Dealing With Pest Outbreaks

Ants

• Have ant spray on standby
• Apply baby powder for ants found in cabinets and countertops
• Spraying window cleaner
• Regularly clean your counters
• Fix water leaks on your property
• Don’t store firewood against the house
• Make sure there are no wood-to-ground contact points
• Make sure no limbs or bushes are in contact with your home
  

German Roaches

• Keep all your surfaces and areas dry and clean, especially sink areas
• Fix any water leaks
• Physically dry out wet/damp towels
• Get rid of newspapers and magazines
• Mix two tablespoons of Tabasco™ and almost one quart of water, and spray where the roaches are
  

Spiders

• Use a broom to knock down all of the webs
• Combine vinegar and water, and spray in the areas that are needed
  

Mice and Rats

• Seal every opening with steel wool (all except electrical areas)
• Keep home as clean and clear as possible
  

Yellow Jackets

• Deal with these insects later in the evening or early morning
• Protect yourself from their stingers with a piece of screen for entry and exit holes
• Use a red lens on your flashlights to make it harder for them to see you
  

Fleas

• Vacuum very often in your home
• Place a bowl of water with dish soap in it in the middle of the problem with a light over it, which the fleas will be attracted to, and you can flush them out before repeating
• Keep the house cool, a warmer house breeds excessive problems