When the autumn comes, you might be thinking about the wildlife, especially those nesting mammals trying to enter your house. If you’d rather not share your home with pests and bugs, but don’t want to use chemicals, you will need to find green ways of keeping them at bay. Below you will find a few tips on how to live in peace with wildlife, but keep it out of your house.
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Green Ways of Keeping Wildlife and Pests Out of Your Home
Get a Cat
If you don’t have a cat yet, you are missing out on loads of fun. While some cats will bring in their prey, they are usually dead by the time they enter your house. The good news is that some cats can really be trained to stay out with their mouse or bird, so you don’t have to clean up after them. At the same time, even the smell of the cat will repel most small mammals. Cats will also eat spiders and bugs; they actually like them.
Repellent Plants
You might also try repellent plants that will help you keep the bugs away. Having a herb and spice box in the window will work magic. If you would like to adopt a green lifestyle, this might be the right choice for you. Even if you have some sweet leaved plants, such as lettuce and parsley, once they are surrounded by chili plants or peppermint, you will be able to keep your window and door open, and still not have unwanted visitors.
Boric Acid
In case you are dealing with a bug infestation, such as silverfish or cockroaches in the summer or the fall, and don’t want to use invasive methods, you can use boric acid. There are also some proven methods of how to get rid of ants without actually killing the colony or distracting the ecosystem of your environment.
Citrus Peels
There are loads of small insects that hate the smell of citrus. You can place the peels in your windowsill or your doorway, and you can keep them at bay. Citrus oil and essential oil are also great for keeping the animals out and making your home smell and feel fresh. Bear in mind, though, that you will need to replace the dried out peels every couple of days to keep them effective.
Traps
When everything else fails, there are still traps to use. Make sure that you are using a humane version of a mousetrap that will not poison or crush the animal, just simply tap it, so you can remove them and take them back to their original environment. You need to remember that many animals are short of territory, and are looking for shelter. They will not enter your home just to annoy you.
When the weather turns colder, you will need to think about keeping the wildlife and pests out of your home. Use ethical and green methods instead of industrial pest control, and you will feel much better about yourself and your relationship with nature, too.