Transcript Keeping Your Home Free of Pests and Harmful Pesticides

Keeping Your Home Free of Pests
and Harmful Pesticides
Steps to a Healthy
Home Series
Educational programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service are open to all
people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.
The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating
Are You Bugged by Pests?
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Cockroaches, flies, rats, mice
Dust mites
Fleas and ticks
Spiders
Ants
Mosquitoes
Keeping Your Home Free of Pests
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Easier to prevent pest problems than to
control infestations once they have become
established.
Water
Pests need water, food,
and habitat to flourish
inside a home.
Pest
Food
Problems
Harborage
Why Do You Have Pests?
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Broken, loose, or torn screens
Gaps or holes in home, especially around
plumbing
Dirty floors, counters, and dishes
Spilled foods
Storing garbage where pests can reach
Roof or plumbing leaks
Storing food in containers without lids
Keeping Your Home Free of Pests
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Sanitation – remove what attracts pests
Exclusion – keep pests out of house
Elimination of hiding places – get rid of
places where they can hide
Extermination – kill the pests
Sanitation
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Regularly clean floors, windowsills, and other
surfaces
Wipe up spills and crumbs right away
Eat at the table or at least in the kitchen
Clean up dirty dishes right after eating
Clean and disinfect bathroom surfaces
Keep a tight lid on trash cans and empty often
Store food and pet food in sealed containers
Exclusion
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Seal cracks and crevices around
pipes & electrical wiring
Check bags and boxes for pests before
bringing them inside
Keep window screens in good repair
Keep pets either inside or outside
Place screen wire over vents and
other points where pests could enter
Elimination of Hiding Places
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Get rid of clutter
Store clothing in chests or covered plastic
containers
Wash bedding weekly
Dispose of old newspapers, magazines,
and plastic bags
Extermination - Control
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Control can be with non-chemical methods
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Control can be with chemical methods
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Control can be with pesticides
Non-chemical Control
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Trapping devices such as fly paper, mouse
traps, or roach prisons
Use a vacuum cleaner to help control pests
such as fleas, moths, or beetles and to
remove food sources
Chemical Control
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Baits are safe and effective
Use gel formulations along cracks & crevices
Insecticide sprays may be used in cracks &
crevices and along baseboards
Control with Pesticides
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Buy only pesticides labeled for the pest and area you
are treating
Read & follow all label instructions; use only the
amount listed – more is not better
Keep children & pets out of treated area until the
product is dry
Never apply pesticides to food
Protect your skin, eyes, and lungs while using
pesticides
Wash hands with soap and water
Storing and Disposing of Pesticides
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Store where children and pets cannot reach
them
Store only in the container they came in
Follow the label directions for disposal
Never reuse a pesticide container
Never pour a pesticide down a drain or toilet
Tips for Controlling Household Pests
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Clean food and grease from stove daily. If possible, clean under
and behind stove.
Clean up food spills, crumbs, and liquids on countertops and
floors immediately.
Empty trash daily. Clean and disinfect garbage cans and recycling
bins weekly. Let the cans dry out before you put in a new garbage
bag.
Keep the cabinet under your sink dry and clean. Have leaks
repaired.
Clean the outside and inside of the refrigerator. If possible,
vacuum underneath.
Wash and dry dishes as soon as possible after eating.
Wash floors at least weekly.
Tips for Controlling Household Pests
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Cockroaches are attracted to food and moisture
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Remove or tightly cover all food
Clean up spills on floors and counters
Don’t leave water sitting in open containers
Use baits or gel products to get rid of cockroaches.
Seal any cracks around the walls or cabinets where
cockroaches can get in.
Throw away paper grocery bags and stacks of newspaper.
Roaches like to live in them.