Getting rid of bugs you can’t reach

You’ve got a bug that’s crawled onto your ceiling and parked there, possibly for the rest of its life. You want to get rid of it before it falls onto your head one day, but you can’t reach it. You could spray bug spray at it, but that doesn’t always work – especially if you have vaulted ceilings that are on the high side.

I figured this tip out after I was on crutches for a brief time, and realized they were perfect for this. But you can make your own weapon.

Your bug poking tool

You need something you can poke the bug with, but that won’t damage your ceiling or chip the paint off. And the bug might run away, so this could take a number of pokes.

It would also be nice if there was a way to keep the bug from staining the ceiling with its, er, remains.

1. Take a stick with a wide end, like a crutch, but an inch-thick dowel stick will work too. You just don’t want it to have a thin end, because that’s what could poke a hole in the ceiling. You want a blunt tool – a bazooka rather than a twenty-two caliber, right?
2. Cover the end of the stick with several layers of paper towel or something similar. This forms a soft end, like the rubberized tip of a crutch. It’ll crush the bug, but it won’t poke holes or chip paint.
3. Affix the paper towel with a rubber band or something so it’ll stay on. I actually used a potato chip bag clamp for mine. Whatever works!

Now you’ve got a great bug-ridding tool. Just poke the bugs with the paper towel wrapped end of your stick – I find it’s sometimes better to knock them down and then step on them on the ground where you can easily clean up any smears their little carcasses leave behind. Or, you can squish them with your stick, replace the paper towels on the end of it and use them to clean up the smudges (you may need a little water and/or mild dishwashing liquid).

And there you go – no more bug, and ceiling unharmed!