Roaches, mice, and kitchen trash
Starve them out, dry them out, keep them out.
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Food, water, and shelter
EPA says pests, like humans, need three critical elements to survive: food, water, and shelter. Before pesticides, it suggests three steps: starve them out, dry them out, and keep them out.
Starve them out
EPA says: "Keep a tight lid on trash, and empty it often. It may be trash to you, but pests see it as dinner." It also says to seal up boxes and bags of food, clean up spills and crumbs right away, and not leave pet food out overnight.
Dry them out
EPA says roaches can live up to one month without food, but without water can die in a week's time. It says to drain dish water from the sink, wipe up spilled liquids, and fix leaky faucets.
Keep them out
EPA says to seal cracks and openings along baseboards, behind sinks, and around pipes and windows. It says to clean up clutter, including stacks of newspapers, paper bags, and cardboard boxes.
Traps and baits
EPA says to set traps to control rats and mice. It says that if you use baits, they should be in a tamper-resistant bait station made of durable plastic or metal, placed where children and pets cannot touch them, and to always read and follow the pesticide label. We do not name products.
Getting help
EPA suggests your local cooperative extension service office for recommendations suitable for your area. If you hire someone, EPA says to ask them to find and correct the source of the problem before applying pesticides.
FAQ
General information only. Keep a trash can that holds spoiled food, sharp objects, or batteries behind a lid a child cannot open, or out of a child's reach. Knot plastic bags before you throw them away, and keep button and coin batteries out of reach of children. Keep cleaning products in their original packaging, out of sight and reach of children and pets, and never mix cleaning or disinfecting products. Read and follow the label on every cleaner and the maker's manual for your can, including how to change or remove its batteries. A swallowed button or coin battery needs medical help right away; do not delay. If you think a child swallowed something harmful, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222; if the child is unconscious, not breathing, or having convulsions or seizures, call 911. If a pet did, call your veterinarian or a pet poison control center right away. In an emergency, call 911.
Next: house flies and maggots
Tight lids, dry cans.
