Pest questions, answered

Asked most

• Cockroaches Cockroaches keep coming from next door. Can I keep my flat clear? You can keep your flat much quieter, even when the source is next door. A full clear usually needs the building to…
• Bed bugs Can I get rid of bed bugs without an exterminator? Honestly, bed bugs rarely go with DIY alone. But the right DIY steps shrink the problem, protect your sleep and cut what…
• Ants Ants are pouring out of my skirting board. What do I do? A sudden stream from one spot usually means a nest has found food or the winged ants are leaving to mate. It…
• Flies and gnats Why do I have fruit flies when my kitchen is spotless? Because fruit flies need very little to breed: a film in a drain, a bin seal, a sticky bottle in the recycling,…
• Moths and pantry pests How do I get rid of clothes moths without mothballs? You can clear clothes moths without mothballs or a fogger. Find the source, vacuum deep, kill larvae in fabrics with heat or…
• Spiders and other crawlers Is this spider dangerous? I found it on my child’s bed Most spiders that wander indoors are not a danger to people, but some regions have spiders with a serious bite and nobody…
• Mosquitoes and wasps Why do I still get mosquito bites with the windows shut? Mosquitoes get in during the day, through small gaps, or breed indoors in tiny amounts of water. Check it really is mosquitoes,…
• Mice and rats Mice keep coming back. What actually works without poison? Mice come back while the way in is still open. Find and seal the gaps, take away the food, and catch the…

• Cockroaches keep coming from next door. Can I keep my flat clear?
• I found baby cockroaches. What do I do right now?
• I saw one cockroach. Are there more?
• I’m seeing more cockroaches since I treated. Is it working?
• Is this a German cockroach or something else?
• Should I deal with cockroaches myself or call pest control?
• Still cockroaches after pest control. What’s going wrong?
• What do I need for German cockroaches, and in what order?
• Why do I have cockroaches when my home is clean?
• Why doesn’t Raid get rid of my cockroaches?
• A cockroach keeps coming up my drain. How do I stop it?
• Big dark cockroach in the kitchen at night. Should I worry?
• Cockroaches are living in my microwave. What do I do?
• Could I have brought cockroaches home from work or a visit?
• Do baking soda, peppermint or borax kill cockroaches?
• Do cockroach foggers and bug bombs actually work?
• How do I get rid of cockroaches in my car?
• Is this cockroach poo, or something else?
• What is a growth regulator for cockroaches, and do I need one?
• Why has my cockroach gel bait stopped working?

• Can I get rid of bed bugs without an exterminator?
• Do I have to throw out my mattress if I have bed bugs?
• I just found a bed bug. What do I do tonight?
• I’ve had bed bugs treated and still have them. Why?
• Marks on my sheets but no bites. Could it be bed bugs?
• Is bed bug heat treatment worth the price?
• Pest control found no bed bugs, but I’m still being bitten
• Something bites me at night but I can’t find it. What is it?
• When does the anxiety stop after bed bugs?

• Ants are pouring out of my skirting board. What do I do?
• Is ant bait safe with a baby or pets in the house?
• Ants walk right past the bait. What now?
• Flying ants in the house: is it an infestation?
• How many carpenter ants is a real problem?
• Do peppermint oil or vinegar keep ants away?

• Why do I have fruit flies when my kitchen is spotless?
• Fruit flies or drain flies: how do I tell?
• How do I get rid of fungus gnats in my houseplants?
• My vinegar fruit fly trap isn’t working. What else can I do?
• Why doesn’t bleach get rid of drain flies?
• Are flies in my drain a sign it’s blocked?

• How do I get rid of clothes moths without mothballs?
• Pantry moths: what food do I have to throw out?
• Are pantry moths and clothes moths the same?
• How do I stop moths eating my wool and cashmere?
• Pantry moths keep coming back. How do I stop them for good?
• Do moth pheromone traps get rid of moths?

• Is this spider dangerous? I found it on my child’s bed
• Carpet beetle larvae keep turning up. Where are they hiding?
• Do silverfish mean my home is dirty?
• Fleas but no pets: where did they come from?
• How do I keep spiders out of my house?
• What are these tiny white bugs? Could they be booklice?
• How do I catch a big spider when I’m scared of them?
• How do I get earwigs out of the house and garden?
• How do I keep house centipedes out of the bathroom?

• Why do I still get mosquito bites with the windows shut?
• Does a wasp nest need removing, or will it die off?
• How do I keep mosquitoes away without chemical sprays?
• Wasp nest in a shared building: landlord’s job or mine?
• Wasps keep getting into my bedroom. Where are they coming from?

• Mice keep coming back. What actually works without poison?
• Are glue traps or bucket traps humane for mice?
• Holes under my shed: is it rats?
• How do I get mice out of my car and keep them out?
• I paid for rat proofing but still hear them. Is that normal?
• Is it safe to use rat poison with cats in the house?
• How can I help hedgehogs without attracting rats?
• I panic at every noise since we had mice. Is that normal?

• How do I stop pigeons on my balcony without hurting them?
• Birds keep nesting in my vents. How do I keep them out?
• Can I remove a bird’s nest from my house?
• Gulls nesting on my roof wake us at 4am. What can I do?
• A woodpecker keeps drumming on my house. How do I stop it?

• There’s a snake in my garden. Is it dangerous to my kids?
• Do mothballs or ultrasonic devices keep snakes away?
• Foxes have a den under my shed. How do I get them to leave?
• How do I get squirrels or possums out of my roof humanely?
• How do I make my garden less inviting to snakes?
• How do I stop a neighbour’s cat using my garden as a litter tray?
• How do I stop foxes or raccoons digging up my lawn?
• How do I protect my plants from deer, rabbits and squirrels?
• How do I stop moles ruining my lawn?

• A dog bit me. What should I do now?
• An off-lead dog is charging my dog. What do I do?
• Is dog deterrent spray legal where I live?
• Who do I call about a dangerous or roaming dog?
• Will stray dogs attack me if I walk or run here?
• How do I deal with a neighbour’s dog that barks all day?
• How do I stop dogs fouling outside my house?

• A guest complained about bugs. How should I respond?
• How do I document pests for my landlord?
• My landlord won’t deal with the pests. What can I do?
• Who pays for bed bug treatment in a rental?
• Can I break my lease because of pests?
• Can my landlord take my deposit for pest treatment?
• How do I clear a rental of pests between tenants?
• How do I stop bed bugs between guests?
• My tenant reported pests. What should I do first?
• Should I tell guests about mice or bugs at my rural rental?

• Bed bugs in my hotel. How do I avoid bringing them home?
• How do I check a flat for pests before I sign?
• How do I move house without taking cockroaches with me?
• Just moved in and found pests. What do I do first?
• Can I claim compensation from a hotel over bed bugs?
• Going away for months. How do I stop pests moving in?
• How do I check secondhand furniture for bed bugs and cockroaches?
• Should I worry about bed bugs or cockroaches before a trip?

• Do ultrasonic pest repellers work?
• Is cockroach treatment safe with a baby in the house?
• Is pest control safe for my cats and dogs?
• Can cockroaches make you ill or trigger asthma?
• How long should I stay out after my home is sprayed?
• I used bug spray while pregnant. Should I worry?
• Is diatomaceous earth safe, and does it really work?