Dear Cheapskate: Once each quarter, we have our house and property professionally treated for pests. The results have been excellent, and we no longer have the problem with bugs that we had before. Do you know of a homemade or store-bought solution that we can use instead of paying quarterly? The payment is quite high, and although I was able to negotiate to lower the fee, I know that’s just temporary. I am afraid if we don’t continually have our house treated, we may end up with an infestation again.—Gloria, email
Dear Gloria: Pest control performed by a professional service is costly because these companies are licensed to use chemicals that are toxic and restricted for consumer use. The professionals know how and where to apply the chemicals in a way that doesn’t put you and pets in harm’s way.
