September Saving$$$

PLUG IN Pest Free September Newsletter

Welcome to September Savings month! During the whole month of September, a popup will appear on our website GoPestFree.com that when applied, will take 10% off your check-out price. With the seasons soon changing and rodent activity likely to begin increasing during the cooler months, now is the time to protect your home or business from those unwanted intruders.

Rats are known to carry many diseases. Some of these diseases include:

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory disease causing flu-like symptoms, dizziness, and stomach problems at first, then extreme shortness of breath.
• Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease causing flu-like symptoms, plus jaundice and red eyes.
• Salmonellosis, a bacterial infection causing diarrhea.
• Plague, a disease causing rapid-onset fever, chills and weakness, plus necrotic tissue, swollen lymph nodes, or pneumonia, depending on the strain.
• Tularemia, an illness causing fever and sometimes ulcers, inflammation, and chest pain.
• Rat-bite fever, a disease causing fever, vomiting, rash, headache, and body pain.

As disgusting as this may sound, unsuspecting home and business owners may then unknowingly come in contact by touch, inhaling, or even consuming urine and feces left behind by rodents, allowing those germs to enter our bodies.

Traditional pest control methods can actually exasperate the problem more than fix it. For example, rats have an acute sense of smell. When laying baited traps inside the premises, it is like extending an invitation to come in. But wait? Aren’t you trying to keep them out to begin with? PLUG IN Pest Free works 24/7 all year round to act as a deterrent to rodents and pests. When a new arrival enters a premises protected by Pest Free, the new arrival is unlikely to remain for long and should vacate again within an acceptable period. All without the use of baits, sprays, toxic pesticides and other harsh poisons.

So take advantage of September Savings month for 10% off at check-out. Order yours today…

Winter is Coming! Will You be Pest Free?

• Seal off known entry points. Using products like expanding foam to close off holes and gaps can go a long way.
• Applying naturally deterring scents around known entry points or in areas of activity. Rodents have an acute sense of smell. Applying an essential oil laced with natural deterring scents like mint, vinegar, cayenne pepper etc. can help ward off approaching rodents.
• Remove excess clutter and do a general cleanup. We all talk about Spring Cleaning. Honestly, we should get in the practice of doing a Season Change Cleaning every 3 months. It will drastically reduce your spring cleaning time, getting you outdoors sooner.
• Lift & Elevate! Don’t leave items on the ground or against walls. Rodents love confined spaces, not so much open spaces. Placing stored items on shelves or pallets and not against walls will provide airspace around those items.
• Review your landscaping. Keep tree branches trimmed back several feet from touching your home or business. Tree branches can act as a bridge for rodents to simply walk on over. Keep ground shrubs away from touching the sides of your home or business too. Shrubs can provide great hiding and breeding spots.

Snickerdoodle Cookies…

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Cream for 1-2 minutes longer.
3. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, just until combined.
4. In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon.
5. If time allows, wrap the dough and let refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.  Roll into small balls until round and smooth.  Drop into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and coat well. Using a spoon, coat for a second time, ensuring the cookie balls are completely covered.  NB: To make flatter snickerdoodle’s, press down in the center of the ball before placing in the oven. This helps to keep them from puffing up in the middle. 
6. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes.  Let cool for several minutes on baking sheet before removing from the pan.