Keeping pests at bay

Disclaimer: I received samples of Mortein products to use. All opinions are my own.

Ants. They're the bane of my existence I tell you! I don't mean to imply that I have a dirty house, although it certainly isn't at the same sparkling standards I had pre children! However no matter how much I clean, with a toddler, a 5 month old who is just starting solids, and two hounds living with us, there is bound to be food crumbs, sticky substances and unidentifiable objects around which must look pretty attractive to the average ants which might be lurking around the place.

I have a confession to make. I'm terrified of creepy crawlies. I hate having to get close to them to evict or eradicate them as required. That's why I'd much rather stop them from coming into the house (and therefore anywhere near me!) in the first place. Luckily, there are some great products on the market that let you do this, and if you're time poor (and lazy) like me, you can choose a set and forget automatic option like Mortein Naturgard Auto Protect. It comes in both a Eucalyptus and an Odourless option, but I prefer the scent free choice for our house.

Tip: Don't give ants the chance to find a food source. Cover food (check fruit!), clean cooking and eating utensils and make sure your bin is sealed.

You simply set up the device in an appropriate location and the odourless spray (which is made with 98% natural ingredients) is released at regular intervals according to the time selected. Genius! You can also switch it off for the times and days that you don't need it. Now, I feel much safer from infestations of cockroaches, ants, flies, mosquitos and moths. Hurrah!

Now, you may note that of the pests I listed above, spiders (ugh) and a few other common ones aren't mentioned. Let's be honest here. I live in Australia, home of venomous spiders and other scary pests. So in addition to my automatic pest protection, I also like to have a portable solution to use the instant I see a crawling beastie.

A staple in my cupboard is therefore a crawling insect spray, and Mortein do some great ones. The one I have kills cockroaches, spiders, ants, fleas, silverfish and more. It even has a built in attractant made from oranges that lures cockroaches, and keeps killing crawling insects for up to six months!

Tip: Cockroaches feed on rotting garbage and food scraps, so mop up spills, empty rubbish bins regularly and keep an eye on your compost bin!

I like to use it as a preventative measure as well, and spray it around inaccessible places to offer a bit of barrier protection when a pest decides to show up.

Coming into the rainy season, many pests will be trying to find shelter indoors. Be prepared and make sure that you won't be sharing your house with anything you haven't invited in!

For more information about pest control at home, visit http://www.mortein.com.au/

Disclaimer: I received samples of Mortein products to use. All opinions are my own.