Getting rid of rodents, bugs, and other types of pests at home is a daunting task. Pest invasion not only damages your property but can also spread serious infections. Therefore, instead of taking a defensive action after pests invade your home, it is prudent to act offensively, preventing pest invasion. For this, you can use several methods to eliminate internal and external conditions that favor pests. Below are top tips to keep your home free from pests.
1. Conduct Regular Cleanups
Conducting regular cleanup is probably an obvious way to keep your home free from pests and keep your environment safe. Cockroaches, ants, rodents, and other pests thrive in unclean environments. As such, getting rid of dust and other contaminants is an effective way to chase these unwanted guests out. Cleaning should include mopping the floor with disinfectants and other chemicals at regular intervals.
2. Avoid Having Damp Areas
Pests breed and live in dirt and damp atmospheres. Insects, such as mosquitoes and cockroaches, prefer taking shelters in humid and warm environments, especially during cold seasons. Therefore, to avoid harboring such pests, ensure that all areas in your home are dry, particularly the kitchen and bathrooms. Ensure such areas are also well ventilated to prevent the formation of damp spots.
3. Fix Window Nets
Houseflies, spiders, mosquitoes, and large cockroaches access homes through open windows since most homeowners keep their doors closed. Therefore, fixing nets on windows prevents pests from entering while providing maximum ventilation. Similarly, if there are broken glasses or window panes, ensure that you fix them.
4. Declutter
Decluttering is another effective pest control measure. Empty boxes or toys that your children have outgrown gather dust making them favorable hiding places for these pests. Dispose or sell unimportant items, such as shoes, plastic bags, torn luggage, packaging materials, baby strollers, and other unnecessary items.
5. Seal Cracks and Gaps
Windows and doors are not the only points of entrance for pests. Routinely assess your home’s exterior for cracks, gaps, and crevices that pests can enter through. This includes foundation cracks, missing shingles, gaps on utility lines such as electric cables, pipes, cable wirings, and loose sidings. If you find any opening, seal properly with sheet metal, mortar, or copper mesh. Contrary to what most homeowners suggest, avoid using expanding caulk since most pests can chew their way through it.
6. Dispose Trash and Litter Properly
Without a doubt, household garbage from the kitchen attracts ants, rodents, roaches, and other pests. However, most homeowners don’t know that yard waste can also draw pests, who might find it a food source or use the waste as a nest. Therefore, ensure that your yard trash cans have air-tight lids, empty them, and clean them regularly. You should also keep your yards, decks, patios, and garage clean, free from plant clippings, stagnant water, leaf litter, and other contaminants that form an ideal environment for pests.
7. Use the Right Light Bulbs
Replacing the normal mercury vapor lights with halogen or high-pressure sodium vapor lights can reduce flying insects on your windows and doors. Generally, bulbs with yellow, orange, and yellow tints are least attractive to insects. Therefore, while you should use bright lights on your exterior walls, position them far from your house, probably on a pole. This will attract the insects to the pole far from your house.
8. Keep Food in Sealed Containers
Pests, especially rodents, have a great sense of smell. Therefore, they will easily zero in to open food containers. As such, always keep your cereals, crackers, and other pantry foods in sealed containers or re-sealable bags. You should also clean your pantry regularly to eliminate spoiled food and other unnecessary clutter. This minimizes sources of attraction for pantry pests.
9. Clean Your Pets
Cleaning your dogs and cats regularly also helps in keeping your home pest-free. Insects such as fleas and bugs on dogs can easily spread into your home, causing itchiness and other human complications. Therefore, ensure that you clean and treat your pets using flea treatment and deworm them regularly.
10. Maintain Your Garden
Poorly maintained lawns and backyard gardens are another good source of pests. Therefore, fill any pits or holes in the garden, clean your water fountain or pond, prune garden flowers and other plants regularly to avoid bushy growth. Keeping your garden clean helps get rid of unwanted pests, such as ants, rats, and mosquitoes.
Consider Professional Help
Keeping your home pest-free might sound easy. However, it can be challenging for most homeowners, especially those with busy schedules. The consequence of failing to keep your home pest-free is a serious pest problem that might make your home uninhabitable. This is why you should consider hiring a professional pest management service if your pest issues get out of hand. Pest control experts are thorough and safe, especially when it comes to using modern pest control measures.