It’s that time of year. All the critters are waking up and ready to party—but you definitely don’t want them partying in your pad! Fleas, ants, and roaches are especially common (and especially annoying) when it comes to invaders you don’t want in your personal space. Here are some DIY home remedies that can help get rid of these three persistent pests.

Roaches

One of the best ways to deter roaches is to starve them. Make sure your kitchen is very clean. Keep all food in the fridge or in containers. Remove any spills or crumbs immediately. Roaches especially love grease, so clean up any splatters on your stovetop. Roaches can’t live for more than a week without water, so make sure you don’t have any leaks or drips they’ll have access to.

If you keep roaches hungry and thirsty, they’ll be much more likely to take any baits you leave out for them. A great bait is filling a jar with water and leaving it where you’ve seen roaches. They will climb in for the water, but won’t be able to get back out. Or, make a soda bottle trap, where you put water mixed with coffee grounds in an empty soda bottle.

You can also suffocate roaches with a simple spray of soap and water. Just spray the mixture directly onto the roach and it will form a layer over their shell, making it so they can’t breath. Make sure you dispose of the roach immediately.

Fleas

There are a number of things you can do to help deter fleas from occupying your home and aggravating your pets. If you do have a flea problem, you also have a flea egg/larvae problem, as they are prolific reproducers. You may need to spend a day washing everything where they could potentially live. Put all bedding, clothes, and soft rugs in the washing machine on the hot cycle. If possible, wash your pets’ cushions as well. You may need to throw out your pet’s bed and get a new one, because fleas can lay eggs in the stuffing as well as the cover. Make sure you vacuum everything—including all sides of furniture and any dark, hidden corners. Fleas thrive in areas without a lot of sunlight.

In addition to a good clean up, you can use dishwashing detergent to deter fleas. Wash all pets with detergent, which cleans their fur and kills any fleas there. You can also make a flea trap by pouring some dishwashing liquid into a shallow bowl. Keep it under a lamp, and the fleas will be drawn to the warmth and become trapped in the liquid.

Keep a natural flea spray on hand to keep fleas away. Fleas don’t like rosemary or citronella oils, so mix some with water and keep it in a spray bottle nearby to use as needed.

Ants

Nobody likes it when the ants come marching in! There are some easy things you can do to keep ants out. If you can see how they are coming in, block the entry point by spreading it with a bit of petroleum jelly, duct tape, or talcum powder. Diluted cinnamon oil or ground cinnamon will also deter ants. Spray white vinegar or lemon juice across their trail, which will keep the colony from using the same path.

There are easy ways to trap ants as well. Mix one part borax with three parts powdered sugar. The ants are drawn to the sugar, but the borax acts as an ant poison, and the ants will carry it back with them and exterminate the colony. You can also pour a bit of honey into a shallow dish. The ants will be drawn to the sweetness, but they won’t be able to get out.

For the most effective deterrent for these pesky critters, you may need to call in the professionals. Green Pest Control is poised and ready to be your partner in protecting your home, family, and family pets from these and any other potential invaders.