Pest control is one of those things that is always going to be lingering in the background as an issue for homeowners and apartment dwellers alike. This has always been a problem and that fact is not going away anytime soon. It’s a conventional and standard practice to ensure that the exterminator visits your home at least once every couple of months.

There’s a green movement going on. People want to recycle more than ever before, use chemicals that don’t hurt the environment, and leave a smaller carbon footprint. This movement has even penetrated the extermination business. People want natural solutions to pest control over what they view as “harmful chemicals.”

One of the fundamental differences between natural and conventional pest control methods has to do with the approach. When you call an exterminator, he is probably going to use a spray to keep the bugs at bay. Natural pest control methods take more of a holistic approach in an attempt to either minimize the chemical impact or use chemicals that are natural to begin with, such as lemon oil.

Another method of pest control a homeowner may use deals with prevention. One may want to search for what makes her home attractive to pests to begin with. Once you figure that out, you may want to try to make lifestyle changes that will make your home less attractive to these pests. A standard approach that conventional exterminators will tell you that works well with the green movement is to make sure that your habits don’t attract pests. For instance, if you were to take your trash out regularly and ensure that food spills and residue are cleaned up soon after they’re made, pests won’t have a reason to go scuttering across your kitchen floor.

Approaches like this depend heavily upon the behavior of the people living in the home. There are green pest control companies out there who are taking this holistic approach and calling it Integrated Pest Management. The whole idea is an attempt to solve pest control problems in multiple ways. While you could use a natural oil to keep the pests away, if you don’t maintain a clean home, you may be asking for trouble.

It’s not difficult to see why some of people are drawn to the green pest control movement. People view conventional chemicals as harmful. After all, they are designed to kill on contact. Furthermore, pest control companies will tell you to remove your pets so that they don’t become harmed by the chemicals that are being sprayed. These sprays may also carry health risks simply by breathing air from the same room that the chemical is an – even if the compound has long since dried.

Green pest control exterminators and their conventional counterparts both take natural pest control seriously. Conventional exterminators may offer natural options such as using plant oils or minerals. Effective options may include rosemary oil, boric acid and clove oil.

It’s also been that known that green pest control exterminators tend to fight fire with fire. In other words, they use safe and biological methods, such as pest-repelling bacteria to combat pests. If you hear the term, “low risk,” it generally means that the chemicals and methods they’re using don’t tend to be as toxic as the traditional methods.

Which path should you take? It’s up to you. Consider this: natural pest control methods are not subject to government regulation. They may or may not work. Their effectiveness may not last nearly as long as the synthetic chemicals that are regulated by the government. This can make it so that you need to go through your pest control routine more often, which can drive up the cost of the materials. In other words, if you have to spray your front door every couple of days with clove oil simply because it’s natural versus spraying the area around your door once every three months, it certainly can make more economic sense to go the conventional route.

The term “green” is still being defined by various industries. It is designed to make you think of the color of plants, therefore trying to get you to take a natural and holistic approach to things. At the moment, “green” is still very vague – right up there with “organic” and “environmentally friendly.” Remember, just because something is labeled as organic, doesn’t make it safe. There are plenty of “natural” substances out there that are quite harmful.

Make sure you do your research. In the end, you’ll be taking responsibility for the method you choose. Do your research on the company you choose and the methods they take before you hire them. It is a crucial and valuable step to living in a pest-free home!