People often wonder how to take care of pest control or get rid of specific insects. Many factors will determine whether your DIY pest control methods are effective or ineffective. So, if you are one of those wondering how to do your own pest control, pay close attention to the following.
The best piece of advice we live by as pest professionals is to READ AND FOLLOW THE LABEL! The label is the law. We are not chemical manufacturers, distributors, or experts by any means. We can’t advise on specific chemicals but can offer general advice on treatment methods. Here is what the experts at Proactive Pest Control suggest.
Know Your Pests
Probably the most critical thing in any pest control is to know what kind of pest you are dealing with. Correctly identifying your pest will allow you to learn their habits, which in turn will enable you to apply the most effective type of treatment. Check out our Pest I.D. pages for help with identifying your creepy crawlers.
Use the Correct Chemicals
Ensure that the product you are using is for the specific insects with which you are having issues. If it is not on the label, then it probably won’t work. Not to mention, you may be using the chemical in an unsafe manner. If you didn’t use the right chemical to begin with, you probably wouldn’t be too impressed with the results.
Product Dilution
Many times people seem to be under the assumption that “more is better.” With pest control, this is not true. As mentioned above, you must read and follow the label. The label will give you precise mixing instructions for the type of application that you are attempting.
For instance, a customer mentioned how he used four times the recommended pesticide on a particular insect, with little to no effect. He said the problem was pretty bad, and he thought it would wipe them out. Due to the kind of product he was using and how his particular target pest ingests the product, he was hurting himself by using more.
The large amounts of chemicals formed particles that were far too big for the insect to ingest, making the treatment ineffective. Following the label would have saved money and would have solved the pest problem.
Exterior vs. Interior
Chemicals on the inside of the home generally last longer than those outside the home. Although designed to withstand the elements, outside chemicals eventually break down due to extreme heat, extreme cold, wind, excessive dryness, or excessive rain. If you do your own pest control, keep in mind that different types of products work better than others, depending on what kind of environment you are applying in.
For example, if you live in a place known for getting a lot of rain, you will probably want to use a chemical formulation designed with that in mind.
Conditions Out Of Your Control
If you live in an apartment or a townhome and have a problem with German Roaches, you may not have control over the conditions that enable them to thrive. You can be the cleanest person in the world, but if you have messy neighbors, you will more than likely have an issue at some point in time.
Although roaches can and will enter your home from surrounding units, they probably won’t get too bad or stay too long if you don’t have any conducive conditions in your home. They prefer to be where the food and mess is.
Conditions Within Your Control
Removing any conditions that are within your control will significantly increase the effectiveness of your pest treatment. In fact, if you can correct all of the conditions attracting the insects, you may eliminate the need for any products or chemicals to be applied all together.
If you decide to use a chemical treatment in your home, keep in mind that the longer you can leave the chemical undisturbed, the longer it will remain in place and continue to work. The application of liquid products on the inside of the home works best when placed along the baseboards. Be careful not to mop up to the baseboards where the chemical is. Mopping this area could remove the product, which in turn would make it ineffective.
Doing Your Own Pest Control
Finally, remember this is the practice of pest control, not pest elimination. Unless we were living in a perfect world, there is no conceivable way that we could eliminate or prevent 100% of insects from entering our homes.
If reading this, you have determined you would like help in keeping creepy crawling pests from entering your home, then Georgia’s first choice is Proactive Pest Control.
Contact Proactive Pest Control to evaluate your home’s pest control needs and set up a maintenance plan.