Tips for Around the House

Homeowners who apply pesticides around the outside of their homes should follow a number of important guidelines:

1. Always read the entire label first and follow the directions

2. Limit the likelihood of pest infestations near the house by keeping wood piles, groundcover and shrubs away from the outside surfaces of your house

3. Avoid applying a spray or dust on a windy day

4. Only apply pesticides to the target problem areas

5. If a product is labeled for “spot” and “cracks and crevices” you should only treat those areas

6. Don’t treat entire driveways, patios, sidewalks or similar outdoor surfaces

7. Always use dry sawdust or kitty litter to soak up a liquid spill and then sweep it into a plastic garbage bag for disposal; don’t use water to rinse or clean up a liquid spill

8. If you hire a professional pest control company, be sure the operator is licensed and certified according to state law and local ordinances. Have a conversation with them to understand what, if any, pesticides they will apply around your home. Tell them about any do-it-yourself products that you may be using as sometimes they can interfere with products the professional may use. Finally, be sure to ask about steps that you can take to help keep pests from entering your home such as sealing cracks and crevices or fixing leaks

Storage/Disposal

1. Dispose of unused pesticides according to the instructions on the product label

2. Never pour any leftover pesticides down the sink, toilet, sewer or storm drain

3. Don’t stockpile pesticides. Buy only enough for one season

4. If you only need to treat a small area, consider ready-to-use pesticides rather than products you have to mix yourself

5. Always store pesticides in their original containers

6. Ensure containers are securely closed

7. Store in a safe place away from children

8. Do not reuse an empty pesticide container

9. Remember that an empty pesticide container contains residue and should also be handled carefully and according to the label