Controlling Pests - ATH Tip from BTSH

Warm weather and humidity can bring many unexpected guests. No, I’m not talking about family and friends “popping in” this summer, I’m talking about the unwelcome little critters that can be found in and around your home. Here are some natural methods for ridding your home of these pests:

Fruit Flies
I have heard a lot of remedies for getting rid of fruit flies, but the one that I find works best is the “trap”. Place a piece of fruit in a jar (something sweet like strawberries or peaches I find works best). Pour vinegar in the bottom of the jar, about 1/2 cm. Place the lid on the jar, and poke holes in the lid. The fruit flies will be attracted to the fruit, and get trapped in the jar, then drown in the vinegar.

Ants
If you have found the ants entry point to your home, the best solution is to patch the hole, but if it’s not that simple, then sprinkle coffee grinds or mint leaves around it to deter future entry. Sprinkle chilli powder or cinnamon in their path. Make a natural repellent of citrus peelings and water in a blender and pour it over the anthill. To create a bait, mix Borax with confections’ sugar.

Spiders
Only cool around Halloween, and then it’s only the fake ones that I like!

First off, keep all other bugs out of your home in order to prevent spiders from setting up shop. Spiders eat other bugs, so if they don’t have an easy meal to catch, they’ll look elsewhere. Of course, if you have a real bug problem, leave spiders as the last pest to rid your home of, as they’ll help you get rid of the others!

I like to vacuum any nests that I find, but you can use a broom as well if your vacuum doesn’t have an attachment that will reach. Essential oils are great to killing spiders. To keep spiders from returning, mix soap, water, and citrus oil and spray areas that spiders like to hang out.

Prevent Return Visits!
In order to prevent the return of these pests, be sure to keep your home clean!
- Wipe counters and tables with a mix of vinegar and water
- Be sure that all holes are patched and vents are screened
- Don’t let food sit out
- Be sure your garbage has a tight fitting lid, and empty regularly.
- Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink
- Don’t allow water to sit out for a long time

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com

Healthy Living Starts With Your Home - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

Cleaning Naturally

Have you noticed how many companies are now offering “healthy” cleaning products? This isn’t a new idea! In fact, before all the fancy, expensive cleaners, our predecessors simply used products that they found around the house. I myself started to turn away from the chemical cleaning products several years back when I noticed one day that I needed an entire closet to store them all! Sure, I still use some now and again, but overall I have found alternative, natural products that work great. Now this isn’t a hippie, tree-hugging, far-out idea. It’s common sense. Natural products will save you money, and are better for you and your family, as well as the environment.

The Essentials

I use 3 main household products for cleaning:

1. Vinegar
2. Baking Soda
3. Lemons

Vinegar is your all-purpose cleaner. Use straight, or diluted with water, depending on what you’re cleaning. There are so many uses, that I simply can’t mention them all. Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water, and use for cleaning windows, mirrors, and countertops. Use the same solution to mop the floors. Use straight for disinfecting door knobs, and phone receivers. If your showerhead is clogged, remove and soak in undiluted vinegar (scrub holes with a toothbrush). Remove lime and mineral deposits by setting a rag soaked in vinegar for about an hour. Run vinegar through your coffee maker and dishwasher to clean. You can even add a cup of vinegar to your laundry as a fabric softener.

Baking Soda is great for hard stains. Mix with water to create a paste to remove juice, tea, or wine stains, or use as a chrome polisher (I use it to make my stainless steel sink shine). Pour down a drain and allow to sit for 30 minutes, then flush with hot water to clear clogs. Shake onto your carpet to soak up spills and prevent staining.

Lemon Juice not only helps to remove stains, but smells great. You can also use a little juice to remove mild tarnishing on silver. Rub a lemon wedge over a cutting board that you’ve used for onions or garlic to clean and remove the odour left behind.

Natural Air Fresheners
All the above mentioned can also be used as a natural air freshener. Bowls of vinegar or baking soda left in a room can help to absorb odours and freshen a room. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for an hour before vacuuming to remove odours. Bake an unpeeled lemon in the oven at 300°F and open oven door, or boil in hot water on stove. Other items around the house that can be used to freshen the air are orange slices, cinnamon, vanilla or almond extracts—boil any combination in hot water on the stove. Another great way to freshen the air is to grow fresh herbs indoors. They’ll also handy to have around for cooking!

As I mentioned, these are just my favourites for cleaning and deodorising. There are many other great cleaning products to be found around your house, I could only touch on my favourites here. Happy cleaning!

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com