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Pest Control

Avon Skin So Soft – One of the Best Mosquito Repellents

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I’m convinced now. Avon Skin So Soft is one of the best mosquito repellents.

After hearing about the recent mosquito concerns, I knew that it was even more important to protect myself and family from potential mosquito bites. Products advertised in stores don’t always work. In fact, if you go to some regions, like the South USA, bugs look at common mosquito repellent sprays like seasoning on their “meal.” So I decided to go back to an old-school, throw back solution for keeping mosquitoes off of you: Avon Skin So Soft bath oil. This has been the most effective solution for me this summer — especially since I do a lot of gardening.

Avon Skin So Soft Mosquito Repellent
This stuff works.

Benefits
– effective mosquito and gnat repellent (I guess they don’t like the smell)
– makes skin feel soft and conditions skin
– gives off a clean refreshing smell
– often safe to use on or around animals
– less harmful than other products on the market; more natural

I used this product as a teen and now will continue to use it as an adult every summer. After using it I began to notice that when I came back into the house after a long day, little to no bites. Just smooth skin. I definitely feel more protected when out in the yard working. It’s important to slather the oil on liberally on every area of your body–including under your shorts. Spray or rub some on top of your pants or shorts as well because sometimes mosquitoes can bite through the fabric. Skin So Soft might not be 100% effective, but I’ve found it to be more effective than other brand name repellents.

When visiting an aunt who lives in the deep south where temperatures sometimes reach over 110 degrees, she confirmed that she uses Avon Skin So Soft for protection from mosquitoes. I’ve now passed this suggestion to my family and friends so that they can also be protected.

I totally recommend using Avon Skin So Soft to manage concerns about the Zika virus and also just to enjoy the summer bug and bite-free. It comes either in a large 24 ounce bottle or in a smaller spray bottle (I prefer the oil you can rub on). I give this product 4.5 stars out of five.

Posted by Louise

 

How to Protect Food from Insects at Outdoor Barbecues and Picnics

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The more warm and sunny it gets outside, the more you, your family and friends are going to get excited about firing up the grill and barbecuing up a storm. But as exciting as it sounds in theory, bringing food outside can be a challenge due to the wide variety of bugs and flying insects that also want to party with you and have some of your delicious food. Here are some simple ideas for how to protect your food (and guests) from annoying insects.

Table Tent for Flies

As soon as the food hits the table outside, you’re probably going to have to start contending with flies who want to try some. Flies are mostly harmless, but they are very unsanitary insects—they sit and feed on feces, dirt and dead carcasses—so you don’t want them near your food. The best way to shield your food from flies is to get a couple of Pop-Up Mesh Screen Food Cover Tents. They’re made of a light mesh material that the average fly can’t penetrate and are super affordable (2 for about $10). Flies might still fly around the area, but you won’t have to worry about them sitting on your fried chicken and potato salad.Barbecue Outdoor Grilling

Citronella Candles for Mosquitoes

There’s another type of fly that come to your barbecue to “feed” but not on the chicken. Mosquitoes are looking to make a meal out of your guests. One of the best ways to keep mosquitoes and other flying insects out of the area is to surround your guests with citronella candles. Citronella is a very fragrant oil that is extracted from a plant that mosquitoes don’t like. There are a number of styles of citronella candles that you can buy that will make your party look and smell great while protecting you from mosquito bites. It’s also a good idea to keep a mosquito repellent spray handy for your guests.

Keeping Ants Away

If you’re planning on having a picnic or barbecue in the park, ants are going to be competing for your lunch. If you want to keep ants away from your picnic here are a few ideas:

  • Create a mixture of borax and regular sugar to sprinkle around the perimeter of your picnic of barbecue area. The ants will be attracted to the smell of sugar before they even have a chance to reach your table. The borax gets rid of ant colonies.
  • If you just want to keep the ants away, draw a line around your picnic area with a big piece of sidewalk chalk or sprinkle flour. They will be repelled by either substance.
  • If your foot is on top of a picnic table, put all four legs in a bucket of water. Ants can’t cross water.

Wasp or Yellowjacket Trap

One of the most annoying parts of eating and grilling outside is dodging wasps, hornets and similar flying insects who think they are invited to your party! One way to manage this problem is to set a wasp and yellowjacket trap a short distance from the area where you’re gathering. The wasps go there instead of your picnic area—once they enter the bag they can’t get out. Make sure you get a wasp trap that doesn’t attract beneficial honeybees. There are also similarly designed outdoor fly traps if you don’t want them bothering you while you eat.

Bee Repellent Sprays

For the most part, bees are our friends. They pollinate our plants and give us delicious honey. But they aren’t always welcome at outdoor barbecues and picnics. Experts say that the best way to repel bees is to spray the area with a bee repellent spray. Citronella candles are also helpful in keeping them at bay.

When you’re grilling this spring and summer, use these simple tips to protect your food from annoying insects who don’t want to leave you and your guests alone. Once you eliminate this problem, you can relax knowing that everyone is having a relaxed and enjoyable time eating outdoors.

How to Prevent Flea Infestation In Your Home

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Cats and dogs are wonderful to have in your home. They give you endless, unconditional love and affection through out their life span. However, if they become riddled with fleas, it can make you both miserable. Here are a few tips that can help prevent flea infestation in your home and on your pet.

Cat and dog - Photo credit: Flickr; https://www.flickr.com/photos/qole/54934107
Help your cat and dog friends – prevent flea infestation.

1- Check your pet regularly for fleas. You can easily tell if a pet has fleas by shaking their hair over a white paper towel and then running it under water. If the specks turn red, that is flea dirt (blood from biting your animal). In that case a treatment is needed immediately. Also, part their hair with your fingers to look at their skin for any redness, irritation or bumps. Definitely do this if you yourself are experiencing bite marks in clusters on any part of your body. Also, monitor your pet regularly for excessive scratching. The earlier you catch the problem, the easier it will likely be to control the situation.

2- After doing yard work or being exposed to outdoor cats, don’t come inside with the same clothes on. Disrobe in your garage or another private area and change into something clean before coming inside. Even one flea can get on your pants and get tracked into the home. While you’re doing yard work, spray your grass and nearby plant life with a pest control product to get rid of fleas outside.

3- If you are certain that your pet has fleas, do not use the cheap brand of flea killer. Invest in the high end, top of the line brand flea treatment for cats and dogs like Revolution. The cheaper brands (including cheap flea collars) may not kill the fleas with one application and will be a waste of money in the long run. Revolution can be difficult to find and expensive, but it is worth it if you want to keep fleas from infesting your home. I think they also offer Revolution at Vetco locations on the weekends (find out more at Petco). If you can wait about a week (not highly recommended if you want to prevent an infestation), you can order it from here. I’ve also heard good things about Advantage II for cats and dogs.

4- Add a brand name flea collar to your vacuum cleaner to kill any fleas that get picked up when vacuuming your floors or carpets. This will prevent your pet and home from becoming infested with fleas again. Simply remove the flea collar from the canister or bag when emptying contents into garbage can. The effectiveness of the collar should last for up to sixty days. It’s preferable to have a vacuum with a tight plastic canister, as it will trap any fleas more effectively than bag vacuums.

5- Treat your carpets, beds, couches, and other surfaces where your cats like to relax with flea spray. I use a natural product called Natural Care Flea and Tick Spray (peppermint oil based and has a somewhat pleasant scent). It’s also very effective against flies and mosquitoes. You can find Natural Care products at Walmart as well. If you don’t mind using a chemical solution, try Zodiac Carpet & Upholstery Pump Spray. I’ve used it in the past and it is very effective in my experience.

Use these simple tips to treat and prevent flea infestation in your home so that both you and your pet baby can be comfortable.

 

 

How to Kill Fleas in 24 Hours or Less

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A simple process for how to kill fleas in 24 hours or less.

People get squeamish when they learn that their animals are carrying around fleas. It’s tough to deal with the idea that fleas, flea larvae, and flea eggs are probably everywhere in your house — the carpets, the couches where your cats jump on and even your bed.

Before you panic and lock yourself in the closet, just calm down, take a breath and get a few supplies. Here is the best way to deal with a possible flea infestation (based on my own past experience with the issue):

© Johanna Goodyear | Dreamstime Stock Photos
Fluffy wants to live flea-free!
© Johanna Goodyear | Dreamstime Stock Photos

1) The first thing you want to do is treat the cats. What’s the point of cleaning up your house if your pets are just going to go right back to the area and sit down to spread more bugs? Don’t bother with cheap flea powders and collars; go right to what you know will work: a spot-on product like Revolution or a similar brand with good reviews. These products enter the pet’s blood stream to kill all unwanted parasites that bite your pet. Fleas don’t stand a chance. If you prefer a natural solution, try washing the pet with blue Palmolive dish washing liquid — fleas hate it. But I have to say, in my experience natural remedies aren’t as sure a thing as using Revolution or another spot-on solution.

2) Throw all sheets, covers, and clothes that could be infested in the washing machine and wash on a hot cycle a couple of times. You may even just want to trash them if you think they are really infested.

3) Vacuum everything including your carpets and couches thoroughly and THROW THE VACUUM BAG OUTSIDE WHEN FINISHED.

4) Use a Flea Killing Spray made for carpets and upholstery everywhere, beds, carpets, etc. This will help get rid of the adult fleas.

5) Lock your cats or dogs up in a room that doesn’t have any carpet or couches, and make sure you open a window. Even better if you only have a few pets, take them for a long ride around town with you or to a friend’s house who has an isolated room with no carpets. You don’t want your pets having the possibility of inhaling the fumes from the poisonous flea bomb you will set off.

6) Finally, set off several good flea bombs in your home and leave the house for 5-6 hours or more. Once that flea bomb does its job you are going to be in the clear, so make sure you get enough of them to cover your entire house.

The key for how to kill fleas in 24 hours or less: don’t buy cheap flea products — make sure you invest in good stuff so that you won’t have to do this all over again. You will probably end up spending about $25 or $30 for the cat treatment depending on how many cats you have and $30-$40 for the bombs and spray. That $70 is well worth the peace of mind you’ll get knowing that your home is flea-free again.

Posted by Jade

Getting Rid of Bats — Do Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Work?

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How to get rid of bats who have the audacity to invade your home.

If you’re trying desperately to get rid of bats from your home, I can feel your pain. Your fingers were probably shaking a bit as you clicked this link. It’s a scarier scenario than many people think — especially for a “girly girl” like me. Bats fly and they look absolutely gross up close. Some of them crawl on the floor using their wings to get around. It’s very unnerving.

A few years ago, I had the misfortune of having a series of close encounters with bats in my home-all in a few short period of time (about a few days). I have seen one or two bats in my home right after moving in, but never to the extent as this particular situation.

One bat flew in my room while I was sleeping (through a space above the air conditioner). Another greeted me at the door when I came home. This happened in the same day and I was freaking out. I’m still not 100% sure how they get in, but I did learn that they can crawl into a space that’s a fraction of an inch.

Nothing for Bats?

The night that I found a bat hanging out in my living room, I went to Home Depot and asked them, in a panic, “What do you have to get rid of bats?” They chuckled and said “Ma’am I don’t think we have anything for bats, sorry.”

So I went through the aisles anyway and tried to find something, anything that would allow me to expel or battle these flying rats. I finally came across an ultrasonic pest repeller device — the type that you plug into the wall so that it transmits a sound that only pests can hear.

I figured it was worth a try. After having a friend remove the bats currently in the house, I bought a few ultrasonic pest devices and plugged them up around my home.

Many Different Opinions on How to Get Rid of Bats

Now I want to give a fair and balanced discussion of using these ultrasonic pest repellers to get rid of bats. I went to over 10 different websites to do research. A lot of the websites published by professional bat removal experts (pest control services) say that these devices do not work on bats. The pest control experts obviously would know the most about how to get rid of bat colonies and nests and state that the only truly effective solution is to get them to leave then seal the exit. But you have to wonder if some are putting down these devices to get more clients. Bat removal can easily exceed $500.

Others say that the ultrasonic sound will only serve to confuse the bats, as they use sound to “see.” (Read more about that here.) These folks make the point that if the bats can’t follow sounds properly due to the loud screeching or beeping emitted by these ultrasonic tools, they will probably just bump into walls and get annoyed.

On the other hand, a few websites contained reviews from customers who said that these ultrasonic pest repeller devices absolutely DO work.

In my case I was willing to try just about anything. So I went ahead and ordered a few more ultrasonic devices online (the P3 Attack Wave models –they were only about $20 each). The reviews were decent. I plugged them in on the top and bottom floors of my home. Recently I learned that this model and this model are more specifically targeted to get rid of bats.

The Verdict

After putting the ultrasonic devices on the top floor of my home I no longer had an issue with bats coming into my house, but they were still apparently living in the attic. I eventually had a hire a local bat control expert to place netting in the area where the bats were coming in and out of the home.

So the ultimate answer to the question of whether ultrasonic pest repellers work is yes and no. They may keep them away from your living space, but the more persistent ones might still take up residence in an attic or crawlspace. I do not want to minimize the expert opinion of pest control companies, but at the very least this may be a much cheaper temporary alternative solution for someone who is disgusted by bats yet doesn’t have $500 laying around at the moment to hire a bat expert to put up netting. As an added bonus it may also keep other pests and rodents away. * Note, some users have said that these devices can bother pets, so if you do get one make sure you keep an eye on Fluffy and Fido.

Another Option for Getting Rid of Bats

As I mentioned earlier, I had to hire someone to exclude the bats from my attic. This is a job that takes under an hour to do (maybe two if you count the removal of the netting and filling of spaces with foam) and shouldn’t cost more than $300-$500 so don’t let anyone take advantage of you here. Some home carpenters know how to do this work.

Another cheaper option for getting rid of bats is to buy the netting and set up what is called a “one-way door” yourself. The only cost is netting, Gorilla duct tape, foam sealant and a ladder that’s long and secure enough to safely reach the entry point (get someone to spot you and be extra careful).

First you have to find out where they’re coming in and out, so go outside after dusk and take a look around possible exit points.

Once you figure that out, you have to get on a ladder (in the morning when they’re sleeping) to securely tape the netting so that the bats can crawl out but can’t get back in. You see, when they try to fly back into the hole after leaving, they’re going to keep trying to go in directly, but the netting won’t allow them to. They don’t know how to come back in indirectly but crawling around the netting. Read more about this here.

After a few nights, check to see if they’re still coming and in out. Once they’re gone, you can remove the netting and fill the holes with foam sealant or just leave the netting up.

I also strongly suggest that you make sure there aren’t any other places where the bats can find their way inside — if so, fill them with foam as well after putting up the netting. Some people choose to buy bat houses to give them a new place to live in the woods.

Have you had a problem with bats? Have you used ultrasonic devices or tried putting up bat netting yourself? Please tell me all about your own solution for getting rid of bats in the comments area.

Posted by Jade