Integrated pest management is a process comprising of the use of biological, cultural, chemical practices that are environmentally friendly. This method is a convenient substitute of the earlier methods whose safety was questionable. Besides being a successful tool in agriculture, it has also become an asset in homes for removing even the most stubborn bugs. The beauty with it is that it ensures human safety and that of the surroundings. 

How does IPM works?

IPM focuses on finding the best solution for bugs, rather than the simplest procedure. It concentrates not only to the pests but also to the people’s health and the environment as a whole. This overhaul approach employs many strategies to achieve one goal. 

Considering that, homes are susceptible asthma triggers; it can get a tad tricky if there a household member has an asthmatic victim. Pollens are known to trigger asthma in a home and sometimes, they can be difficult to avoid. 

Note that pollen grains are usually rampant in the early morning, especially on those dry or warm days. You can control pollen counts by keeping the windows and doors closed throughout the pollen seasons and using air conditioner during the pollen season. 

1. Dust mites

Most homeowners make the mistake of neglecting carpets. What they do not know is that lack of proper maintenance not only shortens the lifespan of the carpet but also poses a health hazard. Pet hair, dander, food spills and dust are just some of the things that are likely to land on the house rugs. All these can damage the look of the carpet or contaminate the indoor air if left unattended. 

Here are a few guidelines for maintaining carpets:

Use doormats

Every homeowner wants nothing short of a sparkling clean home. Naturally, you would want to go for cleaning products that not only clean the home thoroughly but also those that make the work easier. Effectiveness should be highly prioritized when shopping for a cleaning product. 

Typically, every surface in a home is susceptible to dust and dirt. When your client wants you to help them select the right cleaning products for their home, the first thing that you should probably consider is the materials and surfaces of that home and the right cleaning products. At the end of the task, all the surfaces should be spotlessly clean. While all-purpose cleaners are effective, an extra cleaner comes in handy, especially if you are dealing with stubborn stains. 

Factors to Consider when Selecting Cleaning Products for the Home

It is often called the heart of the home and surely, it is.  The kitchen offers a place for preparing meals and even in some home styles, it acts as the dining room. Hence, it should be clean and very well organized to ensure that germs and pests do not breed in the room. Moreover, it would not be good for guests to encounter an unsightly kitchen. Cleaning a kitchen entails a list of tasks including dishwashing, cleaning countertops, cabinets and the floor among other things. How do you ensure that you leave no stone unturned?

1. Empty the pantry

The pantry hosts food and other kitchen items. It can be breeding grounds for pests. An organized cabinet system makes it easy for one to access things. The pantry is a good start when cleaning a kitchen. Empty all the items in the cabinets. Remove expired foods and any other kitchen tools that you no longer use. Use soapy water to wipe the inside and the outside of the cabinets. Vacuuming the pantry will clean even the hidden areas.

How would you advise your clients to de-clutter their homes? How would you go about de-cluttering before you embark on an interior design project? A cluttered home is not only an eyesore, but it takes away the joys of spending time at home and considering that home is where you want to rush and relax after a long day at work, cleaning is the only option to creating an ideal haven. That said, a big cleaning project is not exactly everyone’s cup of tea. 

When you are tackling a big cleaning project at home, you are bound to get overwhelmed and the only thing that is going to keep you from procrastination is a deadline. Mark it on your calendar and be determined to beat the deadline. 

Here are five steps that will keep you on your toes throughout the project:

Sparkling windows are every homeowner’s dream, but unsightly streaks can get in the way and spoil everything. The spraying, wiping and reaching in the name of cleaning windows can sometimes get a tad frustrating if you fall short of the right products and tools to eliminate streak. This does not have to be the case anymore. Once grime settles on your window, you will go to any lengths to ensure that you achieve excellent cleaning. 

Here is how to have that streak-free window: 

1. Use distilled water

With the busy lifestyles that define today’s life, home cleaning is often relegated to the weekends. Sometimes, it never happens until a month later. However, it is the dream of every homeowner to have a clean home. In addition, heavy carpets along the hallway need regular cleaning and maintenance. There are some stains too that cannot be removed by home stain removal remedies. One can consider hiring a professional cleaner to clear the mess. You can have the cleaning service weekly or fortnightly. 

Reasons for hiring a professional cleaning service

They are professionals

We have all encountered the homekeeping problem of trying to remove the sticky residue left behind when we pulled the sticker from our new shower, or from one of our new windows. Sometimes this residue is left because one of our children has stuck a sticker on their window, or on an appliance and we have to fight to remove the goo. There are a few tricks to getting this stubborn substance to turn loose.

Wallpaper Glue

If you are removing wallpaper, or paper border that is glued onto your wall you might want to know that liquid fabric softener will effectively cause the glue to turn loose. Most people that have tried to remove wallpaper, or paper border has run into the problem of small pieces of paper tearing away at a time, and of a sticky film being left where the paper once was adhered to the wall. Liquid fabric softener is the solution you have been waiting for.

A new baby’s arrival is often much met with much joy and anticipation – the would-be parents are often excitedly planning out the nursery, childcare arrangements, family gatherings … but where does your beloved canine companion fit into all these? Dogs are extremely sensitive beings – they can already sense that big changes are about to take place before you make your big announcements to your friends and family!

Therefore, it would be wise for you to prepare your dog for your baby’s arrival as early as possible … in fact, you can even do these when you are trying to conceive! There is no harm, as these tips can train your dog to get along with toddlers and young children.

Setting up your home

All of us dog owners know that our furry loved ones always need movement and interaction in order to be happy and healthy. Most of the times you may think „Hey, my dog always plays with everyone in the family and seems more than happy in the house and backyard, is it really necessary to have a daily walk?” Well, the answer is a definite YES. Although they have our love and attention whenever they need it, our furry friends also need some furry friends of their own in order to socialize and learn how to behave amongst people and other dogs alike.

When to go for a walk?

Just like us, dogs are mostly active during the day, they are energetic and lively in the morning and tend to get lazy, and sometimes tired in the afternoon, when they have spent a good amount of their energy for the day. So, the best time to take your paw one for a stretch out and walk would be during the morning, when he/she is bursting with energy. Don’t think that after the afternoon nap your dog will have the same drive, because they are usually still a bit tired.

Cats are not meant to be vegetarians. If you own a cat, you must have come to terms with that fact. But if you spend much time contemplating the ingredients and processes involved in making standard cat chow or canned food, you might be rather horrified. So you can spend a great deal on ‘premium’ cat foods, and you probably should to ensure a balanced diet for your cat. But every now and then, why not connect the cat’s food supply to your own and let the cat help you consume what might otherwise go to waste?

Let your cat eat local

Many cats who spend any time outdoors eat local with some frequency, of course. But if your cat is an indoor cat or you’re just not fond of cleaning up the cat’s leavings on the sidewalk, you can find another way. If you buy whole chickens from a local farmer and then cut them up or roast them for your family’s food, save the giblets for the cat. There’s a variety of ways to prepare or present this treat. Some people cook the giblets and cut them into small pieces for the cat. Some boil, some use the microwave. If you use the microwave, make sure to pierce the heart first as you would a potato as it might tend to explode.

We all know that trips to the vet can be very expensive. Thankfully there are some home remedies available for those occasions when your pet is unwell rather than seriously ill. If you do opt for treating your animal yourself and it does not become substantially better within twenty-four hours, then it is necessary to seek professional advice.

When it comes to home remedies fortunately there are common household items that may be used to treat a pet or at worst, you may need to take a trip to your grocery store to add to your supply or borrow an ingredient from a neighbor. Here are a few treatments for common ailments that may save you some money.

Common Ailments and DIY Treatments from your Kitchen

A rabbit has a long lifespan of up to ten years so bear this in mind when making a purchase. They are very cute and cuddly but require a little more care than your average pets. They should ideally be housed indoors as they are sensitive to extreme changes in temperature, loud noises and predators. 

Rabbits also love to chew so make your home a safe environment for your bunny. This means removing electric cords from their reach and ensuring that they don’t come into contact with any poisonous substances or plants that could kill them such as Calla Lilly’s, Aloes, Azaleas, Philodendron and Lily of the Valley together with a variety of other bulbs.  Because they are sociable, it is advisable to purchase two rabbits.

Rabbit Housing

When a half-feral cat adopts you, there’s often a reason beyond a desire for some decent food. When a litter of kittens is the result, it’s not a big surprise. But a mama cat that has showed up at your apartment pregnant simply cannot be made into an indoor cat immediately. And occasionally, bad luck is the result. Mama Cat is struck by a car and killed. You cancel the spaying appointment you’d set up for her and begin to think about the larger question – what do you do with the five kittens, still too small to be weaned?

Consult with a veterinarian to develop a method

You absolutely need some professional advice to get started if you hope to save these kittens. With a veterinarian’s help you can get the supplies you need, check the kittens’ health to be sure none need to be isolated, and develop a plan based on how old the kittens are at the time of their mother’s death. If you have a fairly healthy litter, find a big shoebox or something similar to keep them in. Line it with newspaper. This may not sound too cozy, but keep in mind that the kittens will foul their living quarters and the lining will have to be changed frequently. Keep a heating pad, wrapped in towels and on its lowest setting, under one side of the box only. Use a thermometer to be sure the warm side of the box isn’t more than about 90 degrees. Make sure there’s a cool side of the box so that the kittens can rotate and not become overheated.

Dogs that react when they meet other dogs are a problem - not least because they can get their owners into trouble.

It is one of the most common problems confronted by animal behaviorists and trainers.The issue can manifest itself in a range of ways. It could be anything from our dogs seeming to act uncomfortably around their peers and being defensive right up to fully blown fighting aggression. Sometimes the same dog can display all these traits in different situations.

Prevention is better than cure

Owners abandoning pets is a worldwide scourge involving many millions of adorable animals, many of which are being put to death each year.
The reason, as with so many other scandals is money. Breeders keep breeding increasing numbers of puppies in a chase to make more and more money. Other members of the public reward them by buying these puppies when they could easily choose to save innocent, healthy dogs by adopting them from rescue centers instead.

Money’s too tight to mention

Too many pet owners then later decide that having a dog, with all the commitment that goes with it,is an inconvenience and expense they could easily do without.

If one of our dogs is the instigator of an attack we could find the weight of the law falling heavily on our shoulders - and we could end up with a criminal record!

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 made it a criminal offense for a dog to attack any dog that is assisting their owner (a Guide Dog for the Blind or a Hearing Dog) for instance. This law applies whether the attack causes  injury or death. It even works is the person with the assistance dog has reasonable grounds to believe their animal could be injured.

Cat lovers like to say that it is their cat’s personality that is special to them, but they also admit to being drawn to a particular cat’s by the colour of its coat. 

There is also a feeling that the two are linked. Is this true?

One 1995 study concluded that orange male cats tend to be challenged by other males getting too close.   Another that looked at how cats react to new experiences indicated that orange and cream kittens tended to react more aggressively than other kittens when handled by a human being they did not know. 

You have the chance to take some well-earned time away with your family or friends and you are really looking forward to it. The only thing that is bothering you is you are not sure what to do with your beloved pet(s) during that time.

There are 3 main options for you:

Take them with you