Once pests invade apartments they can be a real pain to eliminate. We have compiled some helpful tips for controlling and solving your insect problem without using toxic chemicals in your home:
Ants
Block entryways with petroleum jelly or duct tape and sprinkle with cayenne pepper or cinnamon, which interacts with their feelers. Wipe down area with vinegar and water solution. Vinegar removes the scent trails and keeps them from coming back to the same source in apartments. To reduce and kill your ant population in faster way, borax mixed with jelly ruins digestive system and the exoskeleton.
Roaches
Roaches are attracted to water so it is important to not leave stagnant water in the sink, avoid humidity, and wipe all spills. While you are at it, put all produce, bread, and perishable food items in the fridge. Mix borax with sugar. Like with the ants, it damages their exoskeleton and their digestive system. Will take about 2 weeks to see results, as the roaches continually cary and ingest the deadly, yet non-toxic, method. You can even make your own non-toxic trap: coat the insides of a mason jar with petroleum jelly and fill jar with a healthy slice of bread. They cannot crawl up the sides of the jar and are trapped inside. This method will not kill the whole colony at a rapid rate, but it will get rid of surface level insects.
Fruit Flies
We like this nifty method for getting rid of fruit flies in apartments. Pour a glass of wine or orange juice into a cup. Then, cover it with saran wrap, and poke 6-8 small holes with a needle for flies to crawl into. They will not be able to fly out of the glass and will remain trapped. If you like to keep the doors open occasionally in your apartment, keep a pot or a few sprigs of basil in your home to repel fruit flies.
Moths
Moths like dark and cozy area like your closet. They can produce larvae and hatch eggs in your garments and leave holes in your clothes. A satchel of cedar blocks and/or lavender can eliminate this problem in apartments. Cedar will kill the larvae, and lavender will act as a repellant to prevent future infestations. Consider it a 1, 2 punch to moth colonies!
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