Tick Removal for your Pets

Removing ticks from your pets.

Ewe, it is flea and tick season!  Need help on removing those pesky ticks your dog and cat pick up from outside?  Check out ASPCA’s article:

So, you’ve found a tick on your pet—how do you deal with it? While it’s important to get these little suckers off quickly, ASPCA veterinarians advise that you stay calm and don’t rush it. Moving too fast when removing a tick could potentially create more problems, both for your pet and for you.

While the following instructions employ tweezers, be aware that there are some very good products on the market designed specifically for safe tick removal. If you live in a tick-heavy area or are taking your pets to a place where they are likely to get ticks, it’s a good idea to buy one of these tools and have it on hand. They generally work better than tweezers at getting out the whole tick, and are relatively inexpensive.

Step-by-Step Tick Removal Instructions

Step 1—Prepare its Final Resting Place – Throwing a tick in the trash or flushing it down the toilet will not kill it, and it’s actually best to hold on to it for awhile for veterinary testing in case your pet falls ill from the bite. Be ready with somewhere to put the tick after you’ve removed it—the best option is a screw-top jar containing some rubbing alcohol.

Step 2—Don’t Bare-Hand It – Put on latex or rubber gloves so you’ll never have direct contact with the tick or your pet’s bite area. Ticks can carry infective agents that may enter your bloodstream through breaks in your skin or through mucous membranes (if you touch your eyes, nostrils or mouth).

Step 3—Grab a Partner – You don’t want your pet squirming away before you’re finished, so if possible, have a helper on hand to distract, soothe or hold her still.

Step 4—The Removal – Treat the bite area with rubbing alcohol and, using a pair of tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the animal’s skin as possible. Pull straight upwards with steady, even pressure. Place the tick in your jar.

• Do not twist or jerk the tick! This may leave the mouth-parts embedded in your pet, or cause the tick to regurgitate infective fluids.
• Do not squeeze or crush the body of the tick, because its fluids (saliva and gut contents) may contain infective organisms.

Step 5—All that Remains – Sometimes, in spite of doing everything right, a tick’s mouth-parts will get left behind in your pet’s skin. If the area doesn’t appear red or inflamed, the best thing to do is to disinfect it and not to try to take the mouth-parts out. A warm compress to the area might help the body expel them, but do not go at it with tweezers.

Step 6—Clean Up – Thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water (even though you were wearing gloves). Sterilize your tweezers with alcohol or by carefully running them over a flame.

Step 7—Keep Watch – Over the next few weeks, closely monitor the bite area for any signs of localized infection. If the area is already red and inflamed, or becomes so later, please bring your pet—and your jarred tick—to your veterinarian for evaluation.

From: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/how-to-remove-a-tick-from-your-pet.aspx

Dog and Cats and Their Facts

Fun facts about dogs, cats – and stars

Keep Your Pet Safe On The 4th Of July!

Happy 4th of July!

The 4th is a time to spend outdoors with family and friends enjoying the wonderful country we live in.  It is important to also keep in mind this can be a scary time for your pets and you should make sure your pet is safe and happy for the holiday.

Check out our 4th of July animal safety tips from the SPCA:

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household.

While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.
• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.
• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.
• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.
• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.
• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.
• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.
• Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.

Clear the Air Testimonials

Nothing is stronger than a positive testimonial about a business’s product.

We thought we’d compile a bunch of our testimonials so you can see the various odors Clear the Air will successfully eliminate!

Testimonial on Cat Urine Odor:

The product is amazing. I have tried so many other products and companies. I recently spent over $300 for someone to clean the carpets and use a secret “proprietary” formula that didn’t work. We have five cats, and if one is sick or has an accident, the others will quickly follow suit. Right now, with the product working on a couple of areas, there is no odor in the house. That is just amazing.

Thank you, Lynn

Testimonial on Doggie Odor in the basement:

No THANK YOU! This stuff is amazing! It saved me a bundle by not having to replace the basement carpet because of the strong “doggie” odor. Now it’s like there never was a dog in my new home. Thanks so much for making this available. I’ve already recmmended it to several friends.

DH

Testimonial on Dead Animal Odor:

We’ve spent the weekend trying to eliminate a “dead animal” smell from our upstairs bedroom in our three year old home (something got into the walls and died). My little doxie Milo alerted me to the problem and has been going crazy, sniffing and trying to show me that there is something in there.

We tried everything – vinegar, baking soda, ionizer, etc; nothing helped and the 90 plus degree heat today made it really awful! I was ready to call a disaster restoration service or critter control to address the odor.

In desperation, we searched the web and found Clear the Air information; we took your advice to go to Petco and make our own bags.  I made two bags from nylon hose and hung them around the closet and room. It’s only been a few hours and the difference is already unbelievable! Even Milo isn’t interested in sniffing it out anymore.  I anticipate that tomorrow will be even better.

What a great product – we will definitely use Clear the Air for  the garage, dog crate, etc. –hopefully we won’t run into any  more dead critters in our walls.

Sincerely, Lynne P. in Valencia, PA

Testimonial on Vacuum use:

LOVE your stuff! The pellets! A “bonus” is when you vaccuum them up, they stay in the vaccuum and I no longer smell the dog everytime I vaccuum! When dumping filter, I NEVER dump the pellets! Vacuuming is now not a “smelly” job. 🙂

Testimonial on Dead Rodent Odor:

I wanted to write to you to say how impressed I am with your products.

I had a terrible rodent infestation in an entire side of my house.  We had had a pest service come in to rid the house of pests, and I had also been mitigating all points of entry rodents were taking advantage of as they came out of the cold from the surrounding forest, and build nests for the winter.  I discovered the location of the nest by the odor of what smelled like old garbage coming from my 4 year old son’s bedroom wall and also an overpowering smell of urine coming from the basement play room directly underneath his room. After identifying the location of the smell, I completed demolition on a 20 foot by 15 foot area of the exterior wall of my house.  As I had suspected, there was significant rodent damage.

The condition of the wall was horrific: the insulation was all eaten away, and there were enormous rodent nests.  The worst part was there was so much feces and urine that combined with the contents of the nest, insects and bio-matter from decayed rodents, it had all permeated the sheathing, sheetrock, studs, joists, and concrete foundation from the second floor all the way to the sill plate and foundation.

After clearing out all the debris, and pounds of rodent feces and desiccated remains in the basement ceiling,  I spent an entire week, after removing all the exterior sheathing of the effected wall, and leaving the wall exposed to the outside drying out the studs, and cleaning it with industrial grade, scented disinfectant.  After replacing the sheathing that was rotting from the urine, and treating everything I could, multiple times, with disinfectant, I discovered that after sealing it all up I still had a phantom smell of the nest and urine.  It wasn’t as bad, but it was obviously the same smell, especially when there was an increase in humidity and the house was closed up, especially my son’s room.

Out of desperation I began searching the Internet for answers.  I came across Earth Care products when I typed in “how to get rid of dead rodent stink”, and was encouraged when I saw that your products were non-toxic, especially having three kids all 5 and under.

I bought three bags and placed them in the large basement room where the urine smell was the most overwhelming.  In just one day the smell had decreased by at least half.  The second day the small was almost impossible to discern.  By the third day there was no trace. It was incredible!  What was so amazing was that they didn’t need to come in contact with the effected area, just be near it.  That was key, since I had already sealed it up.

This product is amazing.  Despite having done my best to improve the air quality of my home, apart from burning the house down and starting over, I have a significant peace of mind knowing my children are not breathing that wretched air from a rodent’s nest. I am ordering more bags for the rest of the house.  Thank you, is all I can say.  I would be delighted to provide a testimony for the efficacy of your product.  I am a grateful and passionate client!

Jason

First Time Bird Owners

Are you a first time bird owner?

If you are new to bird ownership check out these helpful tips to ensure your new pet bird enjoys a happy and healthy new home.

Remember Clear the Air works wonders in your bird cage to eliminate any and all odors.  It is completely non-toxic and safe around childres and pets.  You can hang on of our Odor Eliminator Bags within the bird cage and sprinkle the Pet Odor Eliminator granules at the bottom of the cage.

Check out our tips:

• Feeding Your Bird – All seed diets are usually not recommended. Pet parrots crack seeds and eat the inside portion. The hulls often remain in the feeding dish giving the appearance that the bird has plenty of food when in reality there are no seeds left. Replace your bird’s food daily.
• Your Bird’s Diet – Seeds lack calcium, protein and many other vitamins and minerals which birds require. Seeds and nuts are also high in fat, which can lead to liver disease. While birds do eat seeds in the wild, they supplement their diet with many other food sources – nuts, berries, fruit, bugs, etc. Like humans, birds require a balanced diet to remain healthy. Birds enjoy veggies, fruits, pasta, sprouts, grains and even cooked meat such as chicken. Pellets are also a good source of nutrients. Many experts recommend pellets should be no more than 50% of the diet, while others feed a higher percentage. Seeds and nuts can be given as treats.
• Toxic Foods – Some foods, safe for humans, are lethal to birds. These include such items as avocados, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, raw kidney and lima beans, cigarette smoke and pesticides in fruits and vegetables. 
• Don’t use Grit – Most birds don’t need grit and can even get an impacted crop from it. Grit is only recommended for birds who eat whole seeds – shell and all. Most birds crack their seeds, leaving the hulls and so have no need for the grit.
• Your Birds Home – Get a cage which gives your bird plenty of room to spread his wings, climb around, jump, swing and play. Be sure bars are not spaced so that a bird can wedge his head between them and get caught. Since birds tend to favor the higher parts of the cage, get one with the largest width and depth you can. Remember, your bird spends many hours in his cage, so the larger the better. Be sure to place cages away from drafty areas or doors to the outside. Temperature should not vary quickly or go below 55 degrees. 
• Get Your Bird A Perch – Birds spend a lot of time on their perches. They need perches of varying diameters to prevent foot problems such as arthritis and atrophy. Avoid perches made from dowels, which are uniform and don’t exercise feet. Never use sandpaper perches which harm the skin on a bird’s foot. Tree branches are very good for the feet and also help satisfy the chewing urge. A cement perch can help keep nails trimmed. Put a wooden perch high in the cage, which birds prefer. Make sure perches aren’t over bowls or other perches so droppings don’t hit them. Use multiple perches, but leave room for birds to move about in the cage. 
• Bird Feathers– Feathers grow back. If your bird accidentally loses some feathers, don’t panic. They’ll grow back. Bird also molt. It is their way of replacing worn feathers. Different species molt at different times and lose different amounts of feathers. Feathers grow back usually in 2-3 weeks. However, if you see bare patches of skin, this may denote a disease or feather plucking. In this case see your vet.
• Bird Veterinarian – Birds are very different than cats and dogs. Find an avian vet, one who knows about birds. Take your bird for a new bird exam to ensure it is healthy and to establish a baseline in case of illness. And develop a relationship with your vet. Find a vet or hospital that you can contact at night or weekends in an emergency. Birds should also have an annual exam to ensure they are healthy. Be sure to keep your vet’s phone number handy in case of emergency.
• Your Bird Needs Attention – Birds are very intelligent and social animals who require love and attention. Although the amount of attention varies by species, a bird who is ignored or bored can go insane, pluck his feathers or even mutilate himself. Keep your bird in an area where there is family activity, but be sure he has a quiet area to sleep in at night. Talk to your bird during the day. If you work, leave a radio, CD or TV on when you are gone. Take him out for play and cuddling every day. Be sure he has lots of toys and things to play with while in his cage. Give your bird lots of love and it will be returned tenfold.
• Communication – One of the most important aspects in creating and maintaining a successful relationship with your bird is the ability to understand his vocalizations and body language. Birds learn to communicate with us through sounds, behavior and actions. Using their body language and vocalizations they can “tell” us when they are happy, content, frightened, sick, hungry, tired, angry, or ready to be held and cuddled. It is of utmost importance that bird owners learn to interpret the meanings of their birds sounds and behaviors in order to successfully tame, train, and provide them with the very best of care.

Saving On Pet Expenses

Great article we came across from ABC News about saving money on pet related expenses.  Check it out:

Caring for a pet can be a big expense, with owners spending between $600 and $3,000 a year depending on the breed and budget.

Josh Elledge from the Savings Angel.com has some advice to help save on pet-related expenses.

VETERINARY CARE/MEDICATIONS:

Veterinary care can be one of the largest expenses with medications for everything from fleas to heartworm to more specific medications for your pet’s ailments. It is possible to purchase medications through online pharmacies and save yourself a good deal of money. While critics may warn about the dangers of buying medications online, this is a particularly important option for families who might not otherwise be able to afford the medications their pet needs.

There are only 16 online pharmacies that are registered with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. This association reviews the pharmacy’s practices to ensure they are compliant with all proper requirements.

While not completely fail-safe, experts I’ve listened to urge owners who wish to buy medications online to make sure they are doing business only with these sites. You can find the list atnabp.net

One option that might be a possibility is to ask your vet if she or he will match the pricing of an Internet retailer. Our vet has given us a nominal discount or recommended a rebate that was otherwise unknown when we’ve asked.

FOOD:

The second area that you can possibly save yourself a good deal of money is pet food. There are many options available for feeding your pet. Some owners opt for economy varieties. Economy varieties include Alpo, Beneful, Hill’s Science Diet, Kibbles ‘n Bits, and Purina. There are manufacturer coupons aplenty, which can add to the savings. In our database at SavingsAngel.com, we regularly see these brands for 50-70% off retail prices. Getting deals like this involve timing your purchase and applying a high-value coupon at the same time.

Obviously, these brands are inexpensive by comparison, but can contain a large amount of filler like wheat, corn and soy. It’s important that you review the labels and talk to your vet to discuss your pet’s needs. You can also choose premium brands like Iams, Eukanuba, and some varieties of Hill’s Science Diet. Large corporations own all these brands now (Procter & Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive). This is helpful from the standpoint in that coupons are available for budget-minded shoppers. Iams and Hill’s, for example, recently published a $3 coupon that can make for some very good savings. Hill’s is also offering a $12.99 rebate on selected varieties.

When purchasing, make sure to read the label. There are four things you want to look for:

1. The guaranteed analysis. (How much fat & protein in the food.

2. The nutritional adequacy statement

3. The ingredients (avoid foods with too much filler.)

4. The feeding guidelines

One website that you might find very useful in choosing a pet food dogfoodadvisor.com. This website is also very helpful in tracking pet food recalls. Sadly, recalls of pet food are fairly common.

If you own a larger breed dog, you may find that more expensive varieties are outside your budget (unless you are using your coupons!) This makes it very important to talk to your vet to talk about what ingredients to look for. Your vet may also be able to give you some ideas regarding supplementing your dog’s nutrition.

BOARDING:

The price of boarding can vary wildly depending on the quality of the care. If you want to get a great deal on boarding, the best deals on good boarding facilities will be found on the daily deal sites (Groupon, etc…). With some careful watching, you’re bound to find a deal eventually – though the deals tend to be geared more for short term stays.

Don’t be afraid to competitively shop the pet resorts – and ask if one location will match or beat the price of another – particularly if you are boarding for a longer period of time. Vacancy means lost revenue and pet boarding facilities are a business like any other who desire to stay busy. The best deals of all on pet care are going to come from exchanging pet sitting – or hiring a pet-loving tween. You can also ask for recommendations for reliable pet sitters at your local animal shelter or pet store. Pet sitters can charge a fraction of a pricey pet resort.

TRAINING:

Forget hiring the dog whisperer unless you have special needs. The Internet is FILLED with step by step instructions and video examples of how to train your pooch to do all the tricks you like – or overcome any naughty puppy behavior. A training class is helpful for socialization – but after your puppy is old enough, make sure the dog park and walks in dog occupied areas are part of your regular routine.

PET INSURANCE:

Pet insurance is usually not a good investment. “It’s common to pay $300 a year or more for pet insurance. Over the life of a dog or cat that might be $5,000 or more. Most people are not going to spend that kind of money on covered pet health care.

For its August 2011 issue, Consumer Reports compared of nine pet policies for Roxy, a healthy 10-year-old beagle who lives near the magazine’s office in Yonkers, N.Y. Roxy’s lifetime vet bills have totaled $7,026 (in current dollars). In every case, the total premiums that would have been paid to those insurance companies were higher than Roxy’s medical bills. It makes more sense to put a couple of hundred dollars into a household emergency fund each year for serious pet health issues.

From: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources&id=8713519

What To Feed Older Dogs

Clear the Air suggests anyone with a senior dog check out these tips from the ASPCA on feeding dogs older in age.

Dogs begin to show visible age-related changes at about seven to twelve years of age. There are metabolic, immunologic and body composition changes, too. Some of these are unavoidable. Others can be managed with diet.

1. Since smaller dogs live longer and don’t experience age-related changes as early as bigger dogs, size is used to determine when it’s time to feed your canine a senior diet:Small breeds/dogs weighing less than 20 pounds—7 years of age
   Medium breeds/dogs weighing 21 to 50 pounds—7 years of age
   Large breeds/dogs weighing 51 to 90 pounds—6 years of age
   Giant breeds/dogs weighing 91 pounds or more—5 years of age
2. The main objectives in the feeding an older dog should be to maintain health and optimum body weight, slow or prevent the development of chronic disease, and minimize or improve clinical signs of diseases that may already be present.
3. As a dog ages, health issues may arise, including:
   – deterioration of skin and coat
   – loss of muscle mass
   – more frequent intestinal problems
   – arthritis
   – obesity
   – dental problems
   – decreased ability to fight off infection
4. Older dogs have been shown to progressively put on body fat in spite of consuming fewer calories. This change in body composition is inevitable and may be aggravated by either reduced energy expenditure or a change in metabolic rate. Either way, it is important to feed a diet with a lower caloric density to avoid weight gain, but with a normal protein level to help maintain muscle mass.
5. Avoid “senior” diets that have reduced levels of protein. Studies have shown that the protein requirement for older dogs does not decrease with age, and that protein levels do not contribute to the development or progression of renal failure. It is important to feed older dogs diets that contain optimum levels of highly digestible protein to help maintain good muscle mass.
6. Talk to your veterinarian about increasing your senior dogs GLA intake. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that plays a role in the maintenance of healthy skin and coat. Although it is normally produced in a dog’s liver, GLA levels may be diminished in older dogs. Does your older dog’s diet contain GLA?
7. Aging can affect a dog’s intestinal bacteria, which can result in symptoms of gastrointestinal disease. Senior diets for dogs should contain FOS (fructooligosaccharides) to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.
8. Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene help eliminate free radical particles that can damage body tissues and cause signs of aging. Senior diets for dogs should contain higher levels of these antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants can also increase the effectiveness of the immune system in senior dogs.
9. Routine care for geriatric pets should involve a consistent daily routine and periodic veterinary examinations to assess the presence or progress of chronic disease. Stressful situations and abrupt changes in daily routines should be avoided. If a drastic change must be made to an older pet’s routine, try  to minimize stress and to realize the change in a gradual manner.

From: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/feeding-older-dogs.aspx

Feeding Your Older Dog

Clear the Air suggests anyone with a senior dog check out these tips from the ASPCA on feeding dogs older in age.

Dogs begin to show visible age-related changes at about seven to twelve years of age. There are metabolic, immunologic and body composition changes, too. Some of these are unavoidable. Others can be managed with diet.

1. Since smaller dogs live longer and don’t experience age-related changes as early as bigger dogs, size is used to determine when it’s time to feed your canine a senior diet:Small breeds/dogs weighing less than 20 pounds—7 years of age
   Medium breeds/dogs weighing 21 to 50 pounds—7 years of age
   Large breeds/dogs weighing 51 to 90 pounds—6 years of age
   Giant breeds/dogs weighing 91 pounds or more—5 years of age
2. The main objectives in the feeding an older dog should be to maintain health and optimum body weight, slow or prevent the development of chronic disease, and minimize or improve clinical signs of diseases that may already be present.
3. As a dog ages, health issues may arise, including:
   – deterioration of skin and coat
   – loss of muscle mass
   – more frequent intestinal problems
   – arthritis
   – obesity
   – dental problems
   – decreased ability to fight off infection
4. Older dogs have been shown to progressively put on body fat in spite of consuming fewer calories. This change in body composition is inevitable and may be aggravated by either reduced energy expenditure or a change in metabolic rate. Either way, it is important to feed a diet with a lower caloric density to avoid weight gain, but with a normal protein level to help maintain muscle mass.
5. Avoid “senior” diets that have reduced levels of protein. Studies have shown that the protein requirement for older dogs does not decrease with age, and that protein levels do not contribute to the development or progression of renal failure. It is important to feed older dogs diets that contain optimum levels of highly digestible protein to help maintain good muscle mass.
6. Talk to your veterinarian about increasing your senior dogs GLA intake. Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid that plays a role in the maintenance of healthy skin and coat. Although it is normally produced in a dog’s liver, GLA levels may be diminished in older dogs. Does your older dog’s diet contain GLA?
7. Aging can affect a dog’s intestinal bacteria, which can result in symptoms of gastrointestinal disease. Senior diets for dogs should contain FOS (fructooligosaccharides) to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria.
8. Antioxidants such as vitamin E and beta-carotene help eliminate free radical particles that can damage body tissues and cause signs of aging. Senior diets for dogs should contain higher levels of these antioxidant compounds. Antioxidants can also increase the effectiveness of the immune system in senior dogs.
9. Routine care for geriatric pets should involve a consistent daily routine and periodic veterinary examinations to assess the presence or progress of chronic disease. Stressful situations and abrupt changes in daily routines should be avoided. If a drastic change must be made to an older pet’s routine, try  to minimize stress and to realize the change in a gradual manner.

From: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/feeding-older-dogs.aspx

Keeping Pests Out The Green Way

No one wants pests in their home.

Unfortunately many solutions to getting rid of pesky pests involve harmful pesticides which are poisonous to you, your children and your pets.

As a green product itself, Clear the Air likes to find green solutions to keeping pests out of your home.  We would like to share some helpful tips on keeping your home pest free, naturally!

Once summer time approaches, bugs start making an appearance in homes across the U.S. From ants to wasps to millipedes, our first instinct is to spray them down with as much poison as it takes to make them stop.  Our natural instinct to getting rid of insects, no matter how many legs they may have, is usually to use bug killer.

Before spreading poison throughout your living environment, which you, your children, and pets will breathe in, try these all-natural alternatives.

Prune Shrubs – To control pests inside the house, a lot of work needs to be done outside the house. Insects often find their way into the house by climbing on shrubs and trees that are touching the outside walls of your house. Trim everything back so there is a foot clearance between plants and exterior walls.

Rake – Likewise, many insects that live in leaf and lawn debris are going to find easy access indoors if they are hanging out near the foundation of your house. Rake this area well. Pull weeds and only keep plants and shrubs that are well cared for near your foundation. Anything that is dead or dying will attract insects.

Say No to Wood Chip Mulch – It is popular right now to cover flower beds with wood chip mulch. The problem with this is that insects, like carpenter ants and termites, love wood chips. Putting food for them near the foundation of your house isn’t the best idea. They will easily travel from the flower beds to the interior of your home. If you must cover the dirt in your flower beds with something, consider rubber mulch, such as Everlast Rubber Mulch. An additional benefit of Everlast Rubber Mulch is that it is made of 100% recycled tires.

Clean the Kitchen – Summertime and ants go hand in hand. They often infest a kitchen faster than you can put the cap on the soda bottle. To prevent an all you can eat ant buffet, keep your kitchen clean. Washing dishes after each meal and putting all food away in the refrigerator will go a long way towards keeping the ant pests out of your house. If you do have a trail of ants leading to your kitchen, find the source. Are they swarming to the sticky spot under the stove? Clean it up and spray the whole length of the trail with vinegar to clean off any scent they may have left.

Look to Old-Fashioned Remedies – If your house is plagued with ants, chances are you’ve got some ant hills in the yard. An old-fashioned remedy is to boil a pot of water on the stove and poor it down the ant hill. If you do a few a day, you will soon have greatly decreased the number of ants sharing your property.

Once you’ve poured boiling water on all the ant hills, mix some borax and powdered sugar together. Put some on a plastic lid and place it in any area that ants congregate. Only do this if you don’t have pets or small children that are likely to find it. The ants will take the borax and sugar mixture back to their nest, hopefully killing their queen.

Relax – Most insects won’t kill you, but the poison you spray on them might. So, if your insect problem is minor, then don’t worry about it too much. Take some preventative measures and let it go.

How To Prepare Your Dog For Your New Baby

Is there a new baby expected in your home?

Clear the Air would like to hare some helpful tips on helping your dog adjust to your new baby.  If this is your first baby to come along and you already have a dog, it is pretty safe to assume your dog already thinks he or she is the “baby” of the family.

It is best to start early by making adjustments to your dog’s schedule before your baby arrives.  Start by making a list of the ways your dog’s daily routine will be changed.  If your dog is used to getting up in the morning and taking a walk right away, this may not be possible when the baby comes along.

If your friends have babies, it might be helpful to ask if your dog can be introduced to him or her.  Having a dog listen to a baby crying before yours comes home will let your dog get used to the sound.

You can also bring home a baby blanket from the hospital before bringing your newborn home so your dog can get used to the infant’s scent.

The best way to battle against any undesirable behavior from your dog is through exercise.  Make your daily walk a priority so your dog has plenty of time to make use of his energy.  Reducing boredom will help make your dogs transition to having a new baby in the house a lot easier.

Make sure to schedule time with your dog.  In order to make sure your dog still remains a priority, decide on times when you can give your dog a little extra attention, maybe while the baby is napping or having your dog accompany you on walks with the baby.