Materials you'll need:

Suitable insect sprays for room and residual sprays or dust for surfaces
· Pest strips
· Ant traps
· Flea collars for pets
· Flea and tick treatments for pets
· Protective gloves
· Sprayer
· Caulking compound
· Insect screens and doors
· Door closers.

There are hundreds of different insects, some undoubtedly pests, others hazard­ous to health. Not all insects are dangerous, however. For example, some people feel compelled to kill all spiders on sight, but first try to find out what kind of spider it is. Some are marvelous flycatchers. Others, like redbacks and funnelwebs, are dangerous and oc­casionally fatal to humans. Children are more vulnerable to insect bites than adults, so children's rooms and nurseries need careful attention. Check whether the spray or pest strip you wish to use is suitable for a baby's or child's room.

Many household pests can be controlled with readily available products. Choose one designed to kill the particular pest you are after some are effective only on specified insects. If you have a numbers problem with insects breeding faster than you can control them, call a pest exterminator right away.

These are some of the most common pests and how to deal with them.

Ants.
Find where the ants are getting into the house by following one of their trails or columns. Use a residual dust, spray or liquid across the trail. Outside the house, sprinkle chlordane dust around the hills. Inside the house, spray pyrethrum spray on the ants and their points of entry. You can use ant traps where the ants are most numerous but they should not be used where children could pick them up and play with them.

Flies.
Flies are more than just tiresome, they are proven disease carriers. Having the house securely insect screened is the best way to keep them out. Self-closing screen doors are useful, especially if children are always running in and out. Use pest strips in rooms as directed and spray with suitable aerosol sprays. Around children or sensitive people, a non-irritant spray is recommended.

Cockroaches.
These persistent menaces are hard to eradicate because they quickly become immune to insecticides and breed very rapidly. If they look like getting out of hand ask an exterminator. A pyrethrum spray kills on contact and other poisons are available to put in cupboards and under sinks where they run (mostly at night).

Fleas.
They mostly come from pets which should wear flea collars or be washed frequently with flea treatment. Pyrethrum spray kills on contact.

Mosquitoes.
Screening your home well is the best way to keep mosquitoes out. Otherwise there are a number of effective sprays. Spray for about 6 seconds then close the room for 15 minutes.

Silverfish.
Spray pyrethrum in the dark, damp places where these fish shaped insects hide. They like damp warm spots and love starch so don't starch clothes or linen you plan to store. Vacuum storage cupboards and chests regularly.

Spiders.
Kill them by squashing or spray with a contact spray. Remove webs when you find them When working among woodpiles, rubbish heaps or in the garden, wear gloves and be alert for spiders. Handle outdoor furniture carefully as spiders often live under tables and chairs

Ticks.
Putting flea collars on pets is a good way to keep them tree of ticks. In known tick areas, prevent dogs running through thick brush. Cheek through their coats for ticks and use anti-tick products if pet is allergic to a flea collar.

Prevention best cure.
Screening all windows and doors against insects will help keep the house free of them, as will installing self-closers on screen doors. Caulk around the outside to keep insects out of the walls and cover, or empty water containers as they are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Keep rubbish in sealed containers. Don't leave food scraps about and collect pet droppings regularly as they encourage flies in the garden.