Many pest control situations can be handled on your own. Here are tips for getting rid of pests without a pro.

For many people, dealing with pests such as insects and rodents is one of the most unpleasant household chores. But paying huge exterminator bills can be even more painful. Fortunately, many options are available to make this a manageable do-it-yourself task.

Since the average cost for even a routine visit from an exterminator can easily run about $100 or more, you can save quite a bit of money by doing this yourself. (Granted, there are some situations, like an extreme infestation, that should be handled by a professional, but the average person can easily handle many typical home pest control situations.)

Here are a few tips for getting the best results from your do-it-yourself pest control strategy.

Compare Contents

Just as with groceries and many other household items, there is often a “generic” version of a pest control product that’s equivalent to the name brand. Check out the labels or online descriptions. If the contents are identical, paying extra just for a fancy label doesn’t make sense.

Do Your Research

It’s easy to locate reviews and feedback about a particular product online. Obviously, you have to take these comments with a grain of salt. No product will satisfy everyone, and some people just like to complain. However, if you find a lot of users who make similar comments, you should probably pay attention.

Don’t Get Products You Don’t Need

If several different types of pests are plaguing you, you may be tempted to buy a dozen different products. This usually isn’t necessary. Many all-purpose types of products are effective against a wide range of pests.

This is especially true for insects that are in the same general category, like crawling pests, such as ants and spiders. Often, the same product will work for an entire category of pests.

Read Directions Carefully

This should go without saying, but when handling any sort of chemicals, you always want to take the time to read the entire label carefully. The most important thing, of course, is to read the safety information. Among other things, there is usually information about any risks to people or pets and cautionary information about the product’s use around food preparation areas.

But you also want to pay attention to details about how much product you need and how big of an area it will treat. Don’t try to save a few pennies by stretching the product over a larger area than it’s intended to treat. It will probably not be effective and you will end up spending more money to get enough product to do the job right.

Be Prepared To Do a Little Bit of Work

Depending on your pest issue, you may have to spend a little time and effort to ensure the best results. Many pests, like roaches, for example, like to hide in nesting areas out of sight. Spraying a product that kills on contact might eliminate the bugs you see but likely won’t eliminate the entire problem.

Do some detective work to locate possible hiding areas (such as behind appliances) and then treat those areas. Powders and gels are great options for cracks and crevices. Bait products are also effective for long-term results, as the worker/scavenger insects grab the bait and then take it back to the nest, where it can wipe out the whole colony.

By investing a little time and effort to launch your own pest-fighting operation, you may find that you can avoid the costs of an extermination service.

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Reviewed December 2023