There is nothing worse than going into your kitchen and noticing something moving… and realizing you have a whole trail of ants exploring your house. Living in the South, the season for these kinds of pests is from March to October, so I’ve become somewhat of an expert in dealing with unwanted pests. The warm weather brings them out, and then they want to go live somewhere cool, like inside our house. That’s a big no for me! Thankfully, there are lots of simple ways to deal with pests, many of which don’t cost very much money. Here is my frugal homeowner’s guide to pest control.

Before you can really try to eradicate a pest, there are three important steps to take. First, eliminate outdoor attractants. Do you have old or dead plants or greenery near your house? This attracts pests to the perimeter of your house, where they will often then find their way inside. Second block entry points. Older houses especially may have cracks around windows and door frames. Caulk these up to prevent unwanted access. Third, remove what’s attracting them. You might need to do a deep clean of your house to figure this out. Years ago we had a problem with German cockroaches and realized our fridge had a tiny leak underneath. The moisture under the fridge was attracting them. If you put out bait or attempt to control a pest but you still have the thing they’re attracted to, it will never end!

The Frugal Homeowner’s Guide to Pest Control

Ants

When it comes to ants, there are several options. The first thing I try if there aren’t very many of them is to soak cotton balls in a solution of water, Borax, and sugar. The sugar attracts them and the Borax kills them. You can place these at intervals around the floorboards.

For ants outside or close to exterior doors, diatomaceous earth is a great remedy. Buy the food grade kind if you have pets. This is harmless to people and animals but dries out insects so they eventually die. It takes some time to work but is highly effective.

There are many kinds of ant baits and traps you can get at Walmart or your local hardware store, but by and far the best ant treatment I’ve ever found is Advion ant gel. I discovered this a few years ago and it works quickly and effectively. A few weeks ago I noticed a trail of ants coming out of our downstairs bathroom. I had some ant gel left, so I used that up and quickly overnighted another tube. Within 24 hours the ants were gone and have not returned. It can be a little disconcerting at first because you will see what looks like a million ants flocking to the gel. But once they’ve gotten some they will take it back to wherever they came from, never to return.

Cockroaches (Palmetto bugs and German cockroaches)

For a large infestation you might need to call the professionals, but for smaller ones, I recommend Advion cockroach gel bait. While it might seem a little pricey compared to the traps you can get at the store, like the ant gel, it works quickly and effectively.

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