Chris Parker Website

Chris Parker

Founder, Parker Eco Pest Control

Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. With over eight years of experience, Chris both owns and operates his business, and specializes in Integrated Pest Management. He doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more.

Education

  • University of Washington, BA, Economics

Certifications & Organizations

  • Washington State Department of Agriculture, Pest Control Applicator License
  • Washington State Department of Agriculture, Pest Control Operator License
  • Also licensed as a Pest Control Applicator and Operator in the State of Oregon and the State of Utah

Favorite Piece of Advice

Spiders are very beneficial! They control the insect population in your home. Sometimes the best treatment for pests is no treatment at all.

wikiHow's Editorial ProcesswikiHow partners with over 1000+ experts from a wide range of fields to ensure our content is accurate and based on well-established research and testimony. Content Managers conduct interviews and work closely with each expert to review information, answer reader questions, and add credible advice. Learn more about our editorial process and why millions of readers trust wikiHow.

Forum Comments (6)

Flea infestation since July: I can't take it anymore
I would recommend diatomaceous earth, which is an algae-based product. Essentially, it's like a desiccant, so it's a very sharp drying powder, and you can put it anywhere inside or outside, because it's food grade. It essentially physically kills the fleas by cutting up their exoskeletons. So, if you can, get yourself into a routine of putting down diatomaceous earth. Your house is going to look like a dustbowl, which is not going to be fun, but it will be organic, and it will be completely safe.

If you vacuum up the flea eggs, wash everything, and keep diatomaceous earth down for about two weeks (because there's a lifecycle associated with eggs and adults and you kind of have to wait out for all of them to hatch), you should probably be able to get rid of the fleas yourself.
How do you get rid of drugstore beetles permanently?
I agree that the easiest way to get rid of drugstore beetles in your home is by going through all your products and finding what is infested. Most of the time, it's something brought in from a farmers’ market or shipped to them through some other vendor.

If you can't find an infestation and you're still seeing them pop up around the home, sometimes using a different bait to give them something else to eat can help. Baits contain pesticides that kill off the adults and stop the breeding cycle.
My room is infested with carpet beetles. What do I do?
Beetles usually hitch a ride into your house on an item made of natural material that had larvae on it. Carefully go through all wool, silk, jute, fur, etc. to see if you can find the source. Vacuum thoroughly, dry clean rugs, wash garments, or freeze items that can’t be washed. Physical cleaning can be cheap and effective if you stay on top of it. You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth around your home as a chemical-free way of killing the insects. If that doesn’t work, call an exterminator to apply a pesticide for a “crack and crevice” treatment inside your home.
How do I safely get rid of a wasp nest outside my house?
It would be helpful to identify the type of hornet/wasp to better understand if they even need to be removed. Having pollinators in your yard can be a good thing! If you’re set on removing the nest, I’d recommend waiting until evening when they’re less active. Wear a few layers of clothing and an apiary hat to protect yourself. It sounds like this is NOT a cavity nest, meaning it’s not inside of a wall/soil and you can see all sides of the nest. That will make this an easier job. Purchase an aerosol can with a good spray distance – I would recommend EcoVia Wasp Spray since it’s FIFRA exempt. Purchasing a pole attachment like a Gotcha Sprayer would provide even longer reach if you’re concerned about getting too close. Spray the nest from far away and give it ten minutes or so to take effect. Repeat the application as needed until you stop seeing activity. Bag the nest and throw it in the trash.
Help! What's the best way to get rid of ants?
Ants follow waterlines very consistently. So, we'll often see ants in kitchens and bathrooms and they’re not always coming in through the windows—if there’s a water line running through a crawl space they can come in that way, too. We also see ants on the weather wall of the house, which is typically the southern wall. Physically excluding ants is nearly impossible. They’re just so small that caulking your windows or blocking your crawlspace just isn’t going to work most of the time. I’d recommend traditional bait traps. You just have to be really persistent. Good luck!
See more comments

Q&A Comments (89)

See more comments

Co-authored Articles (69)

How to

Humanely Kill a Rodent

A rodent infestation at home can be an inconvenience at best and a health hazard at worst. Killing a rodent can never be entirely humane, but you can take steps to cause as little suffering as possible. There are pertine...

How to Diagnose Animal Holes in Your Yard

An extensive guide to solving the question: Which animal made this hole? Having trouble with mysterious burrows in your garden? Burrowing animals can be bothersome when they get busy digging, but finding the culprit is t...

How to

Get Rid of Skunks

If you or your pet has ever been sprayed by a skunk, you’re probably not eager to repeat the process anytime soon. Getting rid of a skunk that has settled into your property can be done with a few prevention and repell...

Do You Have Animals in Your Walls? Dealing with Animals in Your Walls or Attic

If random noises are keeping you up at night or holes in your drywall have you worried, you may have a pest living in your walls. Identifying which creature you’re dealing with will save your pest control expert a lot ...

How to Eliminate Carpet Beetles: Natural & Chemical Options

Plus, how to prevent a future infestation in your homeCarpet beetles are persistent pests that can eat away at your carpets, clothing, and other fabrics. While getting rid of carpet beetles can be a challenge, it’s def...

How to Kill Rats Quickly & Prevent Them from Coming Back

The best ways to get rid of rats permanently and keep them away for goodWhether you live in the city, the country, or the suburbs, there may come a time when you notice these unwelcome visitors inside or outside your hom...

How to

Get Rid of Moths

Moths are a common household problem in both pantries, where they feast on grains and cereals, and closets, where they're attracted to wool, silk, and other fabric. Getting rid of moths for good requires a two-pronged ap...

14 Fast & Easy Ways to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Home

Pest control experts share how to eliminate fleas in a flashFleas are some of the smallest pests, but they’re a huge nuisance once they get into your home. These tiny creatures are experts at hiding on your pets, in yo...

How to

Get Rid of Booklice

The small bugs that are often found in stored books are tiny insects called booklice. These creatures are drawn to areas with high humidity and moisture, and love feeding on mold. Despite the name, booklice aren't only f...

How to Safely Get Mice & Rats Off of Glue Traps

Learn how to dispose of a mouse in a sticky trap Sticky traps, or glue traps, are an inhumane way to catch mice, rats, and other rodents. If you find a live mouse stuck in a sticky trap, it’s best to remove it as soon ...

How to Plug Mouse Holes in Your Home (Inside & Outside)

Learn strategies to prevent mice from invading & when to call the prosWhen you think about a mouse hole, you might imagine a small, arched entrance similar to something you've seen in cartoons. The reality is that mice a...

How to Keep Spiders Away While You’re Sleeping

Plus, what to do when you see a spider in or around your bedIf you’re trying to keep creepy crawlies out of your bed at night, we’ve got good news for you—spiders want nothing to do with you at night either! People...

How to

Apply Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a great eco-friendly powder that is used to eradicate lots of different pests—from slugs to mites to fleas and even bedbugs. Use it to treat your yard or garden by applying it as a wet mixture or ...

How to Get Rid of Dead Animal Smell: Quick & Effective Steps

Locate & remove a dead mouse, rat, or other animal from your houseIf you smell a pungent, rotting smell in your home, it may be due to a dead animal that somehow made its way into your house. But how do you remove the un...

Effective Ways to Kill & Repel No-See-Ums In Your House & Yard

Learn what these pests are attracted to & how to treat bites “No-see-um” is a common nickname for ceratopogonidae, a family of biting flies responsible for producing painful, itchy, and irritating bites. These blood-...

How to Trap Wasps: Easy DIY Tips for Indoors & Outdoors

Everything you need to make your own wasp traps When wasps make a nest too close to home, they can pose a danger to people and household pets. While you can purchase wasp traps, they’re often sticky and difficult to se...

14 Natural Home Remedies to Get Rid of Fleas

Use these safe and tested techniques to keep your home and pets flea-free Fleas are annoying, and they can cause health problems for both pets and people. If you've noticed fleas in your home, but are concerned about pot...

How to

Trap a Snake

If there's a snake hanging around your garden, basement or chicken coop, trapping it and releasing it somewhere else is an effective and humane way to handle the situation. You can trap a snake using a high-tech snake tr...

Are Skunks and Polecats the Same? How to Tell These Animals Apart

Find out how these 2 odorous animals differ in their origins, coloring, and size Growing up, you might have heard a neighbor call a skunk a polecat as they shooed one out of their lawn. So, you might be surprised to lear...

How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants in Your Home

''Effective ant removal and prevention tips'' Ants may not be as unsightly as some other insects, but one of the last places you want to see them is on your kitchen counter or windowsill. Although they won’t cause seri...
See more articles