TOXIC: You Don't Want To Use "Bug Sprays" Inside Your Home

So, a couple of days ago I literally almost drank a spider. Like for real. Believe me, there are few things more disconcerting then opening your eyes while taking a drink and seeing 8 little legs frantically kicking as they water slide ever closer to your mouth. I flung the water into the sink, although the spider didn't go down with it. I screamed and I watched the spider kick more. Frankly, I'm not sure if he was more freaked out or I was. It was one of those kinda cute jumping spiders so I didn't want to kill it... but I digress.

The point is: In East Texas, we have lots of insects. Inevitably, they get inside our homes. We all have different tolerance levels when it comes to bugs. Many of these insects aren't bad at all and simply need relocating. I'm fairly tolerant as long as it's not a scorpion (screams) or one of the spider varieties known to be truly heinous. Some get so freaked out, they're ready to pull out the bug spray if they see any insect at all. In their panic they may spray it all over the sink, wall, floor, you name it.

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Please--try not to do this. Many of these chemicals that kill these creatures are also potentially poisonous to people--not to mention your beloved pets. You do NOT want to inhale this stuff or absorb it through your skin. If you do, symptoms can include vomiting, muscle twitches, irritation of ears, nose, or throat, and headaches. If you inhale this stuff, you risk developing breathing problems. That's kind of a big deal, ya know--breathing. Learn more about the risks and warnings here from Thenatural.com.

If you must use these products in your home, look into get baits or bait stations, sticky tape traps, or other options that don't mean chemical particulates floating through your air. The ideal option for safety would be to embrace preventative measures in the first place: Keep your home as clean as possible, vacuum on a regular basis, and make sure there are no cracks that need to be sealed up.

Here are several, more non-toxic ways, to keep pests out of your house.

And, have mercy on some spiders--they'll help you with that bug problem, too. ;)