Controlling pests does not always require the use of toxic chemicals and insecticides to get the job done. Moreover, many people use natural pest deterrents that are completely harmless to humans and animals as well. There are those, too, that really appreciate substances that keep these pests away without the necessity of killing them while not introducing any harmful chemicals into the immediate human environment. And, of course, there is the cost savings when using natural substances for pest control.

People in the US alone spend millions of dollars annually on controlling pests in their homes and yards. A stroll through the appropriate aisle in any supermarket makes the astounding quantity of chemical pest deterrents and highly toxic pesticides apparent to anybody who looks. There is an equally large display of those designed for use on cats, dogs, birds and other household pets as well.

If the use of natural substances for pest control seems an ineffective approach to you, consider if you will that people were using them effectively decades before the toxic variety became available and popular. Consider also, the large number of human beings and pets that have become ill and even died from toxic substance poisoning. Remember the Peregrine Falcon who neared extinction due to DDT destroying the hardness of their eggshells and the massive fish kills in the US Great Lakes due to toxic substances in the water.

Natural Pest Controls Really Are Effective

The type of natural substances you select depends upon what pests you wish to control. It also requires an understanding of which substances repel which pests. This kind of information is readily available in detail from Internet websites and it's a good idea to download some and do some in depth reading before you decide.

To begin with, obtain some flypaper (you know the sticky stuff), citronella candles, glue paper and those yellow bug lamps that you can find in any hardware store. Since sweet aromas attract most bugs, placing some glue paper around entrances to your house will probably get many bugs 'stuck' before they enter the house with you.

Other steps you can take include aerating the soil in your lawn and garden, and using some corn gluten, dark molasses and perhaps some calcium products all of which will repel pests without necessitating the use of toxic chemicals at all.

Those devices that repel insects with ultrasonic sound work too. They generate a noise that you can't hear or feel, but the bugs can and don't like it. The noise is definitely not harmful to people or their pets.

There are herbal substances that pests don't like too. These include catnip, spearmint, peppermint and other herbs mixed with cider vinegar to create a truly natural pest repellent spray that will kill bugs or at least send them packing from your property. Empty spray bottles are available inexpensively in any supermarket, hardware store or general store. Basil is a great herb to repel flying insects. It's emanations work like citronella and drives them away. This is especially effective on mosquitoes, flies and gnats, which can make an outdoor meal or picnic an itch nightmare. And while this may sound simplistic, going around the house and making certain there are no holes in window screens helps a lot. You'd be surprised just how small a hole will give pests a way inside.

 Five Simple Steps toward Natural Pest Control

There are some simple steps you can take to begin using effective pest control substances that aren't toxic:

(1)-Become informed. Websites such as Homepestconrolhelp.com are loaded with detailed information about products you can use that are very effective.

(2)-Make a list of the pests that bug you most that you wish to make gone once and for all. The, your research will uncover just the right natural substances to vanquish each one.

(3)-For ants, which bother just about everybody, surround your home with a inexpensive substance called Diatomaceous Earth which ants will not cross. It will kill fleas too.

(4)-For Roaches, that are all-too common, use fans or blowers to keep the air moving in attics and crawl spaces. This will make them leave your home according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

(5)-Do away with bugs like Silverfish by placing some Borax or Epsom salts around water pipes, toilets, washers and basement sinks. They hate it and will beat a hasty retreat.

These are just a few natural repellents and methods. After you've done the necessary web research, you will have them all at your fingertips. And besides keeping toxicity out of your life, think of all the money you'll save too.

_{Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about Pest Control & Termite Services}