Category
Step-by-step plans for pests already in your home: find the source, remove it, keep it from coming back, and know when to call a pro.
Cockroaches
No. In an NC State study, roach bombs didn’t reduce cockroaches at all, while similarly priced gel bait did. Skip the fogger; about $54 of bait, sticky traps and caulk does the job.
Cockroaches
Not well enough to end an infestation. One small study found baking soda and sugar killed more roaches stuck in jar traps, but extension experts say it does little. A $9 tube of gel bait works better.
Flies & gnats
Mostly no. Bleach, vinegar, baking soda and boiling water only kill larvae on the surface of the drain slime. Scrub the pipe with an $8–15 drain brush, flush with boiling water, and use a bacterial gel where the brush can’t reach.
Rats
Use rat-size snap traps, about $3.59 each: bait with a pea-sized amount, leave them unset for a couple of days, then set them all at right angles to the wall.
Mice
Set snap traps behind the stove and fridge, seal up food, and tell your landlord in writing. A 12-pack of traps (about $14) is enough to start; a full kit with sealing supplies runs $57–71.
Cockroaches
Vacuum the car, then set sticky traps and roach bait stations under the seats and in the trunk. Never bomb a car. Supplies run about $36, and a month of empty traps means they’re gone.
Mice & rats
Trap along the walls, seal gaps of ¼ inch or more with metal and disinfect droppings, for about $57–71 in supplies. Pro crawl space cleanup runs $200–$4,000.
Mice
A mouse in the bedroom is mainly a droppings-and-urine risk, not a bite risk. Tonight: put food away, pull the bed off the wall, set snap traps kids and pets can’t reach.
Mice & rats
Set snap traps behind the stove and fridge and under the sink, throw out food in bags or boxes mice could reach, and seal pipe gaps. Traps run about $14; a full kit $57–71.
Silverfish
Dry the room below 60% humidity, trap for a few nights to find the hot spots, then dust cracks with boric acid or diatomaceous earth. Supplies run about $47–52; a pro charges $200–$700.
Clothes moths
Find the infested wool, wash it hot or freeze it, vacuum the closet and rug edges, store woolens sealed. About $11 in traps confirms it worked; no mothballs.
Flies & gnats
Find the breeding drain with tape overnight, scrub the slime out with a stiff brush, then flush it or use a bacterial drain gel. Bleach won’t do it. Supplies run about $29–46; a pro charges $170–375.
