The key to controlling pests inside the home is to prevent them from coming in to begin with. If they're already inside, get rid of them as quickly as possible to keep them from getting too comfortable and multiplying.
Having certain natural predators in your yard and around your home can be helpful in controlling pests before they get in. Spiders, frogs, dragonflies, praying mantis, and birds help diminish pest populations on your property.
Ants
Ants are notoriously difficult to control once inside the home. They build a nest centered around their queen and quickly send out scout/worker ants to seek out food and water supplies. When you see one or two seemingly displaced ants on your countertops or floors, this is what they are doing.Once food or water is discovered, they lay a chemical trail back to the nest. This is when the trouble starts. In an amazingly short amount of time you may see hundreds, if not thousands, of ants winding their way into your house picking up and bringing back bits of food and droplets of water to supply the nest.
Because of their size, it only takes a miniscule opening or crack in a wall, floor, door, or window frame to allow ants in. Using the right repellant at the right place, however, can stop them in their tracks. Following are common remedies:
Vinegar. Wash countertops, cabinets, and floors with equal parts vinegar and water to deter ants.
Flour and Borax. Mix 1 cup flour and 2 cups Borax in a quart jar. Punch holes in the jar lid. Sprinkle the contents around the house foundation. Keep Borax out of the reach of children and pets.
Bonemeal or powdered charcoal or lemon. Set up barriers where ants are entering. They will generally not cross lines of bonemeal or powdered charcoal. If you can find a hole where ants are entering the house, squeeze the juice of a lemon in the hole or crack. Then slice up the lemon and put the peeling all around the entrance.
Pennyroyal, Spearmint, Southernwood & Tansy. Growing these plants around the border of your home will deter ants and the aphids they carry.
Flies
The most common preventative measure against flies is keeping the kitchen garbage tightly closed. Sprinkle dry soap or Borax into garbage cans after they've been washed and allowed to dry; both act as a repellent.
Other remedies include:
Oranges. Scratch the skin of an orange and leave it out; the citrus acts as a repellent.
Cloves. Clusters of hanging cloves repel flies.
Mint & Basil. Mint planted around the home repels flies. A pot of basil set on the windowsill or table helps to repel fleas. Keep basil well-watered from the bottom so that it produces a stronger scent. Dried, ground leaves left in small bowls or hung in muslin bags are also effective.
Sugar & Corn Syrup. Make your own fly paper by boiling sugar, corn syrup, and water together. Place the mixture onto brown paper and hang or set out.
Moths
If you can see moths, these aren't the only ones to worry about. Moths that cause damage to clothes are too small to notice. It is the larvae of these moths that eat fabric. To prevent an infestation, store items in a clean condition since moth larvae especially like areas with food stains.
Rosemary, Mint, Thyme, Cloves & Ginseng. Mix 1/2 pound rosemary, 1/2 pound mint, 1/4 pound thyme, 1/4 pound ginseng (optional), and 2 tablespoons cloves in cheesecloth bags and place in closets or drawers.
Dried Lavender or Rosemary & Mint. Make sachets of dried lavender or equal portions of rosemary and mint. Place in closets, drawers, or closed containers to mothproof garments.
Rosemary, Sage, Mint, Dried Lemon Peel & Cinnamon. Mix handfuls of the first three ingredients. Add a little lemon peel and a pinch of cinnamon. Put the mixture inn muslin bags and place in closets and drawers.
Molasses, Vinegar &Yellow Container. To trap moths, mix 1 pan molasses with 2 pans vinegar and place in a yellow container. Clean the container regularly.
Clothes Dryer. To kill moth eggs, run the affected garment through a warm dryer.
Find a Pre-Qualified Pest and Insect Control Professional Near You
Courtesy MSU Extension
