When you discover a pest infestation at home, you panic and wish for the problem to just go away. Without doing anything about it, unfortunately, the pests remain. The best solution is to act and find ways to make them disappear. Check out these ten effective ways to keep pests out of your home:
1. Inspect the house for any cracks, openings, or gaps.
Make sure that pests can’t get in through crevices and gaps on your house’s exterior. Look for holes in the basement, in the attic, and inside closets. Check inside, under, or behind the refrigerator, the stove, or kitchen cabinets. Look around the fireplace, the water pipes, air vents, electric lines, and doors and windows.
Check the floor and wall junctures—and the rooftop,too. When you see spaces where pests can possibly enter, get them sealed right away. Ask your local hardware store for ways of sealing the gaps and holes.
2. Always keep your yard clean.
Keep in mind that insects like being in leaf litter and mulch. Regularly mow your lawn, sweep off the leaf litter and other garden debris, and make sure that you also trim the shrubs and tree branches.
3. Clean your kitchen and pantry.
Wash the dishes right after using them. Wipe the food spills, mop the floor, and wash the tablecloths regularly. Throw away the food scraps and the stale food. Store pantry food in resealable or airtight containers.
4. Examine the items that you bring in the house.
Before taking home stuffed toys, furniture items, or clothing from a thrift shop, inspect them for signs of infestations. Have them thoroughly sanitized before use.
5. Repair broken doors or window screens immediately.
Tiny insects can come in through broken doors or window screens. Check out your local hardware store for wire mesh that you can use as a replacement.
6. Practice proper waste disposal.
Remember to have trash bins inside and outside your house. Make sure they are covered to prevent the trash from spilling. Dispose of your garbage properly.
7. Check your house drains.
Inspect your sinks, laundry, or bathroom drains and clean them regularly to prevent mosquitoes and small flies from breeding there. Drain decorative pools and water fountains on a regular basis,too.
8. Use light bulbs that attract less insects.
Insects tend to get attracted to artificial lights. Use halogen, dichrom yellow, or sodium vapor light bulbs that emit orange, yellow, and pink lights because these are less attractive to insects.
Also, the insects get attracted to heat emitted by the lights, so use bulbs that emit less heat. Examples are mercury vapor bulbs or fluorescent lamps.
9. Hire professional pest exterminators.
When you can’t exterminate the pests yourself, contact Indiana pest control professionals to help you out. Ask for recommendations to find the best exterminator around town.
10. Inspect your house—always.
You want to avoid recurring pest infestation. You should not only inspect your house once a year. Contact experts to help you with regular inspection and treatment.
Your house should be the safest place for you and your family. Have the peace of mind that you need by knowing how to deal with pest infestation.
