When the light fades to the color of smoke, that's when the creatures—not fond of daylight—come out to play. That's also when I suit up and try to find them. That is the life of a paranormal investigator.

As a ghost hunter I've often been asked why we hunt at night. The truth is, ghosts are just as active during the day as they can be at night. However, we've found that there is less noise, such as car traffic, at night that can show up on our video and tape recordings and that be easily misinterpreted as an EVP (electronic voice phenomena). Also, many of our instruments (such as infra-red cameras, etc.) work better in darkness. In addition, there are fewer people out and about to interfere and possibly contaminate our investigation.

The question I've been asked more times than I can count is: How does someone get rid of a ghost? That's why I wrote How to Clear Your House of Ghosts and Spirits.

My new book not only explains a lot of different methods of getting rid of ghosts and spirits, but helps you identify the type of ghost you may have and how to deal with it. It's always important to know what type of entity is occupying your home before you make any attempt to communicate with it, interact with it, or try to make it leave. This is because some types of phantom beings (such as demons or other inhuman spirits) shouldn't be engaged with in any manner except by someone who knows how to deal with this type of entity.

Demons and other types of negative spirits can be not only very dangerous, but also very violent in their actions and behavior. They are masters of psychological warfare and are quite capable of turning your life into a living hell. So, by no means should you interact with this type of being. In other words, you don't want to make a bad situation worse.

Now, onto the fun part: getting rid of common ghosts and spirits. Below are three easy ways to clear your home of a ghost or spirit.

1. Simply Ask.
   The easiest and generally the most effective way of getting a ghost to leave your home or place of business, once you know what type of ghost with which you're dealing, is simply to talk to it. Sounds too simple, I know; however, it works in many cases.
   
   Before you talk to the spirit, make sure you are in a calm state; talking to a ghost when you are fearful or angry will do nothing to help your cause and could even make the situation worse. There is no reason to yell at a ghost, provoke a ghost or resort to childish name calling when dealing with a spirit—remember that they were once alive as you now are.
   
   Sit down and gently explain to the ghost that they are deceased and that there is no reason for them to be there. Tell them that they belong on the other side, and encourage them to go into the light. Keep in mind that you may have to repeat this several times before the spirit chooses to leave.
   
   I don't encourage the use of Ouija boards or other tools to accomplish this task because by using such tools, you could open a portal to the other side—and you have no way of controlling who or what comes through the door you just opened. Thus, you could accidentally let in other ghosts, spirits, or negative entities that will not be so easy to get rid of.
2. Blessing.
   Another popular method of getting rid of a ghost is to have your home blessed by a member of the clergy, such as your priest, reverend, or minister. While this method can work, many times it only works on negative entities and not on the good or peaceful entities. Although this may calm the activity down for a while, don't be surprised if in a month or two the activity begins again, and this time it could be stronger. I don't mean to discourage you from having your home blessed (as this method is very effective). However, you should know that you may have to have it blessed or cleansed more than once for the ghosts to leave permanently.
   
   If you're not comfortable having a clergy member come into your home to bless or cleanse it, you can do it yourself. If you're religious, you can take some holy water or olive oil and walk around your house making the sign of the cross on every door and window sill (or the window itself if you're using holy water). While you're doing this you can recite a prayer (or any mantra with which you're comfortable) asking any negative energy to leave your home, or asking your unwelcome ghostly guest to leave.
3. Smudging.
   If you're not particularly religious, you can obtain the same result with dried sage or a smudge stick. To smudge your home with loose sage, light the sage and place in a glass bowl. If you're using a smudge stick, simply light the stick and blow out the flame so it is just emitting smoke. Open a window at the far end of your house and then walk back to the room that is farthest from the open window. Walk around every room with the smudge stick allowing the smoke to infiltrate every nook and cranny; eventually you will end up at the room with the open window. Start at the farthest corner of that room and make your way to the window. Any negative energy should make a bee line for the open window to get out of your home. While you're doing this, you can say a mantra asking the spirits to leave your home and to be replaced by pure positive energy or light. You may have to repeat this a few times until the spirit leaves. Then continue to smudge once a month or so to keep things the way they should be.

Remember, not all ghosts and spirits are good. There are many negative entities out there that can infiltrate your home. If you believe you have a negative entity in your home, it's best to seek out the advice of a paranormal investigator to help you handle the situation.

In How to Clear Your House of Ghosts and Spirits, I emphasize that you need to not be the victim but rather take control and be proactive in dealing with a ghost or spirit. It's important for you to know that you need to claim your home as yours and take it back from any ghosts, spirits, or other entities that may decide to take up residence.

As always, may all your hauntings be happy ones.