- 1 - Store Food Properly
- 2 - Secure Your Garbage Too
- 3 - Reduce Moisture
- 4 - Declutter
- 5 - Weather-Proof Your Home
- 6 - Set Traps
- 7 - Clean Your Surroundings
Next summer is upon us before we realize and with the heat comes the altogether unpleasant pests.
Soon you will be sharing your house with small critters, eating your food or trying to eat you.
Of course, there are ways to keep their numbers under control, there always is. Modern technology has gifted us with the ability to wage chemical warfare with our creepy crawler foes, but is there anything else we might be able to do to keep their numbers down?
Well, of course, there is!
Before you hop in your car and beeline for the nearest hardware store, try these tips first:
1 – Store Food Properly
These little critters are doing what their instincts dictate and that is to either mate or look for food.
Many insects are known to forage, search for food widely, and they will eventually lead to some and share that info with their brethren.
If you have open food lying around, they will eventually find it and feast on it and even calling your home theirs. So remember to store them securely and safely, ideally somewhere airtight.
2 – Secure Your Garbage Too
If you think pests love your food, wait till they know about your garbage. To them, your bins and trash are free for all buffet and they came to indulge.
We might think of them as inedible but these vermin were bio-engineered to help decompose waste, and they compose they shall.
Keep your bins covered tightly at all times. It helps that you put them a fair bit of distance from your house and regularly cleaned.
3 – Reduce Moisture
To pests, moisture is their sanctuary. They use it to eat, to breed, to live pretty much.
Mosquitos have been known to lay eggs on standing open water. Termites use water to soften wood before munching on it. Others just use it to hydrate themselves.
Regardless, moisture at home could attract unwanted and annoying little guests at home.
Check pipelines for any signs of leaks. Gutters should also be cleaned regularly as they hold quite a bit of moisture.
4 – Declutter
Disorganization only leads to more hideouts for vermin. Boxes unopened for a long time could be a breeding ground for a number of pests.
Improperly stored linens and clothing could encourage moths and small mites to breed and proliferate. Also, clutter can prevent you from noticing an infestation.
So throw out what needs to be thrown out and those that you decide to keep, store them properly. Clean out drawers and shelves regularly, throwing away trash and other debris out.
5 – Weather-Proof Your Home
Many of the pests only ever get into your home to find safe shelter during cold or bad weather. They get in through small cracks or openings that might be hard to notice.
Regularly check for possible entry points around your home that critters can use and patch them up.
Repair window screens or fasten them securely to prevent any gaps. You can use a combination of cement and caulk to seal gaps and holes.
6 – Set Traps
One way to curb the infestation of vermin in your home is to outwit them in their own game.
By setting up traps, you can reduce their numbers effectively. Traps come in wide variety with options between humane killing, killing quickly, and live-catch.
Some advocate the use of live-catch especially for native species and setting them loose somewhere far enough away from your home.
Kill type traps can be used for an infestation that’s out of control, with a birth rate higher than normal. These kinds of traps are recommended for rats and mice and other small insects while rodents and larger animals native to the area benefit more from live catch traps.
7 – Clean Your Surroundings
One sure way to discourage pest infestations is to do regular clean up for your home and yard.
Organize and store your possessions carefully and safely. Put them in containers where no animals can get to them. Cleaning out your yard can also help defeat the spread of insect pests by reducing their food supply and any possible shelter they might use.
Cleaning also involves making sure all garbage is properly disposed of and an assortment of food that could attract pests are kept safe and secured.
Author Bio: Jason Brooks is a passionate blogger who loves to write about home designs, home improvement and home renovation ideas. She is currently working for Cayce Bugs, one of the leading exterminator companies dedicated to providing quality home pest control services.
