It’s no secret that this year has lent itself to extended cleaning and sanitization. From our hands to our groceries, we’ve been extra careful to ensure the germs are zapped. And, just like germs are unwanted visitors, so too, are bugs (of any kind) in our home.
It may seem like a logical DIY to try, but home remedies are generally never a good idea for pesky pests. So, when it comes to the combination of vinegar and pest control … you aren’t likely to have much success.
Does Vinegar Kill Bed Bugs?
Household cleaners may help out in the kitchen and bathroom, but popular home cleaners like bleach, Lysol and vinegar won’t do much damage when it comes to bed bugs. The first problem is that many cleaners—like vinegar and dish soap—don’t actually work (unless you were to somehow find and drown all the bed bugs hiding throughout your home). The next problem is that the cleaners that do work—like bleach and Lysol—can ruin your upholstered furniture and carpeting. Skip this DIY beg bug remedy in favor of one that will actually work without destroying your possessions.
Using Vinegar to Kill Ants
Vinegar—whether white vinegar or apple cider vinegar—is a common ingredient in many kitchens. That’s probably why many homeowners have high hopes that vinegar or a mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap will kill ants. But you know what we are going to say next …
Unfortunately, vinegar as pest control doesn’t work—even for ants. Vinegar does not kill ants in the traditional sense: you spray it, and the ant dies. The only way this remedy is effective is if the ant drowns in vinegar (and that doesn’t sound like a pretty picture, either).
You may hear that vinegar can be used for pest control as repellant only. However, this isn’t all that effective, either. Ants can simply go around the smelly areas or find a different entrance into your home. For such limited effectiveness, it’s not worth making your house smell like a basket of Easter eggs.
Vinegar as Pest Control for Termites
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again … DIY methods for ridding your home of termites is never a good idea. It’s true that ammonia will kill termites; however, that doesn’t make ammonia a good remedy for homeowners looking to DIY termite control—and the same goes for vinegar as a pest control solution.
The problem with using products like Windex or another product containing ammonia to kill termites is that you can’t access the colony this way. The termite colony will be underground (in the case of subterranean termites) or inside wood (in the case of drywood termites). You might be able to kill a stray termite here or there around your home, but that won’t solve the problem. Termites reproduce quickly, and for every termite you kill, there are 10 more hidden. It’s just impossible to solve a termite infestation using ammonia. And vinegar is the same way (especially since it doesn’t kill them in the first place).
Will Vinegar Eliminate Roaches?
As tempting as it may be to take the all-natural route, using vinegar for roaches isn’t something we recommend. In fact, the reality is that you should steer clear completely. While the Internet would have you believe there’s a DIY cure for any pest—including roaches—homeowners notoriously waste time and effort with vinegar-based pest control solutions. Roaches do not react to these types of “treatments,” and your best bet is to skip it altogether.
What You Can Do
When it comes to pest control, the health and safety of you and your family is paramount. No matter the circumstances, always avoid pest control “remedies” that are proven to be unsafe, like rubbing alcohol and peroxide. Instead of using unreliable or ineffective home remedies like vinegar for pest control, it’s a good idea to get the help of a professional exterminator—someone who has the knowledge, experience and tools to safely, quickly and effectively deal with the problem.
We’ve Got You Covered
ScherZinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and Columbus. We’ve been pioneers who have engineered new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website or Facebook.