Cockroaches, ants and other pests are attracted to odors so be sure that your food is stored in smell-blocking, tightly sealed containers. Also, remove clutter from around your home and regularly empty and clean out plant trays, bird fountains and children’s pools.
Likewise, eliminate entry points into your house by keeping wood piles away from your walls, fixing leaky faucets and regularly cleaning out gutters and trash cans.
Keep Your Home Clean
When pests come into your home, they are searching for 3 things: food, water and shelter. If you can make your house less attractive to these critters, you will be able to stop them before they get too established and require a full-blown insect control treatment.
One of the most important ways to do this is to clean up regularly. This includes sweeping up crumbs on the floor, wiping down surfaces and removing trash as soon as it’s full. It also means putting away unused items, cleaning out drawers and under sinks, and keeping non-perishable food in airtight containers.
Keep in mind that a lot of insects like cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and termites breed in piles of clutter, so cleaning up your space isn’t just good for you – it’s good for your insect-control efforts too.
In addition to keeping your house clean, it’s essential to clean up the outside of your property as well. Rodents, spiders and other pests often use the debris and weeds around your home as a highway into the interior. To keep this from happening, trim bushes and trees, remove stacks of firewood and debris, and get rid of any piles of wood or leaves near your home’s foundation.
Another way to keep pests from getting too close is to cut off their water supply. Insects like flies, ants and mosquitoes breed in standing water, so regularly empty and clean outdoor fountains, bird baths, buckets and anything that holds water. Indoors, keep pet’s water bowls cleaned regularly too.
Lastly, make sure to repair any leaky pipes or faucets inside and out as well as seal up cracks around your home that could allow critters into your living space. Also, don’t store firewood or stacked lumber too close to your home as this attracts termites and other costly pests.
It’s also a great idea to have your yard regularly treated for insects by a professional. These treatments prevent swarms from developing and ensure that all insects are wiped out before they can do much damage. In addition, they will also save you money on future pest control because the initial infestation will be smaller and easier to treat.
Seal Off Entry Points
While the goal of any pest control service is to treat and eliminate pests, the best way to avoid future infestations is by blocking off entry points. This includes properly sealing gaps around doors and windows, caulking cracks, and removing potential shelter such as overturned garbage cans or piles of debris. It is also important to remove vegetation touching the exterior of your home, such as weeds, grass, or vines, to help block insects from reaching your walls. For commercial facilities, reducing outdoor attractants and eliminating entry points is equally as important. Rats can fit through holes as small as half an inch, and ants can find ways to enter through the smallest cracks, so making sure doorways and dock areas are closed and sealed is key.
Pests are most often attracted to food sources and cluttered environments, which is why it’s so important to properly store and dispose of your food and trash. Make sure to use odor-blocking trash cans, regularly sweep and vacuum rarely used cabinets, and thoroughly clean and disturb storage spaces such as attics or basements. It’s also a good idea to keep a tight lid on your pantry and store dry goods in containers that are airtight, especially since ants can sense odors from far away.
Another common mistake that can allow pests to invade your home or business is allowing them access to your water sources. Ensure all water pipes are properly sealed, fix leaky faucets and showers, and avoid leaving dish or garbage water sitting around. This is a huge temptation for cockroaches, ants, and other pests.
Finally, a simple but very effective way to prevent pests from entering your home is by ensuring your window screens are properly in place and not showing any signs of wear or tear. A single small tear in your window screen can be enough for a German Cockroach (Blattella germanica) or Tropical House Cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) to sneak inside and cause an infestation. Be sure to replace any screens that have tears and ensure your sliding doors are properly screened as well.
Get Rid of Weeds
Weeds are not only annoying to have around but they compete with the plants you want in your garden or lawn, taking up valuable space and robbing them of water and nutrients. They also produce tons of seeds, so they can easily take over the areas you want to grow.
If you’re an avid gardener, you might try to get rid of the weeds yourself using store-bought products, DIY remedies or manual methods like pulling them out by hand. However, this can take up a lot of time and often isn’t effective. Plus, there’s the risk of harming the plants you want to keep if you use too much product or overdo it.
Professional pest control services can eliminate the weeds and any pests that are causing problems without you having to put in the work. They have the equipment, knowledge and experience to deploy the correct treatments without putting your family, pets or property at risk. They can also deal with pests that you can’t simply spray or trap on your own, such as termites, ants and bed bugs.
Hiring a pest control company can help you save money in the long run by not having to repeatedly purchase and dispose of baits, traps or sprays yourself. In addition, professionals have the skills and equipment necessary to handle more complicated infestations that can’t be taken care of by the average homeowner, such as a hornet or scorpion nest.
Another way a pest control service can help you save is by providing perimeter pest treatment. They can cut down bushes, remove weeds and even clear away brush or other vegetation that might be used as highways for insects to access your home. This can greatly reduce the number of insects that are able to reach your inside walls or other vulnerable areas of your property.
A clean environment is less hospitable to pests, so be sure to sweep and mop daily, store food in sealed containers, make garbage disposal part of your regular routine and fix leaky faucets. Keeping your yard and gardens free of debris can also discourage pests as well.
Keep Your Yard Trimmed
A healthy, mowed lawn is your first line of defense against pests. Weeds are inevitable, but they don’t do much harm in small numbers and can be sprayed with a low-toxicity herbicide. Regularly mowing, edging and defining the borders of your yard is also important for keeping it hygienic and attractive.
Clutter around your home encourages rodents, spiders and other pests to hang out there, and can even provide a highway for them to access your house from the yard. Wood piles, garbage cans and trashy debris should be kept away from your home, and old cars and dumpsters should be removed as well. Similarly, keep your lawn free of fallen leaves and debris, and if possible, elevate unused trash containers to discourage pests.
Any bushes, shrubs or trees that touch your house should be trimmed and repositioned. This helps prevent pests like ants, termites and squirrels from using them as a highway into your home. It’s also a good idea to trim any branches that are hanging over your roof or windows, as these can act as natural bridges for pests to use to get inside.
Keeping your yard clean is a great way to help you save money on pest control. It’s also a good idea for your own safety and the health of your family, pets and neighbors. Snakes, spiders and fire ants hide in leaf clutter, and can be exposed when you or a loved one accidentally steps on them.
Pests don’t just appear in your house – they need a place to live first. Your front or backyard is their first colony, and if it’s infested with pests, they will only be encouraged to move on to your home. So make sure you seal cracks in your foundation and crawlspace, regularly mow the grass, eliminate weeds, remove piles of brush and trash, and keep the bushes, shrubs and trees trimmed. By following these simple tips, you can reduce the risk of a pest infestation that will cost you time, money and stress. Hiring a professional to apply pest control around your home and yard on a monthly basis is another cost-effective option.