DIY Extermination?

[MamaTreadler]

I'm really hoping someone here can give some advice on this. To save money we are cancelling our quarterly extermination services. We want to find a product or products we can purchase ourselves to spray around our house to take care of these issues. We have a tendency to get wolf spiders, sometimes ants, and unfortunately cockroaches. Our house is not dirty but the plain and simple truth is we do have an issue with them sometimes. I have some other neighbors who have the same problem and some seem to think they are migrating from one particular property that has an over abundance of cats and dogs but not an over abundance of cleaning up after them.

So see, we really do need to spray something and I can't believe that our **only** option is to pay hundreds of dollars for the service. There has got to be something that we can buy at Lowe's or Home Depot or someplace like that that can keep this under control.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Trishagirl]

a friend told me to use on bottle of reg dawn dishsoap and add that to 1 gal of water and mix it then pour around the perimeter of your house should keep out insects. I'm going to try it. I had a problem w/carpenter ants this spring & summer. Now I've got spiders but my dog keeps that under control! LOL It's worth a try. Also get those plug in animal deterrants she said they work.

[MrsHutto]

We get little spiders, too, and I loathe the entire species! The exterminator that holds our termite contract said spiders are hard to prevent, as their body is suspended above the ground and never touches the actual poison. The only truly effective way to exterminate a spider is by spraying them directly. So, when I see a spider, that's what I do.

When I was in college, I lived in a campus apartment that had a little German Cockroach infestation. When I say little, I mean major. I was terrified to go into the kitchen after dark, because they were every where! The housing department claimed they used professional exterminators, but nothing will ever convince me that was the truth. Anyhow, after listening to me bawl for several minutes about my uninvited guests, my Grannie suggested I go buy Boric Acid from the nearest hardware store and disperse it throughout their areas of residency. I did just that. I lined the perimeters of the countertops and cabinets, in addition to all the closets. I removed the face plates from the electrical sockets and sprinkled the roach killer inside. I even went so far as to make a paste out of the powder, with a little water, and "painted" the base boards in the kitchen. **I did the research...it's not harmful to humans or pets*** Within a week, the bugs were dead and I never seen another.

Good luck!

[MamaTreadler]

Mrs. Hutto, that is wonderful! Definitely doable! We will be giving this a try ~ thank you so much!

[valerian]

I'm thinking of dropping ours also...too expensive although it DOES work...our exterminator said that if you have pinetrees anywhere in your yard, you'll have roaches.

[krbshappy71]

Have you checked out diatomaceous earth yet?

Diatomaceous Earth - Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth Health Benefits

I am going to try it when I move back east. (don't have flea problems at this altitude so haven't needed it) It lists it can work for more than fleas.

[pollypurebred39]

Believe it or not you can buy everything online the the exterminators use. From the sprayers to the chemicals. There's a few (not so up and up) businesses out here that did just that.

[mrsfoamy]

I'm thinking of dropping ours also...too expensive although it DOES work...our exterminator said that if you have pinetrees anywhere in your yard, you'll have roaches.

No joke! They're making me crazy. I use ground bay leaf, mint and cedar chips. And the roach powder.

[HappyMama]

I'm thinking of dropping ours also...too expensive although it DOES work...our exterminator said that if you have pinetrees anywhere in your yard, you'll have roaches.

Wow never heard that I use to live in a Pine forest on a Mountain in California and never had any....thank you God. I guess I was lucky or blessed.

[MamaTreadler]

Have you checked out diatomaceous earth yet?

Diatomaceous Earth - Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth Health Benefits

I am going to try it when I move back east. (don't have flea problems at this altitude so haven't needed it) It lists it can work for more than fleas.

I've been using DE for years, buy it in 50 pound sacks. I need it for the outside animals, chicken run and such. But it won't be too much help inside. You would have to coat *everything* and you don't want to breath too much of it in. And I'm not having a flea issue. And as far as putting it outside around the house, that might help a little with a few things, but one rain spell and it would be gone.

[frugalfranny]

a friend told me to use on bottle of reg dawn dishsoap and add that to 1 gal of water and mix it then pour around the perimeter of your house should keep out insects. I'm going to try it. I had a problem w/carpenter ants this spring & summer. rth a try. Also get those plug in animal deterrants she said they work.

I have used the soap thing for ants.......and, for me, it does work.

My friend uses those 'spider traps' that you can get at most any hardware store...........she swears by them. I am going to try them, as they said our poisonous ones were worse/more numerous this year...(I want to know who counted!!).....and I have already seen 3 in my basement.......in canning jars!!