Summertime means sun, fun, and… ants? Cockroaches? Mice?! No one wants those party crashers in their home, so here are some tips to keep your house pest-free this summer.
Tidy up
It’s super important to do a thorough clean of your house. Remove any clutter where pests can hide and clean up any food or liquid spills right away; ants and cockroaches are constantly foraging, so don’t leave your clean up until later. Don’t forget the closets either – pests will find their way into old cardboard boxes and other storage areas without you knowing they’re there.
Inspect your home
Next, inspect areas on the outside of your home that may give pests easy access to the inside. Seal up cracks and crevices in your walls and foundation. Make sure windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out flies, ants, and other critters. Repair any damaged siding or roofing that can give them an opening. This includes screening any void areas under the roof eve.
Check your yard
In the yard, it’s important to keep grass cut short so mice won’t find a place to hide. Trim back tree branches that make contact with your home’s exterior as ants will use these as bridges into your house. Finally, if you have a compost bin on your property, make sure it has a tightly fitted lid – nothing says “dinner party” like a smorgasbord of delicious fruits and vegetables for ants, cockroaches, and rodents!
Store your food
It's also important to make sure that no food is left out in the open or uncovered. This will be particularly tempting for ants, who love sugary treats like crumbs, candies, and other snacks. Keep all food stored away in airtight containers or inside the refrigerator. Regularly remove garbage from indoors and tie up any outside garbage bags tightly so that you’re not inviting them in. You should also empty and clean pet bowls after your pet has finished eating. Keep your kitchen sinks clean and don’t let dirty dishes stack up – all that food we like to eat is like gold to those unwelcome guests.
Keep areas dry
Finally, if you have standing water or moist areas in and around your home, do your best to dry them out or cover them up; ants and cockroaches thrive in damp environments. Also make sure to repair any broken pipes that are leaking water, as this can quickly create a moist area that pests will want to take shelter in.
Call a pest control professional
Following these steps should help keep ants, cockroaches, rodents and other pesky critters from making themselves at home this summer. Take care of these preventive measures now so you don’t have to worry about unwelcome guests later.
If you find that you still struggle with insects or rodents in and around your home, then call a pest control professional such as Eco Pest to help. Eco Pest technicians are trained to eliminate the source of your pest problem - not just treat the symptom. Our methods focus on using baits that break up the nest or harborage of the pest in question as well as residual insecticides to create barriers. It's the most effective way to manage unwanted pests in your home or business. Contact us today!
We wish you a happy pest-free summer!
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