Top 10 Pet-Safe Bug Killers

Fleas, ticks, and other pests are making their last frantic effort before winter sets in—but you don’t want to kill them with anything that’s unsafe for your pets.

That’s why medical entomologist Richard Pollack, PhD, says that the most important thing to consider is if a pesticide is even necessary.

“Dogs and cats are often running outside and picking up all sorts of things that they bring inside the house,” says Pollack, president of the pest identification company IdentifyUS. “If you have just a few innocuous bugs, you don’t need to treat them like you do an infestation,” he says.

The most appropriate treatment for something like a spider, beetle, or ant? A shoe or vacuum cleaner, says Pollack.

“Once a spider has gone for a thrill ride in your vacuum cleaner, it’s likely had all of its legs knocked off,” he says. “Its chances of getting out are essentially nil.”

But for those times when you feel like ants are overrunning your kitchen or you see that nasty cockroach or tick (which can transmit disease—yuck!), read on for the best—and safest—ways to have a bug-free home. Plus: Products that help prevent pests from entering that front door in the first place.