Maybe you have seen some ants in a corner of your kitchen or crawling across your counters.
Possibly you’ve seen some other pests or even rodents in your home. Maybe a cockroach near your trashcan or a mouse in your garage.
And once you see any kind of bug in your home, you want it out … now. So, naturally, your first step may be to immediately drive to your local hardware store and pick up whatever product seems fit to handle your pest problem. A little DIY pest control will do the trick, you think.
But, unfortunately, while doing something yourself can seem empowering, it can also backfire. And it might not even be entirely your fault. DIY pest control mistakes can happen for a variety of reasons and in a variety of circumstances that might be out of your control.
Here are the biggest mistakes we see in Central and Southern Maryland that you should avoid when trying to tackle pests in your home.
4 DIY Pest Control Risks To Avoid
While DIY pest control might seem pretty easy when you pick up a product at the store and read the directions, there are definitely nuances that occur with different pests that can be helpful to understand to adequately control a problem.
Different products also work in different ways, and learning about that can help you target your applications and avoid wasting time and money.
You’ll want to steer clear of these 4 DIY pest control mistakes for a successful bug elimination.
1. Overapplying Products
While most products on the shelf have safety information you can follow, any product used in your home can have risks. This is why reading instructions and following label directions is particularly important.
However, when you have a nasty pest in your home, there’s a tendency to make the DIY pest control mistake of overapplying products. More is better, right? Wrong. More might only be harmful, but it could also be a waste of product, meaning time and money, out the window.
2. Relocating the Pest Instead of Eliminating It
Some pests are pretty sneaky. You may think your DIY pest control application is eliminating them, when a few days later you see them pop up again in a different spot. 
This means you actually chased the problem around your home or relocated it instead of squashed it.
This is particularly a problem with ants. If you don’t target an ant colony, for instance, you are only eliminating a handful of ants vs. the main source of those bugs. That means you’ll keep seeing them … and their nest will continue to grow in the meantime.
Better understanding the pest you’re controlling and finding the source of their entry into your home can help avoid this mistake.
3. Wasting Time & Money
Your patience for pests is low in your home. We get that.
So when you spend the time researching a product, buying a product, and applying a product, you want to make sure your effort was worthwhile.
This is where the costs of DIY pest control mistakes can, unfortunately, add up. While the initial product purchase is low, the repeated buying of products can add up if you haven’t identified the correct bug or treated it in the right way.
Also, how much time are you willing to spend on this project? If you put a value on an hour of your time, you may wonder if the time you spend tackling this pest is worth it when you could be doing something else that you need to do or even that you enjoy doing instead.
4. Lack of Effectiveness
When you’ve taken the time and money to buy and apply a DIY pest control product, the last thing you want is not to make even a dent in your ant or termite population. But that can happen if you buy the wrong product, treat the wrong problem, or maybe even treat the right problem incorrectly.
And, sure, for smaller pest problems, store bought exterminating products can be effective. For bigger infestations, this strategy can be more difficult because a quick product application might not be enough.
Pests are quite shifty. It doesn’t help that they can squeeze through the tiniest of holes and find backdoor access to hot spots.
You definitely need to beef up your pest knowledge to ensure control effectiveness.
This is where a reliable pest control professional can be your solution to those pesky pest infestations that are giving you the most trouble. An experienced Central and Southern Maryland exterminator will have the latest information on the safest and most effective products, as well as know all of the tricks to managing common bugs. They also use specialized application equipment that targets small areas and delivers just enough product necessary for combating pests.
Tired of Making DIY Pest Control Mistakes?
You’ve tried your hand at DIY pest control -- maybe with some wins and some losses-- and now you’re ready to remove the risks and just get rid of pests quickly?
You can choose a good pest control partner by reading reviews and hiring a company you feel comfortable bringing into your home.
Experienced exterminators can eliminate pest infestations immediately and keep them away with four visits a year that comes with someone who can answer all of your pressing questions. The proactive approach can also protect you from bigger pest problems down the road.
Seeing ants? Termite damage? Evidence of a mice infestation? Natural Green can help. Get started today with a free quote. We’ll review your options together so you can make a great choice. Then you can just relax and enjoy your Central or Southern Maryland home.
