Any type of pest, insect, mammal, or other, can have a big impact on how you feel about your home. When you have a pest problem your home doesn’t feel clean and you worry about things like disease and structural damage. But having a pest problem is quite often our own fault. Most pests are looking for either food or shelter and when they find it, they can be very good at getting dug in. The best way to deal with a pest problem is to never have them in the first place. Here are some things you can do to help keep your home pest free.
- Kitchen: It should be no surprise that the kitchen is the first item on the list. The kitchen is the source of most pests, with four legs or six. If you already have a problem in the kitchen it might be best to start with expert help. Click here for pest control in Brisbane. Making your kitchen as clean as possible should be your priority. Then keep it clean with a consistent routine that you can follow regularly. Wipe the table and counters down. Using vinegar as an organic cleaner can help to deter ants. Make sure the rubbish bin is emptied daily and that there is no refuse left where you store it. Sweep or vacuum your floors last. And do that every day.
- Look for Points of Entry: Take some time and examine the outside of your home for possible points of entry. Find ways to seal cracks, with putty or silicone. Check your window screens for holes and make sure you keep the screens closed. If you see bugs in your home, sometimes you can watch them to see where they go, they will often show you secret entrances you didn’t know about.
- Clean Up Your Yard: The area around your house might be the staging area for pests. Most pests prefer long grass and dark places to hide. The less you have of these, the less problems you will have. You might even want to rethink your landscaping and change to a low maintenance yard with less shrubbery and grass. Make sure your pets are pest-free as well. And definitely get rid of any standing water.
- Use Pesticides: Nobody likes to use toxic chemicals, but the occasional spray of insecticide around the house can help eliminate an early population. For termites there are powders you can put into the soil around the house. And for rodents you can put out a little poison if you have a safe place to do so away from children and pets.
Once pests get established it can become a real headache to get rid of them. They will ruin your evenings and embarrass you when people come over to visit. Not to mention the potential for disease and possible venomous bites. Having a strict cleaning regimen and consistent rules for cleanliness will likely ensure that you can live virtually pest free. But if things do get out of hand, do not hesitate to call a professional. Some pests require experience and training to safely remove them.
