Kill creepy-crawlies without harming pets

Dear Heloise:

I hate cockroaches! Here in Louisiana, we have a real problem with them because it’s always damp here. I need to kill these creepy-crawlies without also killing the family pets. Is there a natural way to kill roaches without harming my kids and pets?

Toni A., Metairie, Louisiana

Toni, there are several things you can try: Boric acid (usually found in grocery stores or pharmacies) can be mixed with baking soda and placed where you’ve seen cockroach activity.

There is also diatomaceous earth, which is usually found at nurseries and hardware stores. It’s nontoxic to humans.

You can also sprinkle peppermint oil or cedar wood oil on a cotton ball and place it where the cockroaches seem to be. The smell drives them away.

Personally, I found that mixing boric acid with a tiny amount of sugar and a tiny amount of water, then pressing this into empty bottle caps that are placed in the areas of activity, will get the job done.

Dear Heloise: Every summer, we are bitten by fire ants. My three children can’t play outside in the grass due to these ants. How can I get rid of them?

Janet M., China Grove, Texas

Janet, take a mixture of boric acid and sugar, and sprinkle this around the opening of the mound. Since the ants feed their queen with what they find, they are bound to feed her the boric acid, which will kill the queen and eventually the hive.

Remember, there are hundreds of ants down below the ground’s surface.

So, if you need to do this quicker, take the handle of a pole or a broom and quickly shove it down the center of the mound.

Then take a 3-gallon pail filled with dishwashing soap and hot water, and pour it down the center of the mound. Do this twice and use plenty of soap.

If the infestation of ants just won’t go away, you may have to call a pest control company to handle the problem.

Dear Heloise: I am terrified of spiders. How can I keep them away from my home?

Lynn G., Tampa, Florida

Lynn, take a spray bottle filled with equal parts vinegar and water. Shake well and spray a spider when you see one. The acetic acid in vinegar burns most spiders on contact. To keep them away, place cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil, tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil. Place them in areas where spiders are seen or tend to gather. They usually don’t care for the smell of these three oils.

In the south and southwest, it is especially important to keep spiders away from your house. Scorpions often feast on spiders, and the last thing you need are scorpions!