City Critters
How to Safely Manage Pests in City Dwellings
Living in a major city has many perks: cafes, restaurants, and shops are within walking distance, public transportation is abundant, and there’s always something to do. But living in an apartment building crammed with hundreds – even thousands – of other residents can lead to unwelcome guests. Whether you live in an old building or a new development, pests in large cities are a reality for many.
The first instinct may be to grab a large can of poisonous pest control spray and cover your dwelling from floor to ceiling, but toxins in those products are harmful to your health and may not be necessary to get rid of the problem. Read on for tips to prevent and remove pests without turning to chemicals and scary traps.
So You Have Mice
Mice can be cute but not when they’re running freely in a studio apartment, eating your food. Widely used and readily available, glue traps are used to catch rodents.http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/facts/glue_boards.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
These traps consist of boards coated with adhesive made from mineral oils, resins, and synthetic rubber. When an animal gets stuck, it suffers a slow death over several days. Many rodents will rip fur and break limbs trying to free themselves.http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/facts/glue_boards.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
Not only are glue traps one of the most torturous ways to kill rodents, but once the animals are trapped, there’s also no humane way to get rid of them. The animal will die of stress, dehydration, or suffocation from getting its nose and mouth stuck on the glue. Manufacturers suggest throwing the traps away, whether the animal is alive or not.http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/facts/glue_boards.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
And if you have pets, they can become stuck to the extremely adhesive glue as well.
Snap traps are better options because they’ll kill instantly without causing much suffering, but these are dangerous if you have pets in the house.http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/professional-trapper/howtokillmice.html
They’re not ideal if your goal is to catch and release the mouse without injury.
How to Prevent Mice
The best way to get rid of mice is to prevent them from entering in the first place. Step one: learn where they’re coming from, and seal holes and cracks found in walls, floors, and foundations with sealant or steel wool.http://www.orkin.com/rodents/mouse-control/how-mice-enter-homes/
(You may need to bring in an expert to investigate, since entryways may be hidden behind sinks, pipes, or radiators.) Entryways can be extremely small: mice can fit through a crack the size of a dime.http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/outdoor-projects/how-to/a7237/stop-pests-from-invading-your-home-this-autumn-6539141/
While mice don’t normally live in apartments, they will come in to explore and find food as long as there are entry points.https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140930/lower-east-side/how-prevent-fight-rodent-infestations
If you live in an area known for pest problems, make your space as uninviting as possible. Keep all food in glass or metal containers, and get rid of food waste as soon as possible.http://www.orkin.com/rodents/mouse-control/how-mice-enter-homes/
Clean countertops, floors, and cabinets frequently. You can also dispense five drops of 100 percent peppermint oil on a cotton ball and place around the apartment to further deter mice.http://how-to-get-rid-of-mice.com/peppermint-oil/
Refresh the cotton balls once a month.
Cockroach Control
Cockroaches are common in large cities and they’re hardy. If you see one, there’s most likely a colony hiding in the walls, and killing one won’t do anything to solve the problem.http://www.peta2.com/blog/how-vegans-get-rid-of-bugs/
To prevent cockroaches from invading your space, keep all food in sealed containers and wipe everything in your kitchen thoroughly. These pests love moisture and will drink from the smallest drops of water, so keep sinks dry and repair any leaks.http://www.peta2.com/blog/how-vegans-get-rid-of-bugs/
Take garbage out daily, sweep and mop floors frequently, and wipe down countertops with a vinegar and water solution. http://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/humane-cockroach-control/
In damp places or areas that are up high, use natural repellents such as dried bay leaves, cucumber slices, garlic, and catnip. http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm
Use caulk to seal cracks between floorboards, around plumbing and windowsills, and under countertops.http://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/humane-cockroach-control/
To kill cockroaches without pesticides or other chemicals, make a homemade solution that is safe for children and pets. Mix equal parts sugar and baking soda in a small dish and place it next to a small dish of water. The sweetness of the sugar attracts roaches. Once they drink the water it will react with the baking soda, creating gas that causes the roach’s stomach to burst.http://pest.tips.net/T003494_Kill_Roaches_with_Baking_Soda_and_Sugar.html
Diatomaceous earth is another safe alternative to chemicals. Found in hardware stores, the powder destroys roaches’ exoskeleton but is nontoxic to humans. Sprinkle it in areas where you’ve seen cockroaches; they will carry it back to their nests.http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-get-rid-of-cockroaches-89079
Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite
Bed bugs are one of the hardest and most expensive pests to get rid of; unfortunately they will be happy in any home, whether it is cluttered or clean. http://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
If you suspect bed bugs, it’s important to alert your superintendent or management company as soon as possible to prevent them from spreading to other units. It’s also possible that neighbors have them and won’t admit it or aren’t aware of the problem (not everyone reacts to the bites).
The earlier you catch the problem, the easier it is to control. Determine which rooms are infested. Bed bugs don’t travel very far from where people sleep, so if you do have a problem, continue to sleep in your bed to reduce the risk of them spreading to the living room. http://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/biting-stinging/others/ent-3012/
It’s not necessary to throw out your mattress unless the infestation is very bad. (Hiring a professional will likely be less expensive than buying all new bedding.)
When treating the problem yourself, don’t rely on essential oil-based products sold in stores. While they may kill bed bugs on impact, these products won’t eliminate the problem.http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/how-get-rid-bedbugs
You must use pesticides to completely rid yourself of bed bugs. Still, you can reduce the amount used by following other steps. Remove all clutter, especially under the bed; dismantle the bed frame and scrub with a stiff brush; then vacuum the bed frame, rugs, crevices in the floor, and dresser drawers. This will remove hidden eggs. Wash bedding and clothes in hot water and dry on high heat to kill any clinging bugs.
Once all the bedding is washed, encase your mattress and box spring in a bed bug proof cover, which is designed to zip so tightly that even the smallest bugs cannot escape.http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/how-get-rid-bedbugs
These covers also trap any lingering bugs and kill them. If you decide to buy a new mattress, encase it before bringing it into your apartment to prevent future infestations.
How to Prevent Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are commonly introduced to new homes when people return from traveling.http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/wellbeing/how-get-rid-bedbugs
When staying in hotels, use luggage racks to keep your suitcases off the floor and inspect beds with a flashlight. Once you come home from a trip, wash everything in your suitcase, and place suitcases in tightly closed garbage bags for three days to kill any bugs.
Conclusion
Fighting pests with toxic poison is harmful to you and to critters. Spraying endlessly won’t solve the problem either. To completely rid an infestation in a city apartment, you must find the source of the problem and block off any entry points. Each fall, examine your unit for any new openings or cracks, since pests tend to seek shelter once the temperatures drop.http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/realestate/of-mice-and-apartment-sales.html?_r=0
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