF YOUR YARD WITHOUT CHEMICALS
A bunch of bugs buzzing around the yard can put a damper on outdoor fun. Removing things that attract insects can help you enjoy time in the yard with your family while also helping prevent unwanted bugs from making their way inside.
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Move rocks, compost piles, decaying vegetation, wood mulches, and other debris away from the house. These are perfect places for bugs to hide and breed.
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Store firewood away from the house and be sure to inspect it for creepy critters before bringing it inside.
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Thoroughly clean outdoor garbage cans and recycling bins regularly. And don’t forget to seal bags tightly before discarding of refuse.
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
Outdoor lights can attract a variety of bugs, such as mosquitoes, moths, and gnats. This in turn attracts spiders that eat these flying insects. To help keep these pesky bugs away, turn off outdoor lights when possible at night.
FIND SOLUTIONS FOR BUGS
If non-chemical means of getting rid of pests don't seem to work, Raid® can help. Explore our family of effective products to help take care of insects.
