24 game-changing finds that eliminate bugs and critters at home, according to pros

These DIY ant bait stations couldn't be simpler to use and, according to Kanady, “can be very useful if the infestation has already entered the structure.” Just place each cartridge wherever you see ants and you'll notice a significant decrease within a few weeks. Kanady also mentions that these bait stations will “increase activity at first as the ants feed and communicate the location of the food source before they see any results.” You can place stations on your counter, in doorways and around other areas of your home, but just be sure to keep pets away from them.

This pesticide spray takes care of spiders and roaches in addition to ants. Use it as a preventative measure around the perimeter of your home or spray in places where you notice ants congregating to create a lasting barrier of protection that lasts up to a year.

If you don’t have a lot of experience applying pest repellent, Kanady says that natural products like this spray are “probably the best for home use when the applicator has limited experience because they can be used in a manner where overapplying should cause limited problems.” This aromatic spray is a great natural alternative to harsh insect sprays, and it leaves your home smelling fresh and clean. Thanks to a high concentration of peppermint oil, it kills and repels ants while being safe to use around kids and pets due to its plant-based ingredients.

Best used in cracks and crevices that ants may use to sneak into your home, this powerful ant gel can get rid of an entire colony in days for less than $10. Just apply a thin strip in those nooks and crannies and let the bait do the rest of the work.

Each of these mice-repelling dice comes packed with mint essential oil to deter rodents from entering your home. Place a die where mice have a habit of getting in and its long-lasting fragrance will continuously deter them. However, to truly rid your space of mice, Kanady explains you need to practice exclusion, which is “sealing all exterior vulnerabilities to keep rodents out. A thorough inspection is key, as some mice are able to squeeze through a hole the size of a dime. Long-term control is not possible without exclusion.”

These super-sticky traps help you catch mice with minimal effort, and Kanady says they can be “an effective tool if used properly.” They come prebaited with a peanut butter scent, so all you have to do is unfold the trap and place it where you notice rodent activity. Since they use no chemicals, they’re safe for kids and pets, but Kanady warns they “can also be quite inhumane and cause a bigger mess than anticipated if used improperly.”

As opposed to harsh chemicals or strong-smelling sprays, this device deters mice and other pests by using sound waves that are undetectable to humans and pets. Since mice aren't fans of the frequencies it emits, they'll scurry far away from your home to find a place with less bothersome noise.

With proper placement and bait, mouse traps are an “effective means of population control,” Kanady says. These traps in particular are made from thick plastic, they're durable enough to be re-used multiple times and they can also catch several mice at once. Just fill each trap with an enticing bait like peanut butter and wait for mice to wander in so you can release them away from your home. 

Instead of smushing the next spider you see, use this nifty insect catcher to relocate it outside and away from your home. It's easy to use — just push the retract-and-release handle over the spider to pick it up and move it elsewhere. As a bonus, you don't have to clean up any bug guts either.

Like most creepy-crawlies, spiders loathe strong scents such as peppermint and lemongrass, which these pouches are loaded with. Simply place them where you see spiders to deter them without having to spray anything or set traps and enjoy the fresh smell they provide.

Armed with spray and sticky traps, this spider-killing pack ensures your home will be free from spiders. The spray works to kill spiders on contact, while the traps come prebaited to lure spiders out from their hiding spots and catch them. Just be sure to keep the traps away from pets who may accidentally step on them and get stuck.

You can use this spray to get rid of spiders on contact or as a preventative measure to prevent them from entering your home. Terro boasts that this spray can knock out brown recluse, black widow and hobo spiders, as well as other pests like ants and silverfish, to ensure a bug-free home — and you can also use it outdoors to protect your patio.

Advion gel is top-notch bait that can get rid of notoriously hardy German roaches in days when applied correctly. Apply a small drop in crevices or baseboards where you notice roach activity and let the bait do its thing. It doesn't have a strong scent either, and each syringe lasts up to three years for plenty of cockroach control. This product also gets a stamp of approval from Kanady, who says it “can be very useful if used correctly” and advises to “get the bait where the activity is noted, typically behind appliances, in cabinets and under sinks.”

While diatomaceous earth can't stop a full-on infestation on its own, it can prevent roaches from roaming around your home. The white powder is made from fossilized plankton, which cuts their exoskeletons when they walk through it and dehydrates them. It's also completely nontoxic, which makes it safe for households with kids and pets.

Boric acid is another tried-and-true way to eliminate roaches from your home. Each one of these tablets combines Harris' roach bait with boric acid to lure roaches and then kills them upon ingesting them. They're compact, so they can easily fit into tight corners and crevices where roaches like to congregate.

These bait stations are a fuss-free way to get rid of the roaches in your home. Each station is prebaited, so all you have to do is plop them down where you see roaches. From there, the roaches will ingest the poison and spread it to their fellow colony members to reduce their population.

Once you plug in this fly-catching device, you won’t need any strong-smelling sprays to get rid of fruit flies. The blue UV light attracts flies to its adhesive backing where they'll remain stuck until you toss the cartridge out. Then, it's just a matter of replacing the cartridge for year-round protection against flies — no touching or cleaning up fly remains required. Take it from our managing editor, Rachel Quigley, who bought this to control her indoor-pest problem while she's been away from home. She raves about how well the adhesive worked: "I actually can’t even look at the photo my friend took. Awful. So it did the trick!"

Made with simple, nontoxic ingredients like vinegar, this fruit fly trap lures in pesky bugs and prevents them from taking over your kitchen or food prep space. It's easy peasy to set up too: Just pop it open on your counter for up to 30 days until your flies disappear. Senior lifestyle editor Tamara Kraus swears by this for fruit flies in her kitchen.

The Fruit Fly Lure from Dr. Killigan’s is a concoction made from apple cider vinegar, citrus and other sweet-smelling ingredients that are irresistible to fruit flies (and doesn’t smell bad to humans either). Place a small cup on your counter and trap fruit flies in its syrupy mixture to regain control of your kitchen.

These fly-repelling strips start working the second you take them out of the package and continue to do so for months. All that's required is that you hang them wherever you see fruit flies and their vapors will keep them and other bothersome pests away (though, you should avoid using them in areas where you prepare food). They also repel other bothersome pests like cockroaches and mosquitoes.

This lantern doesn't just add a warm ambience to your patio; it also keeps mosquitoes away. It doesn't use any strong scents, so it's good for people with pets, and it provides up to 12 hours of protection against mosquitoes. Since it's portable, it's also easy to take along to a beach or park to prevent mosquito bites while enjoying the outdoors.

While entertaining or relaxing on your patio, the last thing you want is to deal with harsh smells from bug repellents. These fly-deterring sticks, however, fill the air with a lovely scent and keep horseflies and mosquitoes at bay. Plus, they add a cozy atmosphere to your patio similar to incense.

Instead of traditional repellents, this fan has light-refracting blades that scare away flies and prevent them from hampering your outdoor time. It's battery powered, so you don't have to deal with any wires, and it's rechargeable. It also has a hangable design, so you can place it over your patio table to save table space. Kanady notes that fans are “effective at keeping flies from congregating since flies typically like dead air to hover.”

These coils provide up to seven hours of protection against mosquitoes as you lounge outside thanks to their strong citronella scent. Similar to the fly sticks above, all you need is to prop a coil on the included holder and light it to start deterring mosquitoes. While the smell is pretty pungent, it's worth it for a bug-free patio.