Do you have experiences coming home to a kitchen full of cockroaches? Or do you know how bad it can be to have an ant infestation or a mouse running around? Here’s a simple guide that will help you keep your home clean and pest-free.
Conducts regular checks
Many pests like rodents love to spend the winter somewhere warm, so make sure to perform regular checks of areas that might be practical for animals to penetrate your home. Even the smallest crack in your roof or foundation can welcome squirrels, mice and bugs. If you don’t want to do the inspection yourself, make sure to call experts. Their trained eyes can identify all access points you might overlook and seal them well. Also, they will inform you of your current pest problems, if any, and give you tips on how to fight them.
Keep your home clean
Both the inside and the outside of your home need to be clean. Keep your kitchen and dining room crumb-free and wash dishes every night before bed. Clutter outside of the kitchen can also attract pests. Boxes, newspaper piles and books can look like perfect nesting spots for critters, so store them in plastic containers and regularly declutter your home.
When it comes to your outdoor area, try to keep your garbage cans and recycling bins closed and far from your house. If you compost, opt for closed bins and let the process happen away from your foundation since insects and bugs love these moist, warm and dark places. Keep mulch and loose soil away from your foundation and store firewood far in the backyard.
Take care of all water sources
One might not think that water is attractive to pests, but it is. Wet areas are perfect breeding grounds and convenient drinking spots. Cockroaches are especially fond of water, so they even got nicknamed “waterbugs”. So, keep your skin dry and take care of all standing water inside and near the house. And check your pipes as well. Leaky pipes under the sink or in the bathroom, as well as moist basements and attics, need to be examined by certified plumbers.
Arm yourself with good weapons
If bugs happen to enter your home, you need to have plenty of weapons to fight them. Some of the most effective ones you can find on the market are insect foggers. These can eliminate ants, roaches, spiders, mosquitoes and many other bugs, even hidden ones, especially if you choose the right product. The offer on the market is overwhelming, so check out practical insect fogger reviews to see what you can get your hands on and how to use it properly. Make sure to be careful, though, because these things can be very strong.
Remove pet food
Sure, you might keep your kitchen clean and free of crumbs, but what about the area around your pet’s bowls? Pet food is a great source of food for critters and bugs, so make sure to take care of it once your pet is full. Keep all the pet food in sealed containers, so that the smell doesn’t attract any hungry intruders.
Seal your home
There are various reasons why you might want to keep your home sealed: you’ll save money on heating and cooling, prevent the entrance of allergens and pollutants and keep the pests outside. Larger openings can be taken care off with screens, but smaller cracks and holes need to be sealed with caulk. While you’re sealing your home, ensure all your windows are sturdy and holes around pipes and electrical entry points are sealed.
Pests are an essential element in nature, but they are not welcome in our homes. So, make sure to keep it pest-free and safe for you and your family to relax and enjoy your humble abode.
