Using Eco-Friendly Products to Get Rid of Pests

Carl Shaw is the owner of Critter and Pest Defense in Orlando, and a critter control specialist who uses as many eco-friendly products as possible in his business. And according to Shaw, harsh chemicals and pest extermination don’t have to go hand in hand, especially now that so many natural products are available for exterminators to use.

Being an eco-friendly company means that we are responsible for the products that we choose to use in people’s homes. And some of those include natural products that are made out of earth-friendly materials. Among the natural treatments that we use when getting rid of pests in people’s homes and offices is an “instant kill” product called pyrethrum, which is made from chrysanthemum flowers. The chrysanthemum flowers are straight from Mother Earth, so the product is totally safe to use in most household situations.

Natural Insecticide

Many natural pest control products target the toxins to kill only the type of insects they are designed to get rid of. In the case with the pyrethrum instant kill product, it turns out that the chrysanthemum flower is toxic to bugs but not humans. By finding a way to concentrate the chrysanthemum plant and turn it into pyrethrum insecticide, the companies that make this product were able to create a completely natural insecticide that is harmful only to bugs and not children or pets.

By targeting their agents toward the chemical makeup of insects rather than that of humans, the creators of natural insecticides are able to formulate their products. Our bodies and pests’ bodies are made up of two different things. They have exoskeletons and we are vertebrates. The companies making natural insecticides have been able to create a chemical that targets the exoskeleton makeup of bugs specifically, without harming humans. Since the natural solution that we spray is targeted at pests and not vertebrates, it is safe for pets, kids, and even birds—which are typically the most sensitive of all the pets a family could have.

On the other hand, people should never get any closer to pest control chemicals—even eco-friendly varieties—than they have to, especially when they are in a concentrated form. Even natural pest remedies can be dangerous if people who are not experts start trying to handle these products and chemicals. So if you need critter control in Orlando, it’s a good idea to call a pest exterminator to handle the job.

Extermination Process

I recommend that families do a couple of things when it comes to keeping pets and small children safe during an extermination process. Firstly, families should remove themselves from the home during the extermination and get their pets out of the house as well.

Getting yourselves out of the home is especially important when you start talking about flea treatments. During a flea treatment, the chemicals used have to be sprayed over every area of the premises in order for the process to be effective. Those chemicals are meant to be used that way, so there is no way to make the environment safe for families to be in. Even the Orlando critter control specialists themselves have to wear face masks during a flea treatment to prevent the potential ingestion of dangerous chemicals.

After the spraying portion of a flea treatment is done, an exterminator will leave the house sealed for a period of time while the chemical sits and settles. Pets, children, and parents need to be out of the home for at least four hours after a flea treatment. And because flea treatments usually cover the full home, families should not expect to be able to hang out in one area of the house while another area is being treated.

Exterminators have access to a number of eco-friendly chemicals that are unavailable to everyday consumers. No matter what type of infestation has occurred in a home, professionals can use natural remedies to treat it. So it is always recommended that homeowners call a pest control specialist rather than try to handle any potential infestation problems on their own.

Pest Control Products and You

There is a lot of misinformation about pest control out there.  On the surface, people will say that they are “Green”, but when it comes down to it, they will use any bug spray if it works.  After considering opening our online pest control products & supplies store, I realized that many people are scared to use pest control products.

Well, in a world that seems to be pushing the Green concept more and more, we have to be careful to remember that we are stewards of the earth, not worshippers of the earth.  While I believe in Green products  (we have a whole display of them), I feel that if used correctly, conventional pest products are needed when used responsibly.  And while there are many types of products, and many ways of applying these products, there are only a few different catorgories that we use in pest control.  You may have noticed that the EPA has been removing certain categories of pest control products over the years, and now with the bed bug crises, they want to bring some back.  However, if there would have been more responsibility in the past, we would not be in this position.  Let me explain.

I have actually met folks that admitted using pest control product concentrate without mixing it.  This is not only dangerous to you, it is dangerous to non-target animals, insects, birds, fish, you name it, if it is alive, it is in danger.  In my professional opinion, it would be just as well if used what we have by following the pesticide label, and we wouldn’t need to have all the Green products.  I tell you, it will not be long before folks start abusing that as well.  Thankfully, most Green Pest Products are not as dangerous!

In any event, whether Green or not, let us try to follow the label on any store-bought bug spray!

Where I live, stinkbugs are like some sort of Biblical plague. Everytime I Google looking for answers, there are websites like bugspray.com offering aerosols,sprays,dust etc. that supposedly deal effectively with them. However, every quote I’ve read from exterminators and entymologists insists there’s nothing you can do but seal up your house 100%. What do you think? Is it a waste of time\money to order products online to spray and treat your house interior/exterior? Do “pest control” sites offer products for stinkbugs that only offer temporary results? Or are there ways to beat the bugs if you have the time and money?

Hi,
I’m looking to buy some non toxic pest control products to use in my home. I have a infant and a dog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks:)

The only pests we have seen are spiders, and occasionally inside the house. I have seen things at Lowe’s, but are they effective? Can they be sprayed inside and outside? What is a good price for hiring someone to do pest control?

The scarecrow has become somewhat of a cultural icon. We have seen scarecrows personified in popular movies like the wizard of oz, in comics, cartoons and more. The image is surely recognizable to most people.

Scarecrows were the first bird control product on record.  The first mention was found in the “Kojiki”, the oldest surviving book in Japan in 712 AD. In the Kojiki, the scarecrow was described as a deity who, though without feet, was out in all weather and all seasons.  It was designed to scare crows and other birds from disturbing food crops. Farmers most likely noticed that birds were scared away when people were tending the fields, and devised a simple way to deter them.

So what about today? Even though most people are familiar with the image of a scarecrow, most dealing with a pest bird problem are unaware of  just how many bird control products are now available. Whether you have a bird problem on your home, business, or out in the field, bird deterrents have come a long way.

Bird control products have evolved by using today’s technologies to solve an age old problem, but many new products still use the same ideals that helped the scarecrow work. The scarecrow is categorized as a visual deterrent, when birds saw one in the field they thought they were looking at a human and would flee from the area.

 Other visual deterrents available today include Flash tape, Balloons, and Diverters. These three products can be strung in fruit trees or bushes, in backyard gardens, from balconies, gazebos and more.  These products are shiny and reflective, some having large predator eyes printed on them. Just as the scarecrow appealed to a bird’s visual sense, birds seeing these deterrents will be frightened or confused and want to flee the area.

There are also sound deterrents available to help with pest birds. The Bird Chase Super Sonic plays a mixture of predator calls and distress calls; when a bird hears either call; their natural instinct is to leave the area. Sound deterrents work best for large open spaces, where birds can indiscriminately land.

Beyond sound deterrents there are a wide selection of physical barriers and products that can be used on ledges, rooflines and more. Bird Netting is widely used to block birds from nesting in rafters, eaves, in garages and more. Bird Spikes, Bird Slope, and Bird Gel are three products that can be used to keep birds off of ledges, window sills, fence lines, rooflines, light fixtures, and most spots where birds choose to sit or roost.  

There are repellents, motion deterrents, live traps, and more available to help shoo birds from your property. Pest control companies also use a wide variety of bird control products. Many of today’s pest control companies offer bird control as a service, and can help humanly discourage birds from your home or business.

The great thing about today’s bird deterrents is that they are humane. The scarecrow was simply designed to move birds along, and many of today’s bird deterrents have the same goals. Over the years people have discovered that harming or killing birds does little to change their behavior, there will always new birds to replace those taken away. Discouraging them using bird control products will give much better results.

Your lawns are natural things, so why should you feel tempted to spray them with some very decidedly unnatural pesticides and herbicides? Many people might feel overwhelmed at the sheer amount of toxic chemicals available on the market today, but the truth is that you can easily use equally effective natural fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides to get the job done. Most of these natural materials are totally nontoxic, especially at the levels they are commonly used at. Household products like vinegar are great natural lawn care products, although there are certainly many more to choose from.

An Invisible Helping Hand

Natural lawn care products pose no health risks, and they are very specific in what types of organisms they attack. While other natural lawn care products like vinegar are great for a variety of uses, there are different types of bacteria that you can employ to have more specific targeting of your lawn problems. Milky Spore Disease might have a menacing name, but it works to remove infestations in your yard at the cellular level. Other organisms like Bacillus thuringiensis and beneficial fungus pathogens also destroy invaders at the microscopic level while posing absolutely no health risk to humans, pets, and your favorite plants.

With no health risks, you might be tempted to say that the best lawn care products are completely natural. Certainly, beneficial nematodes might make the average person slightly queasy, but they get the job done. These tiny worms burrow in the soil and attack the larvae of various insects like ants, termites, and Japanese beetles. After injecting the larvae with toxic (to the larvae) chemicals, they wait for the larvae to die before eating them. In this way, natural lawn care products often take care of problems before they can grow up, and once they have consumed all of the insect larvae in your lawn, the beneficial nematodes die off.

Fortunately, all of your lawn problems can be taken care of with natural lawn care products. Take care of weeds, fungal infestations, insects, and grass of poor quality without using synthetic substances that can be toxic to you and your pets. That’s not to say that the health risks posed by synthetic materials are overly large. In fact, most unnatural products are dispersed over such a large area that they don’t pose a health risk, although the chance is always there, however small. If you want to take care of your lawn without the fear of developing an illness, then natural lawn care products are the perfect fit.

Pet owners are rightfully worried about spraying their lawns with any number of toxic chemicals which can pose significant health risks for not only their pets but family members as well. However, there is actually very little reason to be worried at all as you will find out. There is only a small chance that improper pesticide or herbicide application will pose a health risk, and that small chance is entirely negated with proper application. With proper usage, all lawn care products are pet safe, although you can purchase specifically natural pet safe lawn care products. Either way, you’ll be protecting your pets which can be like family to you.

Proper Application and Pet Safe

As previously mentioned, commercial lawn care products are almost entirely safe when applied correctly. The problem really arises under two conditions. Firstly, volatile chemicals can release toxic gases over time, and many pesticides and herbicides include volatile chemicals for their sheer strength. Fortunately, liquid pet safe lawn care products allow you to specifically target problem areas in your yard, so you aren’t forced to spray the entire thing, severely reducing the amount of chemicals that you need to use in the first place. Also, proper application will only use a small amount of chemicals in a given area, so the pet safe lawn care products won’t be concentrated enough to release enough toxic fumes to harm humans or pets. The second risk comes from spraying toys like tennis balls. Lawn care products sprayed on toys can remain toxic for weeks, so you’ll want to remove any toys from the yard before spraying.

If you want the marketed pet safe lawn care products, then there are a number of substances which still get the job done without any harmful side effects. Naturally occurring bacteria can be implanted into your yard. For example, beneficial nematodes attack insect larvae by injecting them with toxins, and then they eat the dead larvae. When all the larvae are consumed, the nematodes die off themselves, so you are left with absolutely no harmful substances in your lawn. Your job is completely done, and you don’t need to dirty your hands at all.

You can also use essential oils derived from garlic, citrus oil, and pepper extracts to combat many problems facing your lawn. Completely natural and completely safe, you won’t need to worry about any harmful side effects from these products. Remember: with proper application and keeping toys out of the way, all lawn care products are safe to use with pets around. However, the only surefire way to protect your pets is to purchase pet safe lawn care products, so any mistakes on your part won’t make you or your pets sick.