How to clear creepy crawlies from your home this Halloween

Kimberley Taylor

Writer & Researcher

1. Say boo! To bed bugs
2. Keep the bugs at bay!
3. Homemade remedies to scare bugs away

4. Don’t let the bugs get you down!

We’ve all heard the recent horror stories of bed bugs running wild across Europe. And in light of this creepy crawly craze, we wanted to help show homeowners how they can stop these pests from infiltrating their homes this Halloween. And how to get rid of the little blighters if they have an invasion on their hands!

Say boo! To bed bugs

Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of sleeping humans and animals. Though they aren’t dangerous, their bites can be irritating, and a particularly severe allergic reaction might need medical attention. Plus, they’re particularly difficult to get rid of because they can survive several months without a blood meal.

If you have bed bugs, you might notice small, red bite marks on your body, spotted blood on your bed sheets, and some people will also experience painful swelling.

But don’t fret! While bed bugs are headline news at the moment, an outbreak of this magnitude is incredibly unusual. Here in Britain, we’re far more likely to be confronted by different creepy crawlies like spiders, flies and cockroaches, especially as winter arrives and the little critters seek out the warmth of our homes.

Co-founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short, commented: “It’s not everyday that bed bugs rampage through Europe, but here in the UK, we’re more than familiar insects and bugs in the home. Luckily, very few of them present any risk to us, but they can be incredibly annoying, especially if they exist in large numbers.”

Keep the bugs at bay!

The best way of deterring bugs from entering your home is to spend some money on blocking their initial entry. Resealing any small cracks in windows or walls will give insects less entry points to the home. It costs between £150-£200 for each repair job, and a door resealing can cost around £300. It might seem like a lot of money in the short term, but it’s a great way to prevent these creepy crawlies from causing any long term (and expensive!) damage in the future.

Another useful way of deterring pests is to make sure that your rubbish and bins are properly stored, reducing the temptation of pests like flies and rats.

Finally, staying on top of your garden is another way of dealing with creepy crawlies. And we mean thoroughly - weeding and trimming regularly all year-round. Getting rid of your wayward shrubs gives insects fewer spots to thrive. Just make sure to not go overboard with your trimming; your garden needs a certain number of creepy crawlies to stay healthy.

Colby continued, “The vast majority of the time, bugs can be eradicated or persuaded to leave your home, whether it’s through a homemade remedy or a professional pest controller. But it’s really important to remember the ecosystems that exist among and between these insects. If, for example, you start culling all of the spiders in your home, there will be nothing to control the number of flies making themselves comfortable.”

Homemade remedies to scare bugs away

It’s all well and good knowing how to prevent an infestation, but what can you do if they’ve already found a way in? How do you persuade creepy crawlies to leave the home? Don’t worry! There are lots of cheap, homemade remedies that have been known to do the trick…or treat!

Most remedies include ingredients that bugs dislike and will run away from. These include peppermint, vinegar, cinnamon sticks, and citrus peel. If you leave these ingredients in strategic places around the home, i.e. cracks where the crawlies are getting in, it helps keep unwanted pests away and can even result in them leaving your home altogether…for now.

It also helps to maintain a regular cleaning routine, ensuring that crumbs and spilt sugary drinks, etc, don’t end up an easy meal for bugs.

Finally, it’s good to reduce the amount of lights you keep on during the night, decreasing the chances that insects will be attracted to visit and settle down in your home. This is especially true for outdoor lights, such as porch or security lights.

Don’t let the bugs get you down!

Ultimately, there are plenty of ways you can prevent and reduce the amount of creepy crawlies infiltrating your home. It’s all about staying on top of your cleaning, making sure you have a healthy garden, and maybe keeping an orange or two with your pumpkins this Halloween!

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