The Environmental Impact of Pest Control: Eco-Friendly Alternatives

Pest control is important to keep your loved ones and property safe from disease and damage. However, effective pest control should not come at the risk of harming the environment. Some traditional pest control methods contain toxic chemicals that can have a severely negative impact on your local ecosystem. Therefore, it is important to know the effects of different pest control methods on the environment and search for eco-friendly alternatives.

Environmental Impact of Pest Control

For many years, traditional pest control was mostly done with pesticides. While it’s effective at eliminating pests and their infestations, it actually does more harm than good. Pesticides can remain in the environment for months or years. Additionally, these chemicals accidentally kill more than their intended target. Helpful pollinators, such as honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds, often ingest pesticides. The use of these chemicals has caused a decline in these crucial critters, putting our natural world at risk.

Eco-Friendly Pest Control Methods

Before reaching for pest spray, it’s important to first look for natural solutions. Eco-friendly pest control techniques are much safer on the environment and won’t accidentally harm beneficial animals. There are several natural pest control methods you can try, such as:

• Pest-deterring plants: The first step in keeping pests away is making healthy soil for your yard, which will attract useful insects. Then, you can invest in flowery plants that are less attractive to unwanted pests. Several plants, such as lavender, lemongrass, marigolds, and chrysanthemums provide built-in pest control due to the strong scents they emit that repel rodents and other pests with sensitive noses.
  
• Naturally repelling sprays: There are also several herbs and spices that are overwhelming to pests and act as natural deterrents. Mint, basil, rosemary, cayenne pepper, and garlic cloves are eco-friendly scents that can be mixed with water and sprayed to keep pests away.
  
• Eco-friendly cleaning: Vinegar is a powerful acid often found at home that can be used as a DIY pest control. By mixing a cup of water, a quarter cup of vinegar, and a teaspoon of essential oil, you can naturally remove pest-related messes and keep unwelcome critters at bay.

While these DIY methods may help prevent an infestation from starting, they won’t do much to remove invasive pests that have already moved in. If the above remedies aren’t working, then it’s time to call the pest control experts. It’s important to find a company certified in eco-friendly techniques to ensure minimal risk to the environment while taking care of your pest problem. That’s where Critter Control® of Pittsburgh comes in.

Professional and Eco-Friendly Pest Control Services

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our licensed and trained technicians use effective, safe, and eco-friendly pest control services to remove nuisance pests from your home and keep them from returning. We start by fully inspecting your property to determine the size of your infestation. Then, we will develop a specific pest control plan to permanently remove all unwanted pests, decontaminate any messes the critters left behind, and safeguard your property to prevent future infestations. To schedule your inspection and receive a free pest control estimate, call us today at 412-767-4067.