Pest control is essential as it ensures that disease-transmitting and allergy-inducing insects stay away from your home. However, some solutions can pose a threat to your children’s health and safety, so make sure you conduct careful research and only work with a reputable pest control provider. 

You may assume that all organic pest control methods are safe for humans, but some contain traces of toxic ingredients, leading to accidental poisonings. Pesticide toxicity may not be excessively risky to adults, but children and infants may have difficulties flushing the chemicals due to their developing organs.

When devising a pest control strategy, you’ll want to avoid any pesticides or traps that can pose a risk to your curious children. For more information on pest control solutions that are safe to use around children, read on. 

How to buy kid-friendly pesticides

It’s your responsibility as a parent to ensure your home remains safe for your children. Before shopping for pest control solutions or hiring a pest control provider, make sure you do your due diligence by gathering the necessary information about the various methods, advantages, and safety concerns.

Research the effects of various ingredients from reputable government websites, visit the manufacturers’ website for information, and ensure that you obtain the datasheets for material safety. Additionally, take time to consult trusted companies like Moxie Pest Control for their recommendations on kid-friendly pest control solutions and insight into their services and customer satisfaction guarantees. According to expert opinion, here are some non-toxic pest control solutions you can employ in a home packed with kids. 

Homemade repellents

You don’t always have to purchase store-bought pesticides to ward off pests. Instead, you can concoct homemade repellents using a few ingredients you can easily find at home. Garlic oil and neem oil are both incredibly-useful products for controlling pest infestations. A DIY Garlic spray is particularly effective against termites, aphids, ants, and slugs.

You can make garlic spray by crushing five garlic cloves and soaking them in half a liter of water for a minimum of six hours. After the solution marinates, drop in a few drops of dishwashing soap and four liters of water and mix everything thoroughly. 

If you’d prefer to avoid the potent stench of garlic, use neem oil instead. It’s not only a bug repellant but also an excellent insecticide because its ingredients interfere with the insects’ reproduction. With a few drops of neem oil, your home will be pest-free in no time at all. 

All-natural solutions

Pests require food, shelter, and water. The best place to fulfill all these needs is in your home. If they can’t gain access to your property, they’ll travel elsewhere. Therefore, the most effective pest control method is to make your home less attractive to bugs. A notable incentive of implementing preventative measures is that it’s 100 percent safe for your kids, as it doesn’t require pesticides. However, these all-natural preventatives won’t address any issues related to existing pests, so you’ll need to look elsewhere for extermination-oriented pest control solutions.

The first step in preventing pests is to seal up any entry points such as gaps around windows, doorways, wall passages,  siding, your foundation, and exterior walls. As a second step, keep your home clean and tidy, as dirty plates tossed in the sink or crumbs coating the counter will attract pests such as ants and rodents. Develop an enforceable routine of storing food items and putting the dishes into the dishwasher every night to eliminate bugs that would typically roam around your kitchen, searching for something to eat.

If you’re suffering from a carpenter ant infestation, look for wet or damaged woods since these ants seek out damaged timber. When cleaning your home, make sure you vacuum crevices, cracks, and carpets regularly and thoroughly clean the floors, counters, sinks, and tables. Some pests like cockroaches thrive in damp places, so eliminate moisture in your sinks and counter, and fix any leaks around the home.

As an additional safety precaution, store your food in a clean refrigerator or airtight lid containers. If packaged in cardboard boxes, transfer them to sealable containers, as cockroaches can effortlessly access cardboard containers. Food debris behind kitchen appliances like microwaves, stoves, and refrigerators also attracts pests, so be sure to carve out time in your housekeeping routine for deep-cleaning measures, such as mopping behind the fridge. 

Baits

Although natural pest control methods prevent pests, they don’t suffice in addressing existing infestations. Baits can help you manage existing bug-related problems and come in multiple forms, so you can choose the ones that work for you best. The bait method resolves severe infestations and is safe for children if you keep these baits out-of-sight and out-of-reach. Since bugs cower in hard-to-reach places, applying insect bait in discrete locations is relatively easy to do.

Conclusion

Avoiding high-risk pesticides is crucial if you have babies at home. If possible, opt for alternative methods like high-heat exposure but make sure you stay out of the house during application. If you have doubts about the safety of your pest control solution, speak to an expert.

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Vicky Charles

Vicky is a single mother, writer and card reader.

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