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.
Springtails
Dry them out: fix the leak or damp spot, keep indoor humidity under 60%, and vacuum or rinse away the rest. A hygrometer and a tube of caulk cost about $15; bug spray rarely helps.
Stink bugs
Vacuum them or knock them into soapy water, set a lamp-and-soapy-pan trap at night, and seal outside cracks before late summer. Indoor sprays don’t help. Supplies run about $11–16.
Flies & gnats
Identify the gnat, then remove what it breeds in: ripe fruit, wet potting soil or a slimy drain. A $1.29 vinegar trap and $4.97 sticky cards catch the rest; sprays rarely help.
Pantry moths
Moths in the pantry? Find the infested food, throw it out or freeze it, vacuum and wash the shelves, and move dry goods into sealed jars. About $26 in supplies, no sprays.
Rats & mice
Rats skip traps that are new, too small or off their route. Bait a rat-size trap unset for a few nights, put other food away, then set every trap the same night.
