It's that time of year where the outside starts to freeze, and the warmth of your home invites unwanted critters to live with you. For people with irrational fears of insects, like myself, walking barefoot in your own home can be a terrifying adventure.

Here are some easy remedies to keep the creepy crawlies out of your home.

Crickets:

  1. Molasses. A little morbid, but place some molasses in a large bowl and fill the remaining of the bowl with water. Crickets will jump in the bowl when they smell the molasses.
  2. Vacuum your house. The vacuum will pull out eggs that have been laid.
  3. Throw out your trash. Crickets and other insects are attracted to the smell. Make sure to clean the bin regularly and keep it covered.
  4. Soapy water. Fill a spray bottle with soapy water and spray it around your house. It will penetrate a cricket's skin and cause irritation, which will repel them. Plus your house will smell nice.
  5. Pets. Your furry friends will chase them around, and possibly eat them, causing the crickets to find a new home.
Spider
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Spiders:

  1. Spiders HATE peppermint. Mix peppermint oil and water and spray it around your house. Spiders will hate the smell and you will love it.
  2. Vinegar. They also hate the smell of vinegar.  Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water, and spray all the cracks and crevices around your home. It might not smell as good as peppermint, but is a cheaper option.
  3. Pets. A cat will chase and eat spiders, scaring them away or keeping them out of the house.
  4. Clean your house. Keep your house tidy and free of dust and cobwebs. Dusting, vacuuming, and de-cluttering will keep most insects from staying in your home.
  5. Citrus. Spiders hate citrus, so rubbing these fruit peels in areas where spiders normally hang out will keep them away. Using lemon scented furniture polish will also keep them away.
Australia Day Feature - Cockroach Racing
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Cockroaches:

  1. Fix water leaks. Roaches are attracted to moisture. They can survive months without food, but only a couple days without water. Even the smallest water leak will attract them, along with water in your sink and over-watering your plants.
  2. Make cockroach bait. Mix powdered sugar with boric acid. The sugar will attract them and the acid will kill them. It isn't poisonous to people or pets, but it can irritate skin, so keep it away from counters and other places that fingers and noses can reach.
  3. Keep your space cool. They can fly with more heat (gross), so keep your place as cool as you can will at least keep the grounded.
  4. Soapy Water. Like most insects, the soap will get into their skin and suffocate them. Spraying this around the house and directly at a cockroach will help the problem.
  5. Keep Clean. They are attracted to food residue, so wipe down the counters every night and don't leave food out. Sweeping your kitchen floor nightly, although might sound like a lot, will help in keeping them out.

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