It might surprise you but killing ants once they are in the home is actually a bad idea. This is because the smell of their dead brethren brings more ants to the scene in order to carry away the carcasses. Think if you will of ants being rather like the armed forces in that they leave no one, or in this case ant, behind. Therefore the best way to prevent further swarms of ants is to engage in preventative measures.

The first phase in your ant prevention mission is to locate the main entrances ants use to gain entry into your house or apartment. Fill in any holes where possible and make sure there is no household garbage left near the doors to your home as these will attract all forms of insect and larger scavenger. Never leave food on windowsills as this is one of the primary entry routes for ants during the warm months when windows are left open.

Ants don’t like all food substances as one might have thought. They absolutely detest items such as red chilli powder, black pepper, mint and cinnamon. If you have a problem with ants walking across kitchen counters and tables then spread a little of these substances across the surfaces affected. The benefits of these are that they are not dangerous to pets and children and are extremely effective.

Open windows are one of the primary routes ants use to gain entry into the home. During the warmer months, it’s impossible not to have the windows open. That needn’t be a problem however as there are a few solutions you can use. Plant some mint and cloves in little shallow tubs and place on the windowsill. A ring of Vaseline or chalk around the window and door frames will also create an effective barrier. Ants will avoid these types of obstacles altogether. If you have a baby then you’re bound to have spare baby powder, this also works.

Another substance that ants absolutely detest and which will help you rid ants from your home is vinegar. This is cheap and in plentiful supply and can be mixed with water to form a more easy solution. Sprinkle some of this on surfaces which are particularly susceptible to ant invasion, especially food preparation areas.

Most of the solutions above will not directly deal with the ants already present in the home but they will stop further ants from entering. That said, after a few days of employing the above tactics, the existing ants will either die or leave the building. Always clear up dead ants when you see them to prevent the smell attracting their comrades. Regularly check for any new holes or gaps as well as renewing the natural remedies suggested above, especially during the hot summer months.

The bug catcher vacuum works by sucking insects into a compartment thereby trapping them for safe removal from the scene. Thankfully, for people like myself who hate to kill animals and bugs of any kind, the insect is unharmed and can be freed outside. There are however versions that do kill the insect and these can be purchased as well, depending on your preference. Bug catcher vacuums can be used for both flying and ground-based bugs such as spiders, millipedes and caterpillars.

It’s not just for bug removal that a bug catcher vacuum can be used. They are also extremely beneficial for children and parents who want to study insects in a scientific manner. Special toy bug vacuums are available which allow children to view and examine the bugs, up close, without causing harm to the insect.

Bug catcher vacuums come in different formats. Some are battery powered whilst others use trigger-based suction and air compression methods. One of the most popular humane bug catcher vacuums is the BugZooka model which is battery-free and uses bellows to compress air which sucks in the insect. The bugs are kept in a transparent tube which means children and inquisitive adults can inspect the insect they have caught. The tube is removable for easy transport outside where the bug in question can be safely freed.

You can read other people’s bug vacuum reviews of the BugZooka here: BugZooka Humane Bug Catcher (Wasps, Spiders & Flies)

If you have a fear of bugs that creepy crawl over your toes when you’re not expecting it or annoyingly buzz around your ears when you’re trying to work, then a bug catcher vacuum will come in very useful.

Clean Bedding – Dust mites love beds more than the laziest of humans. It’s where we spend up to a third of our lives and the one single location where we lose much of our dead skin. As noted in previous articles in this series on dust mites, these minuscule creatures eat discarded skin cells whether from humans or animals. With this in mind it is best to change bedding once a week and to make sure the sheets are washed in hot water. This will kill and wash away dust mites and their allergy inducing faeces.

If you suffer from dust mite allergies it will also be wise to get rid of any wool blankets, comforters or feather pillows and adornments. This will be an unfortunate impact on your interior design but it will also significantly reduce the places where dust mites thrive. Vellux is a good material to use and can take a lot of hot water washes. it might also be nice to have your cat or dog sleep with you but again, this just adds further discarded skin cells to the bed and will have a negative impact on your dust mite allergies. Get them their own bed on the floor.

Carpets – If the bed is dust mite hotel, the carpet is dust mite city. There is so much of it and so many places for dust mites to hide and feed. A vacuum cleaner doesn’t do much either for the dust mites are able to hang on to the fibres in the carpet and slot themselves into the many nooks and crannies that are visible if you look at the threading under a microscope. The best way to rid your carpets of as many dust mites as possible is to steam clean them. This should be done regularly, depending on your allergy symptoms. The hot steam will kill most dust mites.

Alternatively, you can make a major change in your decor scheme by throwing out all carpets in the home. This is drastic but if you have good floorboards underneath, it can be a blessing in disguise. There’s also choices in flooring which are easy to clean and do not lend themselves to dust mites. These include laminate, linoleum and wood. If you have very bad dust mite allergies, this is seriously an option to consider.

Temperature and Humidity – Dust mites love warm and humid environments. Therefore, one of the best ways to leave dust mites wanting an exit route is by keeping the home interior as cool as possible. Of course, this largely depends on your location in the world as well as the time of year but if possible, it’s best to keep a home below 70 degrees. Air conditioners and dehumidifiers can also be installed which will keep the interior spaces fresh and reduce humidity. The ideal humidity level for a private home is below 35%.

Clean the Home – “Cleanliness is indeed next to godliness” said John Wesley, the Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Whether close to godliness or not, cleanliness will certainly lead to dust mites being ousted from your home. Not many people like cleaning but it’s essential and especially so if you suffer from dust mite allergies. In severe cases, the house should be completely wiped clean once a week.

Areas to think about cleaning are floors, beds, walls, shelves, tables, chairs and anywhere else where dust collects including on the top of picture frames and doors. It’s essential you carry out this cleaning using a damp cloth. A dry cloth will merely flick the dust into the air where it will settle on locations where you have already cleaned. The dust will instead stick to a cloth that is slightly wet. The same applies when cleaning wooden or other hard floor surfaces. Mop the floors instead of sweeping. Take down the curtains regularly and give them a good clean. Vacuum upholstery and give furnishings as good going over.

Dust Traps – The more you get rid of general dust, the less you will suffer from dust mite allergies. This means getting rid of anything which might unnecessarily collect dust. Think about replacing curtains and drapes with blinds or shades which are much easier and quicker to wipe down. Too many soft toys can be a dust mite haven and so if your child suffers from dust mite allergies think about reducing the number of teddy bears and other stuffed toys in their bedroom. Also, it’s important to clean the soft toys regularly.

Pets need to be bathed often and one can purchase omega fatty acids for their skin which reduces the amount of dead skin cells dropping off with a moisturising effect. To sum up, it’s important to search around the house for where dust most collects and to target those areas in a weekly clean. It’s going to be impossible to get rid of all dust mites in the home and it’s best not to assume you can. However, with the points mentioned above, you can drastically reduce the numbers and the resulting dust mite allergy symptoms.

There are also special sprays which can be purchased in stores and also online which can help reduce dust mites in the home. These include Steri-Fab or BedLam Insecticide which are both safe to use in the home environment.

Getting rid of spiders in the home means making your home uninviting to spiders. One might assume that spraying insecticide will fix the problem but that is not usually the case, at least not in the long term. Once one spider has vacated an appealing area, another will soon appear to take its place.

Spiders like quiet, undisturbed locations in the home such as the corners of ceilings, behind furniture, beneath beds, across window panes and inside closets and cupboards. They are also good at finding ways into your house through pipes, cracks and openings. One of the most terrifying places for a person scared of spiders to find one of these creatures is climbing out of a sink or bathtub.

Now unless you find more than one or two spiders in the home at any one time, it is unlikely you will have a problem with spider infestations. Spiders, as pointed out in the preceding paragraph can wander in through a variety of ways, including on clothing, pets, bags and garden implements. if on the other hand you spot up to half a dozen in your home, then the following actions should be taken and continued thereafter.

Vacuum clean the flooring in each room regularly. Lift chairs, tables and other objects so you get at every square inch of the carpet, wooden floorboards, stone or vinyl coverings. Shake floor mats and rugs in the yard and get them as dust free as possible. In the kitchen and bathroom, mop the floor often.

Purchase dust mops and clean the ceiling corners, wall corners and behind the doors of each room, particularly those that are left open such as the doors leading to the hallway. If you store items under the beds, then buy sliding storage containers or boxes that will provide sealed areas for the various bits and pieces. Spiders like hiding in old clothing, shoes and toys.

Replace cardboard boxes with plastic boxes which are available to buy very cheaply. I like these better than the cardboard versions for they look better and they last a lot longer. They are also more spider proof and not as attractive as the card variety. Spiders love cardboard boxes like children love ice cream.

I am absolutely terrible at throwing anything out or giving anything away. I am a hoarder extraordinaire. However, if you’re committed to getting rid of spiders in the home, then a good spring clean and clear out is necessary. This is because spiders love to make their homes in the clutter inside your wardrobes, closets and wherever else you stockpile things you rarely use. Sell unwanted shoes, clothes or picture frames on ebay or give them to your local charity store.

Getting rid of spiders in the home will never be foolproof. You’ll always find one of the ugly little buggers somewhere in the house, having come in via an unassuming cat or open window. When you do come face to face with a spider, don’t kill it! Spiders are wonderful for your garden and do an excellent job of killing pests that adore to ravage your best plants. Find a glass, place it upside down over the spider and slide a piece of paper underneath. Secure the spider on the paper so it cannot fall out and take the cup outside. Release the spider on a plant, tree or over the fence.

If you follow these basic rules then your house should become as spider free as can be realistically expected. Getting rid of spiders in the home is not difficult and will prevent unpleasant meetings from taking place when opening a cupboard or putting on a shoe. The less spiders, the less damage to a husband’s hearing from the resulting shrieks of terror.