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Pest control is an ongoing problem for all of us. For years, we have depended on the use of pesticides to eliminate unwanted pest. Pesticides are harmful chemicals that have been linked to illness and disease. Think about it, each time you use a pesticide, some of it will be consumed by you. When we spray a pesticide, small particles are released in the air, making their way to our lungs. When farmers spray crops, the pesticides enter the soil and water. We eat plants that grow in this soil. We eat the fish that live in the waters, and the animals that feed from the plants and drink from polluted lakes and streams. Health and environmental professionals are concerned with the long term effects of pesticide use. Many forms of illness and disease are linked to pesticides, including cancer. There are some natural alternatives to the use of pest control. If these are used on a continuous basis, they can be very effective for the home. Here are a few suggestions;
1. Cockroaches: These have to be the worst. Don't you hate opening the cabinet and seeing several cockroaches scurrying across your dishes? For me, this results in an instant' "LOSS OF APPETITE"! These little devils scamper, hurriedly throughout our home, infesting everything they touch. What's frightening, is seeing little tiny babies, then you know they are reproducing, multiplying, and taking up homestead in your home. They could easily be labeled, the peskiest pest of all. The key is to block the cockroach’s point of entry. Prepare your home against cockroach invasion. Fill in all cracks around baseboards, cabinets, shelves, sinks, bathtubs, and in pipes. Sprinkle Borax around each point of entry. Borax is a crystalline salt used to manufacture detergents and soaps. It is also used as a water softener and mild antiseptic. Borax has been proven to be very effective against cockroaches.
2. Ants: It should not be difficult to locate the ants' point of entry. They will be in a line formation, resembling an army of soldiers marching off to war. These little soldiers are dedicated, hard working, and find their strength in great numbers. They are persistent, but can be forced to turn and retreat. You have several options of combat weapons to use. Try sprinkling talcum powder in the area of entry; you can also use cayenne pepper, damp coffee grounds, bone meal, charcoal, or chalk. Another strategy is to squeeze lemon juice in this area, and leave the lemon peeling behind. Ants may have the reputation of being honorable soldiers, but watch them turn and flee. Oh the shame, of leaving your fellow soldiers on the battle field to die alone. But don't you feel proud. You have accepted the challenge, defeated the enemy, and just think you didn't even have to engage in chemical warfare.
3. Flies: There's nothing more refreshing then awakening to a bright, sunny, morning, flinging open the windows, and smelling the crisp, morning air. A perfect day for a family picnic, and the favorite time for the fly to take to the air and explore. A fly simply cannot resist an open, sunny, window. Before you get the coffee brewing and the bacon frying, you have a kitchen full of flies, landing on every utensil and morsel of food they can find. What do you do? You pull out the trusty, old, fly swat and go about the kitchen swatting frantically, in a fit of fury. By the time the husband and the kids awaken, you are as ill and short-tempered as a hornet. Hence, the ruining of a perfect day. This could all have been avoided by just keeping the windows closed. Another trick is to try honey on yellow paper. The fly will be attracted to the honey, land and stick, never to fly again. So, hang up your fly swat, keep the windows closed, try a little honey, and greet your family with a smile each new day.
4. Ticks and Fleas: Ticks and fleas usually enter the home, by way of the family pet. A pet loves and should be able to spend time in the home, interacting with the family. Ticks and fleas can make your pet miserable, and are certainly unwanted in the home environment. The approach must be directed at keeping the pet free of pest. A routine bath should do the trick, with a little help from an herbal rinse you can prepare. It's simple, bring two pints of water to a boil, add two tablespoons of Rosemary, and let soak twenty minutes. Drain and allow cooling. Wash the pet with soap and warm water. Towel dry the coat, then apply the herbal rinse. Apply this to the pet with a spray bottle or sponge, do not rinse or towel dry. Let this dry thoroughly, on its own. Please do not let the pet go outdoors until the coat is dry. If this is done on a continuous basis, you should not have a problem with ticks and fleas. Your pet, and your family, will be happy with the results.
Be aware of the risk and hazards, related to Pesticides. Try these suggestions for natural alternatives, and protect the health of yourself, and your family.
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