LIFESTYLE NEWS - "Critters and creepy crawlies are fine, as long as they don’t come into my home." Does that sound familiar? Sad news is that sometimes they do enter your home and using harsh chemicals to get rid of them is not the environmentally friendly way.

But what is there to do? Some people will say to think like the pest, others will say prevention is better than cure. Most females don’t want to go near them. Here are some environmentally friendly ways to keep the creepy crawlies at bay.

Ants
Ants are one example of insects that humans just can’t live without, but it doesn’t mean they should get too comfortable in our homes.
The kitchen in any home will be the battle ground. A peace treaty is better than war against these little soldiers. Prepare to make your kitchen less appealing to the scouts by:

• Cleaning ferociously
• Store food in sealed containers
• Do not leave dirty dishes or garbage around
• Rinse off sticky jars and bottles
• Wipe counters down with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
• Soapy water is your best defence. Add dishwashing liquid to some water in a spray bottle and zap the army with that. Not just will it kill some of them it will also destroy their scent trails.

Cockroaches
This insect is surely the most detested insect of them all. Although there are no fail-safe methods of getting rid of cockroaches, there are some preventative measures one can take to stem population growth:

• Eliminate water sources
• Seal cracks and crevices
• Check appliances

Roaches are nocturnal insects who need heat, food and moisture. By taking away just one of the abovementioned life will become too hard for them.

If you come across an infestation a handy tip is to vacuum them up. Other means of controlling cockroaches are, using boric acid, sticky traps and beer cloths left at strategic places.

So who said you can’t control pests in an environmentally friendly way. No need to call the exterminator everytime you see a cockroach peering at you around the corner.