Safe Pesticides for the Home
You may worry about the use of toxic chemicals around the home to control problems with ants, cockroaches, silverfish and other insects. Commonly used pesticides can have a number of health effects, particularly on children and sensitive adults, which can cause reactions such as asthma and skin and eye irritation. A number of safe, natural pesticides that pose no danger to human beings, pets or the environment are available for home use. Does this Spark an idea?
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Boric Acid
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Boric acid is made from borax, a naturally occurring mineral that is mined in many parts of the world. It has many uses, as a laundry cleaner, as medical treatment and as an insecticide. It is a safe pesticide that does not evaporate into the environment and is non-toxic to birds, fish and other wildlife, according to BeyondPesticides.org. It is sprinkled into cracks and crevices and other areas where insects gain entry into homes. Boric acid is often mixed into sweet or protein substances for baits that entice insects to carry the food back to nests where other insects ingest the slow-acting poison and die. Boric acid takes longer to work than chemical pesticides but is considered safe to use in the home.
Diatomaceous Earth
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Diatomaceous earth is composed of the fossilized skeletons of tiny marine creatures. This material has tiny, sharp edges that cut and scrape the waxy, protective coating on the exoskeletons of insects, causing them to dry out and die, according to the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program site. It is a fine powder that is applied to cracks and crevices where insects have been seen or can gain entry to the house. Diatomaceous earth is low in toxicity and is effective for a long time, if kept dry.
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Neem Oil
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Neem oil is a botanical insecticide made from the seeds of the neem tree, Azadirachta indica. It was used for thousands of years as an insecticide in India and Southeast Asia. Increased interest in non-toxic, natural products to control insects has made it popular in the West to control insect problems on houseplants and garden plants. Neem oil works in a number of ways. It coats the insect's body, suffocating it. Larvae and nymphs remain in an immature state and die off. Mating and reproduction is inhibited also, according to University of Connecticut entomologist Leanne Pundt.
Citrus Oils
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Citrus oils contain a chemical called limonene, also called d-limonene, which acts as a contact insecticide on ants, roaches, silverfish, palmetto bugs and other insects, according to Clemson University specialist Karen Russ. It has low toxicity for mammals, birds and fish. However, it can cause reactions in sensitive people.
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References
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