There’s one thing that we should keep straight about dealing with pests: It is not really something to be ashamed of. Why? It’s simple–any household can have pests. When you have pests present on your property, it does not always have something to do with cleanliness. The truth is that even a very clean home or surrounding can still be infested by pests.
Nevertheless, we can’t deny the fact that pests are something to get rid of as soon as possible. We all want a pest-free home and achieving that goal is not always that easy especially if you are dealing with those species that are difficult to eliminate. Hence, we homeowners should become much wiser and more vigilant than ever before when it comes to eliminating those pesky creatures and not giving them any chance at surviving inside our own household.
Wise Pest Control Methods You Can Do at Home
We hate seeing pests scurrying across our floors or crawling on our belongings. Their sight alone is enough to make people feel restless, even disgusted. To effectively get rid of pests, we need to follow certain procedures. Here are six clever ways you can do at home to make sure those disgusting critters are kept at bay:
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Seal any opening to block pest entry.
Even if you religiously clean your environment, it is still inevitable to have pests enter your home because of possible openings that lead them to it. Any fissures on your house’s structure can provide pests an opportunity to access your household. For example, you may have cracks on your wall, tears on the screen, or a broken window. To block pest entry, you need to seal those crevices or gaps before tiny creepy-crawlies can squeeze their way through them. Also, make sure to use screens for your doors and windows.
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Always check and wash your luggage and clothes upon arriving home from traveling.
The fastest way for pests to transfer locations is hitchhiking. Especially if you travel a lot and stay in hotels infested by bugs, it is very likely that you can unknowingly bring those critters back home with you. Bed bugs, in particular, can easily and discreetly hitchhike on your belongings like clothes, luggage, backpacks, and/or shoes. They can be your most unwelcome souvenirs from a trip. So, before entering the home from vacation, it is best if you thoroughly inspect your luggage outside, like in the garage or utility areas, and leave it there for a time. Next, you need to do some vacuum cleaning or steam cleaning on your luggage and clothes. Moreover, you should wash your clothes, even if they were unused during the trip, using hot water and then place them under high heat in the dryer for 20 to 30 minutes.
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Empty your indoor trash cans daily and throw the trash into a well-covered outdoor garbage container away from your home.
Disposal of your garbage at home should be done daily. Never allow your smelly trash to overflow and sit for more than a day as it can attract pests like ants, flies, roaches, and rodents. Remember that these pesky creatures can contaminate our food and spread deadly viruses. Worst, they are not always easy to eliminate. Once they have totally infested your home, you need to call a pest control company and let them conduct treatment methods like cockroach removal, ant control, rodent removal, etc.
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Trim vegetation, especially those that grow near your house’s structure.
Plants and trees are good for the environment. However, they can also serve as the pests’ “highway” to your home. If you have flowers, bushes, and/or trees growing near your window or the foundation of your home, it would be wise if you prune them from time to time. To prevent pest entry, never allow branches of overgrown shrubs to touch your window or exterior wall. Keep your vegetation at a safe distance from your home as much as possible.
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Maintain your plumbing.
If you want to get rid of pests wisely, always keep your pipes and drains in check for possible leaks or clogs. Leaky pipes and clogged drains can provide roaches with their much-preferred humidity. Make it your regular chore to clean your plumbing equipment and unclog your drains.
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Keep a clean and dry surrounding.
Many pests thrive in a damp and dirty environment. One of the wisest moves you can make as a homeowner would be to regularly clean your home (i.e. bedroom, kitchen, pantry, garage, laundry room, living room, basement, and attic) and remove anything that stores moisture or standing water. Clutter and stagnant water provide pests like mosquitos, bed bugs, rats, spiders, and dust mites, perfect sites to breed and hide.
The bottom-line of it all is to make your as less appealing to pests as possible. Once you give pests reasons to stay in your home, they will infiltrate your household by all means. Those six pest control tips enumerated above can be your ideal guide towards a pest-free environment.
