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You can easily find sprays that claim they are safe for pets and kids. However, we’d rather not use them in our own homes if we’re worried about pet safety: They still include pesticides and other chemicals, and are best avoided in any food prep areas like the kitchen, or any spots where children and pets may place. That’s why sprays didn’t end up in our suggestions for the safest options.

Both insects can damage wood, but there are key differences between termites and carpenter ants that tell them apart. Carpenter ants tunnel through moist wood, leaving behind smooth tunnels and sawdust-like piles, as they don't eat the wood but rather carve it for nesting. In contrast, termites actually consume wood, creating irregular galleries filled with mud and dirt, and leaving behind mud tubes as their signature. In terms of appearance, carpenter ants have segmented bodies with heart-shaped heads and larger front wings, while termites have more oval bodies with straight antennae and equal-sized wings.

Bleach and freezing are your best bets here. The soft exoskeleton of spiders and spider eggs is no match to household bleach. Create a mixture that’s half water and half bleach and spray it directly onto the egg sac, and the spider eggs will be killed in less than five minutes. Freezing the egg sac or drowning it in cold water is another option.

Earwigs may look scary with their pincers, but they don’t pose a serious threat to humans or pets. They are not poisonous, do not sting, and rarely bite or pinch unless handled. While they are not known to transmit diseases, their presence can signal underlying moisture problems in your home, such as mold, water damage, or rotting wood. A large infestation can become a nuisance, and certain species may emit an unpleasant odor. Therefore, while earwigs themselves aren’t dangerous, a large number of them may indicate bigger issues that should be addressed by a pest control professional.