Pests cause problems around homes and can carry diseases. The best way to control pests is prevention.
The first step is to remove sources of food, water, and shelter for pests. This includes storing food in tightly sealed containers and frequently eliminating garbage. Other ways to prevent pests include sealing cracks around doors and windows and repairing leaky plumbing. Contact Pest Control Clearwater now!
Pest control is an important aspect of a clean, healthy home. It involves managing or eliminating pests like rodents, bugs, and ants that can spread diseases, trigger allergies, damage your home, and spoil your belongings. Preventive measures, such as regular cleaning and routine maintenance, are the best way to keep pests at bay.
Pests breed in dirty and unkempt spaces and prefer warm, damp areas to hide. Therefore, it is important to clean your house regularly and remove hanging cobwebs, pest droppings, and clutter. Besides, make it a point to vacuum the carpets, sweep the floor, and wipe down surfaces in kitchens, dining areas, and washrooms daily. It is also advisable to use trash cans with tight-fitting lids and empty them regularly.
Food crumbs and spills attract pests, so keep your pantry and refrigerator tightly sealed and store food in airtight containers. If you have pet foods, transfer them into airtight containers as well.
Many pests enter homes through small cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and the foundation of your house. Sealing these areas can be a challenge, but it is essential for keeping pests out of your home.
Plants like mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and citronella emit a strong fragrance that repels pests. Place a few potted plants or diffusers near the entrances to your house and enjoy the natural scent while deterring pests. You can also try adding a few drops of essential oils to water and spraying it around your house. The scent will not only repel pests but also keep your indoor environment fresh and healthy.
Seal Off Entry Points
A home’s exterior walls may look like a solid fortress to the naked eye, but to a pest, they are a series of secret entry points. Cracks in the foundation, gaps around windows and doors, and worn-out weather stripping are just a few of the ways that pests can slip inside. Regularly inspect and repair these areas to prevent a pest infestation.
Rodents and other pests are notorious for their ability to sneak through tiny openings. They can squeeze through spaces as small as a dime! These entrances can be found in the smallest holes and crevices in foundations, basements, under porches and decks, behind potted plants, around window frames and door sills, and near vents.
Basements and crawl spaces are a common entry point for many pests. To prevent infestations, regularly clear away food sources, store perishables in airtight containers, and keep the area clean. Also, seal any cracks in the foundation or walls and have them inspected by a professional.
Outdoors, make sure there is a six-foot barrier between vegetation and your house, and have any leaky pipes repaired. This will help to deter pests from nesting in and around your home, especially cockroaches, carpenter ants, and termites.
If you are looking for a pest control company that will help keep pests away from your home or business, contact us today! We can provide a free inspection and estimate. We are experts at preventing and controlling pests in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. We offer preventive pest management services as well as eradication programs for those pesky, persistent pests that are difficult to eliminate with other methods. Our goal is to protect your property from pests and ensure a safe environment for you and your family, co-workers, and clients.
Trim Vegetation
If pests are allowed to thrive, they can cause damage and threaten your home. To keep them away, keep your yard and garden well-maintained and uncluttered. Overgrown vegetation provides hiding spots for many pests and also makes it easy for them to reach the food sources they need. If the available food, water or shelter are limited, pest populations will decrease or disappear.
Regular trimming of bushes, shrubs and trees will help prevent them from becoming overgrown and create ideal harborage for pests. Aim to trim them so that they are 6 inches to 3 feet away from your house; the more space between your house and plants, the harder it will be for pests to get into your living spaces.
Remove any piles of leaves or other debris near your house, as these are an attractive nesting and hiding place for rodents, termites and other wood-destroying insects. Fix any leaky exterior faucets, empty your bird bath, and clean up brush around the foundation of your home; these are all inviting places for pests to live and gain access to your living spaces.
Consider introducing natural predators into your landscape to reduce pest populations, such as ladybugs and lacewings that can control aphid infestations on fruit trees. Be careful when using biological controls; if the introduced species becomes too abundant or overtakes the natural population, it can have a negative impact on the ecosystem and possibly lead to extinction.
Monitor insect, mollusk and vertebrate pest populations often to determine when they have reached threshold levels. This will allow you to implement control measures before the pests significantly detract from crop yields. Use pesticides sparingly and only when necessary. In addition, only apply the highest concentration of chemicals recommended by the label to avoid harming beneficial insects and pollinators.
Keep Trash Out
Keeping your garbage and compost bins clean is a good way to prevent pests. Garbage scavengers are attracted to all kinds of food, so making sure your indoor and outdoor trash cans and recycling bins are tightly sealed and cleaned is essential. Emptying your inside garbage as soon as it’s full and cleaning any spills or crumbs around the bins is also important. If you have large outdoor bins, consider using an anti-rodent spray to keep mice and rats out of your trash.
You’ll also want to make sure your garage and any other outbuildings connected to your home are kept neat and tidy. Pests and critters often hang out in sheds or garages before they move into the house, so taking care of these areas will help reduce your chances of them rummaging through your trash and finding their way in to your home.
If you need to use pest control outside of your home, it’s best to start with prevention and try non-toxic methods first. When these don’t work, look for a low-risk pesticide to use. These are registered by the EPA and are less likely to cause harm to children, pets or people with allergies.
It’s also important to learn about your pests and what conditions or circumstances will attract them, and then take steps to eliminate those factors. This will be easier and cheaper than trying to get rid of pests once they’ve found their way into your home.
Replace Your Light Bulbs
When you switch to a yellow light bulb (as opposed to white), it will attract fewer moths and other insects to your porch and outdoor spaces. This is a great, simple, at-home pest control tip.
Cleanliness is also key to pest prevention. Thoroughly cleaning seldom used cupboards, storage areas and vacuuming under furniture a few times a year will make these spaces less appealing to bugs looking for food particles or places to hide.
Eliminating food sources is another great way to prevent infestations. Cockroaches and rodents love crumbs, leftover foods, and garbage. Eliminate these temptations by keeping counters clean, storing food in airtight containers, and regularly emptying trash receptacles.
CFL and LED bulbs are a good replacement for traditional incandescent bulbs as they contain no mercury, emit little heat, and last about six times longer. You can buy these types of bulbs online or at most home improvement stores.
It is important to turn off the power supply to the fixture before replacing a light bulb. This can be done by locating the circuit breaker or fuse panel for the recessed fixture and switching it off. Once the fixture is off, allow the bulb to cool down to avoid burns.
If you must touch a hot bulb, use gloves or safety-rated goggles. If the bulb is overhead, get someone to hold you steady on a stable surface. Remove the old bulb and replace with the new one, making sure that the prongs fit snugly in the socket.
Once you’ve replaced a light bulb, dispose of it properly. Check with your local recycling agency to see if they accept these types of bulbs as part of your curbside collection. If they don’t, you can place your CFL and LED bulbs in a sealed plastic bag with other household hazardous waste for safe disposal.