Basics of Property Management: Screening Potential Tenants
Natural Pest Control Solutions For Your Home
Jesse Obrien
In the rugs, upholstery, cupboards and even on your bed, every house has these unwanted guests lurking around somewhere. Pests can be a nuisance and may even cause diseases beyond portraying your home as a dirty area. Pest control is mainly done using pesticides and chemical products that kill the pests. There are, however, several natural products within your home that can be useful in deterring these invaders before their population surges within your home and your only option is extermination services. The following is a breakdown of some of the common pests you may find in every home and the natural products you can use to deter their presence.
Ants
The first pest control mechanism with ants is to always keep your countertops and cupboards clean. Always keep the sugar jars closed and eliminate their water sources such as soaked dishes and dripping pipes. If this does not effectively eliminate ants from your home, there are many natural deterrents that you can use.
Many ants naturally abhor cucumbers. Place cucumber slices or peels at the ants point of entry or around your kitchen surfaces. Mint is also one effective pest control product. If you have mint tea bags, place some of these after using at the ants points of entry. Many people also attest to the effectiveness of garlic cloves to achieving this effect.
Cockroaches
Roaches can also be effectively managed by keeping clean surfaces and eliminating their food sources. Leftover food should not be left out and counters should always be kept clean. Cockroaches are naturally deterred by garlic and catnip. Places several pieces of these strategically around your home will eliminate these unwanted guests effectively.
A neat trick for cockroach pest control is to soak bread in beer and deposit in areas known to have a high cockroach population. This instantly scatters and eliminates their presence within your home.
Fleas
Fleas find their way into your home courtesy of pets. Once in your home, the first place you'll find a thriving population of fleas is in the woolen carpet or rugs. Cedar oil or cedar shampoo is useful in repelling fleas. Wash your pets with any shampoo containing cedar and you are flee-proof.
Citrus is also a natural pest control chemical against fleas. To make your citrus solution, slice a lemon in rings including the skin and then soak in boiled water. Soak this overnight and then use a sponge to dab on your pets. This instantly eliminates fleas from your pet. Do not, however, wash your cat with citrus oil.
Consult with professionals, such as those from Accurate Termite & Pest Control, for any further information or help
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For the last several years, I've used a property management firm to help with my rental properties. One of the tasks that they handle for me is screening applicants who would like to move into one of my vacant units. Their expertise has helped me lower my tenant turnover and find people who want to stay with me for years. Part of the process is a tenant screening credit check. Before any further contact takes place, my manager orders credit reports from at least two agencies. That is enough to tell us if an applicant is a good financial risk. Assuming the references work out, I meet the candidate and make the final decision. If you own rental properties, let me tell you more about the benefits of having a property manager. I'm betting you'll find this type of arrangement will work for you too.