How to get rid of pests inside and outside of your house

PESTICIDES THAT ARE SAFE

	CHOOSING A SAFE PESTICIDE When choosing the safest and most effective pesticide to eliminate your pest, you must first know something about the toxicity (how poisonous) of the pesticide you will be using.   Pesticide - Is anything used to control pests. Insecticide - Is a pesticide used to control pests.   You can determine how toxic a pesticide by the signal word on the label or the pesticide's LD50 number. All pesticides must contain a labeled signal word,which you will see below:   SIGNAL WORDS KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. CAUTION/PRECAUCÍON   1. CAUTION -- Any product that is only slightly toxic. ( more than a pint taken orally could kill an adult). 2. WARNING -- A product that is moderately toxic. ( a teaspoon taken by mouth could kill an adult). 3. DANGER OR POISON -- A product which is highly toxic. (less than a teaspoon taken by mouth could kill and adult). A danger or poison signal word will also contain the skull and crossbones symbol. Pesticides Can Enter Your System Three Different Ways 1. Orally (through the mouth) 2. Dermally (through the skin usually around  the face, arms, and feet ). 3. Inhalation Pesticide exposure usually occurs through the dermal and inhalation entry routes. It is unlikely that you would injest a pesticide through your mouth but sometimes it does will occur.  TYPES OF PESTICIDE POISONING Acute Poisoning - A one time exposure to a pesticide. Chronic Poisoning - Exposure to a pesticide over a period of time. SYMPTOMS OF POISONING The symptoms of pesticide poisoning can be quite numorous. Headache, cramps,muscle twitches,weakness, confusion, eye and skin irritation, fast pulse,shortness of breath, fever, cough, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you experience any of these symptoms afer using pesticides, see your doctor right away and tell him what pesticide you were using. Pesticides should only be used as a last resort.  Determining How Dangerous A Pesticide Is Another way the toxicity (how poisonous a pesticide is) is measured is by the lethal dose 50 (LD50). This means the amount of a certain pesticide that was given, that killed half the test animals. Therefore, if the LD50 number is high, the pesticide is less dangerous.   The LD50 number determines what the pesticide signal word will be(danger,warning, and caution).   1-50 Highly Toxic -- Danger or Poison 50-500 Moderately Toxic -- Warning 500-5000 Slightly Toxic -- Caution 5000-15,000 Practicaly Non Toxic -- Caution   Some examples of oral LD50 numbers Diatomaceous Earth - 8000 Boric Acid - 2660 Table Salt -3000 Aspirin - 1000 Moth Balls - 500 Caffeine - 192 Bleach - 192 Nicotine - 50 Tetrahydrocannabinol (pot) - 730 Cocaine - 95 Alcohol - 11   Read The Label I really want to stress the importance of reading the insecticide label especially if you have children or pets. Just because you purchased the insecticide over the counter does not mean it's completely safe. Many homeowners have suffered symptoms of poisoning because they did not take the time to read the label. I recently talked to a friend of mine who sprayed his home for fleas with a liquid insecticide and did not bother to read the complete label. The label stated that pets should be removed from the house until the insecticide was dry. His puppy was left in the home during and after the spray treatment and licked up much of the liquid that was sprayed on the kitchen floor. The puppy did not die, but became quite sick and threw-up numerous times throughout the day. If my friend would have taken the time to read the insecticide label he would have saved himself $400.00 in vet bills. Once again, please read the complete label very carefully.

	SAFEST PESTICIDES Understanding that I have a young child, I would like to use other strictly non-toxic methods of pest control ergo my interest in Diatomaceous Earth and Boric Acid. So given the above, I have the following questions: 1. Can Boric Acid be purchased as a stand-alone-product or does it usually have other toxic and/or non-toxic chemicals thrown-in with it? Yes, it can but I recommend that you purchase a boric acid product that is labeled for insect treatment. 2. Same as above but for Diatomaceous Earth. Yes it is sold as a stand alone product but be sure and get the food grade type. As Id like to try both products as soon as possible and would therefore like to buy locally: 3. Is it common to buy Diatomaceous Earth and Boric Acid in local stores? Yes,boric acid can be found in pharmacies and DE can be found in hardware stores. If yes to the above: 4. What specific products from a given manufacturer(s) would you recommend and why? The ones listed below are safe and effective. Two of the safest, nontoxic pesticide products that I have used are: DIATOMACEOUS EARTH - Safe all natural organic pest control solution. Food grade Diatomaceous Earth is an abrasive powder made from mineral remains of single cell aquatic plants. Kills by cutting and dehydrating crawling insects like slugs, ants, cockroaches, earwigs, grasshoppers and fleas and more. First Defense Premise Treatment In-Home All-Natural Pesticide - (Boric Acid) - Win the war against larval and adult insects including fleas, cockroaches, ants, silverfish, palmetto bugs, and more. A single treatment of this product protects the entire home against infestations for a full year. Once the salt-like granules have been thoroughly brushed into carpets, area rugs, upholstered furnishings, cracks and crevices of flooring, and baseboards, there is no need to reapply until after 12 months. Made from 100-percent Boric Acid, an environmentally friendly mineral, the product eradicates fleas and other infestations without introducing chemical-based pesticides into the home. The completely natural and effective insecticide is safe for family, pets, and the environment and comes in a 2-pound container with a secure lid and easy-grip handle. Many of todays baits are also considered to be very safe when used correctly. Rodent baits should be placed in a rodent proof lock box if used. Ant and roach baits should be kept out of childs reach.  Getting rid of spiders the safe way My son and his family seem to have a terrible problem with spiders in their home, they have two small children (6 months and 2 years) this concerns me.  What is the best and safest way to rid the house of these pest.  Thanks   ANSWER: Placing non toxic spider traps around areas in your house where you are seeing the spiders, including the basement will help quite a bit. Also spreading non toxic diatomaceous earth powder around the outside foundation will kill any insect that comes in contact with it, but is safe to people and pets.