57 Ways - 48. Select The Right Household Pesticide

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57 Ways To Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)

Caring for the Home Landscape

1. Aim for a healthy lawn rather than a perfect lawn
2. Cut the grass without gas
3. Prevent insect, disease, and weed problems in the garden
4. Identify fruits and vegetables that need fewer pesticides
5. Select native trees and shrubs that will thrive in your yard
6. Keep your tress healthy and safe
7. Plant “wild” in your backyard
8. Attract birds and butterflies to your backyard

Using Alternatives to Traditional Pesticides & Fertilizers - Where Practical

9. Scout for pests on the landscape
10. Consider microbial insecticides
11. Consider botanical insecticides & insecticidal soaps
12. Conserve beneficial insects
13. Monitor & control insects with traps
14. Use pest barriers in your garden
15. Solarize soil
16. Consider the potential of natural fertilizers

Using Chemicals on the Landscape - If Necessary

17. Know what to ask a lawn-care company and arborist
18. Understand pesticide toxicity
19. Read the pesticide label
20. Apply pesticides accurately and safely
21. Apply fertilizers accurately and safely

Storing & Disposing of Hazardous Chemicals

22. Store hazardous chemicals safely
23. Dispose of pesticides safely
24. Dispose of auto products safely
25. Dispose of paints and solvents safely
26. Dispose of adhesives, areosols, household cleaners & other hazardous waste safely

Managing Yard, Food & Other Household Waste

27. Reduce household waste
28. Recycle paper, glass, & aluminum
29. Reuse and respond
30. Recycle grass clippings
31. Create a compost pile
32. Use yard waste as mulch
33. Dispose of tree residues

Protecting Your Drinking Water

34. Know when & how to test your water
35. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate 36. Test your water for pesticides - if necessary
37. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
38. Select effective water-treatment methods
39. Prevent contamination from septic systems
40. Know the pros & cons of bottled water

Protecting the Indoor Environment

41. Prevent contamination by lead
42. Test your home for radon
43. Reduce radon levels
44. Control dust, dust mites & other allergens
45. Reduce pollution from combustion equipment
46. Prevent contamination by formaldehyde and asbestos
47. Recognize tht it's not always necessary to control indoor insects
48. Select the right household pesticide
49. Control household pests with less toxic alternatives
50. Select household cleaners wisely

Conserving Energy & Water

51. Design new homes for energy effciency
52. Save energy in heating & cooling
53. Insulate & seal your home
54. Choose energy-efficient appliances
55. Save money & energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs
56. Use plants & other landscape tools to conserve energy
57. Conserve water in & around the home

48. Select The Right Household Pesticide
	Once you have identified a pest and decided that using a pesticide is necessary, select an appropriate treatment method. Choices include residual pesticides, baits, and space sprays. Remember to read the pesticide label carefully to find out which products can be used for the treatment you have in mind. Residual pesticides are sprayed on surfaces and allowed to dry; they are intended to work against pests for a few days or weeks after application. They remain toxic to insects and to pets and humans, so use them with care.
	The most effective and safest use for residual pesticides is to apply them in cracks and crevices where ants, roaches, and other insects hide. Key application sites are the gaps and spaces along baseboards and behind appliances, where humans and pets are unlikely to contact the residue.
	Certain residual pesticides can be sprayed along a doorway threshold, around the foundation, or along windowsills to keep out some crawling insects. Before using a pesticide as a chemical barrier, however, first determine whether the places where insects enter can be plugged with caulk or weatherstripping. This way, you may be able to avoid insecticides.
	It is not a good idea to use residual pesticides to spray surfaces throughout the interior of a house. Most of the pesticides will wind up on surfaces that the pests will not contact, but humans will.
	Rodent baits can be deadly, so place them only where they are inaccessible to children and pets. Always place them inside lockable bait boxes, which can be purchased where baits are sold. Never place a rodent bait in an open container under the sink. Traps, including those that do not kill the offending rodent, are alternatives to baits.
	Some labels state that roach and ant baits are safe enough to place on countertops, but logic suggests this is a poor idea. You will have much more success if you place baits where the insects enter the room or emerge from cracks and voids. Good sites for bait containers are near pipes, corners, and damp areas.
	Space sprays, usually aerosols, are sprayed or otherwise released into the air to control such pests as flies and mosquitoes. In general, space sprays are not very effective for the control of most pests. Additionally, tiny aerosol droplets of the pesticide settle on surfaces throughout the house—many of them on surfaces where pests are not active.