Have you ever wondered how your relatives battled the pest problem in their day? They certainly couldn’t run to the neighborhood home store to buy pesticides, but they used products that were, and still are, right there in their own cupboards or barns. The only difference could be ours are stored in garages instead of barns.

With harsh chemicals all around, while some like DDT have been banned, what can you do to keep your property pest free? We’ve heard of many so if these few things are new to you, try them out before you ruin the plants and lawn that you’re trying to protect.

Inside your home, one thing that works well to clean drains with a minimal price is baking soda and vinegar. Pour the baking soda on the sink surrounding the drain, and then pour enough vinegar to dissolve the soda. Do this regularly and you won’t have to call a plumber every time your drains stop up.

To clean your windows mix 3 tablespoons of ammonia and 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Combine with cool water in that empty window cleaner bottle and if you want it to look blue like the cleaner from the store, add some blue coloring.

To clean your jewelry use 1 tablespoon each of salt, soda and dish detergent and mix with 1 cup of water, and 1 piece of aluminum foil. Place the foil in a small cereal bowl. Heat water and pour over the ingredients, then place your jewelry in and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse in cool water, dry completely and discard the solution. Be sure to try this on something small instead of that prized antique jewelry.

Others claim boric acid destroys roaches; Dawn dish liquid and water kills bugs including bed-bugs; distilled vinegar kills ants; Clorox kills many bugs and ants; Boiling water will kill weeds that grow in sidewalk cracks, as the water goes to the roots.

Some of the mixtures you hear about may be good for one thing or another, but may kill other plants that you’re trying to protect.

Take no one’s word for what works and what doesn’t, but always try the new products in one small area, and if it works, go for broke as they say. Just be cautious and keep all solutions out of the way of your children or pets. We can’t warn you enough on this.

Just look what happened when they banned DDT. Especially in Africa where mosquitoes grow and feast on the population. Many have developed malaria, and many children have died because of it. Nets over bedding can solve those problems, but in the third world countries, nets are expensive, but homemade lawn and pest remedies could be the better answer.