You wake up in the middle of the night to make your traditional pilgrimage to the porcelain throne, and something scurries across the floor of the bathroom when you turn on the lights. Whether it’s a cockroach or a rat, creepy crawlies have a tendency to mildly surprise a few, and frighten the socks off the rest of us. They even have the power to infect us with diseases that can leave us bedridden for weeks.

Luckily, a few ardent homeowners (and renters) have deduced clever ways of combating standard pests. They’ve even provided a list containing the most common ones and how to fight them. Use their methods, and do it quickly! You never know when you’ll be bitten, stung, or attacked through some other underhanded method.

Ants

The first thing that comes to mind is teamwork. Ants have excellent coordination, and they use it to invade every corner of your kitchen.

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They’re commonly found in warm, damp places, like the cracks in walls, underneath your floors, or near heating systems.

Preferred Food

Ants have a sweet tooth. They love to chomp down on anything sugary, so you’d be wise to clean up any spills in your kitchen. Besides that, they love eating fruits, seeds, and even other insects.

The Solution

Locate the openings that these insects use to enter your home, and block them with a sealant, like caulk. Natural ant-repellents include cinnamon, garlic, chilli powder, and cloves. Sprinkle a few of these spices in front of the portal that leads the ants into your world, and it’ll deter them from crossing over.

Ants just stepping out for a stroll

Bedbugs

These saboteurs of slumber have made a name for themselves by giving people sleepless nights and dark circles.

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You can find them relaxing in and around your bed, in between seams of mattresses, and all over other bedroom and house furniture.

Preferred Food

Blood. These house bugs can’t get enough of the red liquid, but are able to survive for up to a year between meals.

Yuck

The Solution

Any surface that might contain bedbugs (sheets, pillows, towels) needs to be washed in hot water and dried in bright sunlight for a good half hour at least. Spraying essential oils like clove and eucalyptus over all the non-infested material can keep these critters from setting up shop in the first place.

Mosquitoes

You’re probably scratching yourself just picturing these tiny bloodsuckers!

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They lay their eggs in stagnant water. Thanks to this, most mosquitoes can be found around water bodies like lakes, swamps, small puddles, and even open drains.

Mosquito: Home, sweet home!

Preferred Food

The females crave blood while male mosquitoes suck on the nectar of flowers (this makes for awkward romantic dinners).

The Solution

Close all your windows and put a few screens in place to keep these critters out. Rid your home of standing water so that they don’t get any ideas about breeding.

Mosquitoes are terrible flyers; a small breeze could throw them off balance. Put an oscillating fan in an infested area to blow them away. To keep them away, apply lemon eucalyptus oil on your body. It’s a great way to prevent bites.

Rats And Mice

They aren’t as cute as Walt Disney’s version of mice, and have a record of spreading some of the worst diseases throughout history (the black plague).

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The most common household rodents are Norway rats and roof rats. They like to construct their nests in sheltered locations in and around your home, like the attic or basement.

Preferred Food

Cheese is just one of their favourite foods. Rats and mice enjoy eating almost anything, from garbage to a medium-rare steak. However, they normally dine on meat, grains, and cereals.

The Solution

You need to deal with a rodent infestation as swiftly as possible. Seal up all holes linking the outdoors to the inside of your home. Keep your food and garbage in tightly-locked containers so that the smell doesn’t attract them.

You can even spray a solution of lal mirch (chilli pepper) and garlic to keep them away from areas that they frequently visit. If you’re looking to add another member to your family and get rid of mice, kill two birds with one stone; get a cat—the all-natural rodent repellent.

Cockroaches

They’ve been around longer than you and have the spunk to survive a nuclear war! These hardy creatures are difficult to get rid of.

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You’ll find them, often in groups, loafing around humid areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. But, being one of the most common household insects, they like to venture out of their comfort zone, and can be seen all over the house.

It’s never a lonely life for a cockroach

Preferred Food

These guys aren’t picky when it comes to food, and will eat almost anything available to them. They prefer sweets and meat, but love starches too, and can be found chewing on paper, cardboard, decaying matter, and even hair!

The Solution

Deprive these stubborn crawlers of their food, and they’re sure to die out soon enough. Keep your table tops clean by washing them down with white vinegar and store all your food in the fridge or in tightly-sealed containers. Seal up gaps in the walls and use boric acid to line the entrances of rooms to keep them at bay.

It’s In Your Hands

Now that you have the knowledge, go forth and apply it. Use these methods, because they’re safe and will guarantee great results. The fight against pests is never-ending, and unless you do something about it, they’ll continue to live in your home, rent-free.