If you’ve seen a few pests around your home or office, your first course of action may be to pick up a DIY solution from your local grocery store. When this fails, you’re more than likely going to opt for a stronger solution from an online store or your local hardware or garden centre.
While this may seem like the regular plan of action, it’s crucial to highlight that this could be risky and harmful to your family, pets, and property in general. Experts recommend ditching the DIY pesticides and opting for the professional pest control Melbourne locals rely on. This post takes a closer look at why your pest controller wants you to avoid DIY solutions.
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Significant Reasons to Avoid Harmful Chemicals
There are several good reasons why DIY pest control solutions may not always be the best option. Our team of experts highlight a few top reasons why these easy-to-find pesticides often do more harm than good.
1. Labels Aren’t Always Accurate
You may think you can manage the level of toxicity you’re exposing your family and property to by reading the label and avoiding super-harmful ingredients. Experts warn that labels aren’t always specific about what these DIY solutions contain.
This means that you may unintentionally expose your property to dangerous poisons. In addition to this, harmful pesticides can also kill the good bugs that your local ecosystem needs, such as butterflies and bees.
2. DIY Solutions Can be Harmful to Pets
If you have pets, then you know that they are going to lick things, even when you do your best to teach them not to. This is especially the case when they detect new objects or scents in their environment. Pests are therefore highly likely to lick up pesticides that you spray on the lawns, floors, or along walls.
In addition to this, spraying DIY pesticides in the home could cause droplets to come in contact with their fur. If they lick their fur, they’ll be ingesting the toxins. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take a lot to make them sick. Some pesticides can be fatal to certain pets, especially if you don’t know that they have ingested the toxins.
3. Can End Up in the Water Run-Off
In an attempt for the DIY solution to be more effective, many homeowners use excessive amounts of poison in their homes and properties. The goal here is to spray a lot to be sure you kill as many insects as possible. The reality is that this isn’t the way to approach pest control.
Applying excessive amounts of toxins in your home causes toxins to get into the surrounding drains and make their way into the water run-off. Contrary to common opinions, not all toxins become harmless or diluted in water. Instead, the toxins end up in the surrounding areas, where people and animals are exposed to them.
4. Applying Toxins at the Wrong Time Makes Them Ineffective
Many eager DIYers don’t realise that the effectiveness of pesticides is very dependent on the time they’re applied. For pesticides to be effective, they need to be applied at the right stage of a particular insect’s life cycle.
For instance, if you spray areas after the eggs have hatched, you might not kill the whole colony. Pests will go into hiding and wait for you to stop spraying their environment. You could potentially end up spraying areas where they actually aren’t.
5. Can Cause Allergic Reactions
Another common mistake is the lack of protection during DIY applications. Many pesticides, even those deemed safe for residential use, can cause or exacerbate allergies. Some are strong enough to burn unprotected skin. Pesticides are also well-known for causing respiratory issues and skin conditions. Long-term exposure can also cause more severe conditions.
6. Incorrect Disposal Increases the Risk
Homeowners also often don’t give any thought to how they’re going to dispose of any leftover poison. They also fail to research the appropriate means of disposing of the used equipment.
Pouring leftover poison down the sink or outside drain will put it straight in the water supply. Throwing used equipment in the garbage could poison animals who might come in contact with your garbage. In addition to this, stray poisons can end up in drinking water, leach into crops, or end up in the surrounding air. Stray animals may also lick at empty containers, increasing the risk of disease and death.
Final Thoughts
Finding DIY pest control solutions is as easy as taking a trip to the local grocery or hardware store. However, these solutions are often harmful and, if not used correctly, can have harmful effects on your family, pets, and may even affect your neighbours.
In addition to this, incorrect mixing and disposal can lead to toxins entering the local environment. Avoid these issues by investing in a pest control maintenance programme. This ensures that experts not only assess your property, but also apply eco-friendly and safe solutions. Opting for professional pest control ensures a long-term solution that will keep your property pest-free!