For anyone like me, who likes to use *green* products around the home, and to use as few *chemicals* as possible, I would like to recommend a book I bought last week. Entitled "Chemcial Free Pest Control", it is written by an Australian lady. Robin Stewart, and is for anyone wishing to get household pests - including spiders, cockroaches, fleas, flies and other creepy crawlies - and other *nasties* like mould and mildew, under control without poisoning themselves into the bargain.

Lots of helpful and sensible ideas with affordable ingredients that most of us keep around the house, such as bicarb of soda, borax, vinegar, lemon juice, eucalyptus oil. I've seen others like it, but this is targeted at an Australian market, covering Australian pests and creatures. (Not too many items on repelling possums in UK books!)

She does a book on chemical-free cleaning as well, but haven't read that one yet and I can't imagine it would vary too much over what I already have.

Publisher: Black Inc.
ISBN: 1-86395-131-8
Price: $21.95

sounds interesting but I'm not convinced that anything other than DDT will get rid of cockies or spiders

Nuke 'em :scared: Even thats too good for them, they're the spawn of Satan

I like our possum, I would never want to repell him. He's called Zillmere Pete.

If we stop using all of these chemical things, just think how many people will become unemployed Keep using the chemicals I say - support the economy. I've never found a 'natural' thing yet that is as ffective as a man-made coctail of highly dangerous chemicals!!

Zap the little buggers with chemical, otherwise they'll just sit in front of eating the 'homeopathic' junk.

I did point out that it was for like-minded folk.

I guess it doesn't bother you that things like head lice, fleas and bacteria have become resistant to the man-made poisons that are thrown at them to the extent that it's hard to kill them at all because nothing works? But hey, it keeps the pharmaceutical companies in business, doesn't it? Pollutes the environment a bit more. A few more kids with asthma or eczema or whatever - that'll provide more business again.

Attitudes like yours make me very sad and not a little annoyed. But then you know that, don't you?

Bit short sighted isn't it! It's funny that the people who knock non chemical options to cleaning and pest control have never tried a natural option hey

Show me a head lice or flea that can live after being zapped with frontline! Put all of those Doctors out of work too if we went the way of the white witch. Need a heart transplant and anit-rejection drugs? Certainly sir, but have you tried eating some tree bark first - that might work even better.

If someone can actually prove to me that these natural options work on cockies and spiders as well as the chemicals, I will happily give them a go. Every "natural" alternative I have tried for stuff has never ever worked as well.

And...if the chemicals do fail, you can always crush the little buggers with the empty tin

They do work, moneypen. Borax crystals are non toxic yet get under the shell of the roaches and dehydrates them. You'll find them dead all over the place. It works better than the poisons and it's safer for pets and children.

As for Frontline, I wouldn't put insecticides anywhere near my children. My daughter had headlice once here, so we got a spray from the health food store and she hasn't had them since. Prevention is always better than the cure.

Well now you're just being silly...