We love HGTV for all the inspo on DIY projects around the house. But let’s be honest. There’s a time and a place for DIY. And pest control is just not one of those things. We’re going to explain why hiring a professional vs. DIY is the way to go in the pest control world. But just to tickle your DIY fancies, we put a super cute holiday recipe at the end of this blog post that we encourage you to make at home for the holidays! 🐭🎅

When is it time to hire a professional?

A couple of ants in the kitchen or an occasional mouse in the garage doesn’t seem like a big deal, right? You use some can of spray you got at Home Depot and the ants go away and no big deal. When a sighting becomes more frequent though, or maybe it’s no longer a dozen ants in one spot it’s like 50 a day and they’re in three spots. That’s when it’s time to make the call. [insert Ghostbusters theme music here.]

Things to consider before buying over-the-counter pesticides.

• What pest are you even dealing with?
  • Ants. Okay what kind? There are hundreds of species of ants and they don’t all like the same thing and therefore don’t respond to all products in the same way.
• Are they pavement ants? Are they odorous house ants? Why are they there? What are they attracted to?
  • Tiny ants in the kitchen by the baseboard could mean there’s a structural gap they’re getting in through or a water leakage issue in the basement.
  • Some ants are attracted to water. Others will go after food crumbs.
• Is there a way to solve this problem without using pesticides? Caulking a gap around a window or replacing weather-stripping on the bottom of a door could literally be the best solution to keep pests out. And it’s cheap.
• Do you have pets that live with you? Please be very cautious when using any chemical product around animals. Many cleaning products are more toxic than the products that pest management professionals use. The victory against pests is in the knowledge, not the product.
• Always read the label of the specific product you’re using and follow instructions to the “T”. Even if you think you’ve used it before or it’s similar to something you’ve used, always read the label. The label is the law. And it will prevent accidental poisoning and other levels of harm.

The value in hiring a professional pest expert

When it comes to certain things in life, it really helps to “know a guy”. Am I right?? Your kitchen sink backs up the day before Christmas and you have 25 people coming to the house the next day for a gigantic feast. (This literally happened to me. I can’t put into words how stressful that was!) Is this a good time for DIY or do you know a plumber you can trust to solve this problem? Same thing when it comes to critter invasions around your most important investment. Check out all these reasons hiring a pest management professional is a way better idea than trying to handle a persistent pest issue yourself.

• It’s like having your own personal environmental guardian. Pretty much like being BFFs with Captain Planet.
• We’re an extra set of eyes on the little things that often get overlooked around your property.
• Rose’s experts are highly skilled and trained to solve issues at the root and will work with you to prevent future issues long-term.
• We’ll educate you on the nature of the situation at hand so you can one-up all your neighbors at the next block party.
• Our expert will probably fall in love with your pets and make sure they’re living in the best environment free of fleas and ticks and any other potentially harmful pests.
• If you have parties out in the yard, we can make sure your guests don’t get eaten alive by mosquitoes.
• We check everything seasonally as the weather changes to help keep your health and your house in tip top shape. And if something weird comes up in between our visits every season, like say your dog was playing with a giant beetle that looked like an alien and you want to know what the heck it is and if you need to take your dog to the vet if he bit the bug. Yeah we don’t charge for those kinds of things. Because life happens. Pests happen. But under our watch, you’re covered.

Get a free quote from us anytime. No pressure. We’re here to make your life easier.

Mouse in the House?

We never recommend living with rodents. Unless they’re these SUPER CUTE CHRISTMAS COOKIE MICE!!!!! 🐭🎅 Enjoy this fun on-brand seasonal recipe! If you make them, make sure you tag us in any recipe photos on Facebook or Instagram!