Not Chemicals Or Traps: Say Goodbye To Stink Bugs With A Clothing Staple You Likely Have On Hand

During each fall season, it's highly likely that you host stink bugs without even knowing it. Stink bugs have sneaky ways of invading your home, coming indoors when the weather cools to hibernate in warm places. Sure, they don't bite, carry diseases, or cause harm to your interiors, but they can wreak havoc on your garden once the temperatures rise and they wake up from their diapause. This makes them akin to a ticking time bomb. However, don't reach for a swatter just yet. That's because if you try to kill or squish them, their bodies will release an odor so pungent and unpleasant that you'll immediately regret your decision. Worse, this odor then clings to the surface you squished them on, be it your carpet, furniture, or floor. Instead, vacuum them up. And to avoid turning your vacuum cleaner stinky, get a pair of pantyhose you don't mind sacrificing to show them the door.

This method, which involves lining the tube of your vacuum cleaner with pantyhose, beats the alternatives as chemical sprays don't last long. Plus, those aren't always safe for your children or pets. Though there are some natural pest control remedies that keep the bugs at bay, such as a neem oil spray that coats insects and suffocates them, it's not a long-term solution, either. Best of all, if you've got an old pair of pantyhose you've stopped wearing, it's basically free and takes about a minute to set up. This also makes it a good option for renters who can't make changes to their windows (or just anyone who doesn't feel like breaking out their caulking gun yet).

Some homeowners keep a separate vacuum cleaner solely for the purpose of vacuuming stink bugs. But if that's not you, there's a simpler solution: Stuff nylon pantyhose inside the tube of your vacuum cleaner, pull the open end over the outside of the tube, and secure the pantyhose using a rubber band. Then, vacuum the group as usual to get rid of stink bugs with this simple DIY solution. However, once you trap them in the pantyhose, avoid discarding them in the garbage. Otherwise, they'll just build camp out there, and you'll be back to square one. So, either put the pantyhose in a plastic bag and then inside a freezer for two days to eliminate them. Or, discard them in a bottle of soapy water (preferably one with a large opening) to effectively drown them and end their story.

While this trick handles the bugs already inside, a long-term fix is to keep them from getting in at all. If they are outdoors in your barn in September or October, they'll be in your home soon enough, so be sure to seal cracks in your wooden siding, around switch boxes, heat ducts, ceiling fixtures, and any other openings in your walls. You should also seal the wall around your air conditioning hose to keep out these pests. Use a foam sealant or silicone-latex caulk for this job. And if your window and door screens are damaged, repair or replace them so stink bugs can't slip in through the holes.