5 Wise Decisions for Pest Control at Home

When it comes to pests, let us get one factual thing straight: Dealing with pests at home is something we homeowners should not be ashamed of. The reason is simple–any household can have pests. Pet infestation does not always have something to do with poor hygiene. In fact, even the cleanest of homes are still infiltrated by pests.

Undeniably, pests are quite a headache, and getting rid of them as soon as possible is always the best thing to do to prevent them from further spreading and causing damage. However, having a totally pest-free home is not always a piece of cake. It depends on the type and nature of the pests you are dealing with. Certain pests are just stubborn and difficult to eliminate.

Practicing Wise Pest Control at Home

As homeowners, we have to be wiser and more vigilant when it comes to pest control. Of course, we hate seeing our household and belongings crawling with bugs or insects. Thus, we need to practice these five clever ways to ensure that our home is protected from any of those pesky critters:

Seal pests’ entry points and removes potential breeding sites.

• It is still inevitable that pests find a way to enter your home. As soon as they see an opening or opportunity to infiltrate your home, they will grab it. Therefore, homeowners need to make sure to block or seal those fissures that provide pests access to the household (i.e. cracks on the wall, tears on screen, and a broken window). In addition, removing breeding grounds for pests like clutter and containers with standing water is a wise way to discourage pests from thriving on one’s property.

Check and treat your belongings when coming home from a trip.

• One means for pests to get through people’s homes is hitchhiking. This is especially true for tourists or travelers. People who travel a lot have higher chances of “unknowingly” bringing home pests as souvenirs from their trip. Pests like bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can discreetly cling onto your clothes, luggage, and other belongings.
  
  Thus, avoid heading directly inside the house after arriving from a trip. You need to thoroughly inspect all your belongings for signs of bugs and let them sit outside preferably in the garage or utility areas for a couple of days before treating them using pesticides or vacuum cleaning or steam cleaning. Next, you must wash washable items like clothes using hot water and then place them in the dryer for 20 to 30 minutes under high heat.

Throw out your trash daily.

• Daily garbage disposal should be observed at home if you want to keep pests at bay. Smelly trash and overflowing garbage never fail to attract pests like roaches, ants, rodents, and flies, which are known propagators of diseases. So be wise and get rid of your trash every day and store them outdoors inside tightly covered garbage bins away from your home.

Prune your vegetation.

• Plants and trees need trimming every now and then. Branches of overgrown bushes and vegetation can serve as tools that pests use to infiltrate your home. It is advised to prune flowers, shrubs, and/or trees, especially those that are growing near the foundation of your home to prevent their branches from touching your windows. It is also wise to grow your plants at a safe distance from your home.

Maintain your plumbing.

• Keeping your plumbing system in check and fixing plumbing problems like clogs and leaks is also a way to discourage pests from thriving. Always repair leaky pipes and clogged drains immediately so that pests, who prefer humid or moist environments, won’t find their way to your home.

At the end of the day, it is all about making your household as less attractive to pests as possible. Always keep in mind that pests invade a property if they see a reason to do so. Therefore, try to follow those five pest control tips and enjoy a pest-free household with friends and loved ones.