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It may be better to have a mouse in your house than a rat. Rats are larger, more aggressive, and more difficult to eradicate once settled. One rat can cause more damage than one mouse. However, both animals pose a danger in that they can spread bacteria and contaminate food, so you’ll want to contact an exterminator as soon as you detect an infestation of either animal.

In addition to a clean home, fleas dislike oils made from plants that are naturally bug-resistant or poisonous to bugs. That includes myrtle, mint, eucalyptus, and especially cedar oil. Common household remedies like baking soda, garlic and apple vinegar don’t have any effect on fleas. Don’t spray essential oils directly on your own skin or your pets (and their bedding, because it can be a skin irritant. Stay away from tea tree oil. In pure form it can be very toxic to pets. Always ask your vet if you have any questions.

Citrus scents such as lemon or lime are lethal to bed bugs. They’re drawn to the smell, but the chemicals often kill them. There are other ways to kill bed bugs without an exterminator, including using steam, DIY heat treatments, essential oils, diatomaceous earth, and more. However, you should hire a professional bed bug exterminator to eliminate large numbers of bed bugs.

Roach spray usually starts working almost immediately on contact—within seconds to a few minutes. However, if it's a residual spray designed to keep killing over time, it can take hours or even days to fully affect roaches that come into contact with treated surfaces. For larger infestations, it may take at least a week to see a noticeable drop in activity, since not all roaches are exposed at once.