How to Keep Bugs Out
I don’t mind bugs outside. They have just as much right to exist as I do. However, I do not like them in my home. My wife feels exactly the same way. I have tried many different products that claim to repel or keep bugs out of your home. I have had very little success with most, but have found a few good ones that require mentioning. I have also found a few homemade remedies to help keep them out.
The only store bought insecticides that I have had good luck with are Raid and Bayer. Raid is just one of those all-around bug killers. I don’t like to spray it in the house, but I do use it in my garage. I am concerned about health issues with my family breathing in fumes from a chemical that kills bugs on contact. Bayer granulated bug control product was recommended to me by my father as a fantastic barrier for my home. He sprinkles it around the foundation of his house to keep the bugs out. I have to admit that it does a really good job. I used it for a few years and was amazed at how fast it got rid of the bugs. I sprinkled it around my house in about a one foot path and it kept the bugs away for a few months. I was really surprised to see the wolf spiders literally running from it as I sprinkled it around.
Because of my concern for my family’s health, I have been looking into more natural and homemade ways of keeping the bugs out where they belong. I have found a great new spray to use as a barrier for my home. Simply boil four quarts of water and slowly add in two tablespoons of aluminum sulfate, which is commonly known as alum. Make sure that the alum completely dissolves in the water and let it cool. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and completely soak the foundation of your home. You can also paint it on areas of your home that you need extra pest control.
To control bugs in the home, I use Borax. Twenty Mule Team Borax is still available for a few bucks in the laundry isle of your local grocery store. I sprinkle Borax all over my carpets a few times a year. Simply sprinkle it all over and grind into the carpet by walking around a lot. Vacuum up the Borax and it will remove odors from your carpet and leave a little boric acid in the fibers. The boric acid will kill any crawling bug that gets into your home.