Contending with household pests of all sorts can be a frustrating experience you will not soon forget. Education is critical to winning this kind of battle once and for all. Keep the advice that follows close at hand, and you will have everything you need to get the job done the right way.
If you’re a pet owner, your pets may be the reason pests keep coming back. Take the time to keep your pet’s food bowls clean. If any water from their dish is spilled, wipe it up immediately. Store pet food in plastic containers rather than the paper bags they come in. All these things can attract bugs.
If you are seeing a large number of bugs indoors, slowly circle the perimeter of your house. Try to find any small openings where bugs could get in. Look closely near your chimney and the siding. If you locate a hole, buy silicone caulk and get the area fixed to the best of your ability.
You should always fix any leaks in the plumbing of your house. You will also want to look for any other sources of water lying around. A place people often look is under their houseplants. Bugs tend to go places in which they can find water so they can drink and breed.
You do not always have to call an exterminator when you are trying to get rid of mice. There are several methods you can use including glue traps and poison. If you are concerned with harming the mice, you can repel them with specially made electronic devices that emit sounds they don’t like.
One of the things that you can do to reduce the amount of pests in your home is to check the exterior of your home for colonies of ants or bugs. You can exterminate from the outside first, as this is generally where the problem will start from before it comes in your house.
If you need to make doubly sure that no termites remain in your home, use a termite-sniffing dog to check for the presence of termites. Qualified humans are only able to tell you if one-third of the house is termite-free. Trained termite sniffing dogs can check your home out completely. They smell for methane gas, which is a byproduct of the wood the termites are eating.
Stink bugs are persistent pests, so focus on your outdoor area to help eradicate the problem. Keep your bushes trimmed and make sure that firewood is stored well away from your home. Thirty feet from the dwelling is appropriate, if you have the space. In addition, the firewood needs to be kept just off the ground (about six inches).
Remove full garbage from the home immediately. Garbage left sitting around for too long is one of the main reasons for pest invasions into a home. The minute your garbage is full (or even if it isn’t but it’s been out for awhile), remove it from your living area and place it in the proper receptacle for pick up.
Avoid using pesticides that you can purchase in a grocery store. These are usually extremely potent to humans, but do little to get rid of the pest problem. They also require a lot of preparation and clean-up. If you choose to use chemicals to rid your home of pests you will likely find more success using a professional.
Laundry detergent is a great tool for preventing ants from entering your home. They strongly dislike the smell of the chemicals used in detergent. Use this by putting the detergent in a spry bottle and using it all long the entrances to your doors and any other place ants could enter.
Eliminate mosquito habitat to eliminate mosquitoes. You should drain standing water before it stagnates. Mosquitoes will breed in tiny pools of water.
You need to find out as much information as possible about eliminating a particular pest. Learn what pests eat, how they live and where they thrive. When you know all you can about a certain pest, you can concoct a plan to rid your home of them.
If ants are in your trash can, take out the bag and throw it away. Bring the container outside and scrub it down, making sure to get rid of any dried food stains that may be inside. Use dishwashing liquid to make sure that you get the trash can clean and that all the ants are out of it. This should help eliminate the problem.
Inspect walls and your foundation for cracks. The older a house is the more cracks you will find within the structure. Pests can wiggle through these entry points and go inside. Be sure to look at the ceiling too. This can often be a source of small cracks that pests will use.
Don’t neglect appliances when it comes to pest control. Bugs like the warmth inside the components of the fridge, microwave, washer and dryer and even little things like the toaster and coffee pot. Be sure to saturate them with your pest-control solution, washing them carefully again before the next time you use them with food.
If you live in a condo, apartment building or shared home, anything you do to deal with pests won’t work individually. The entire building will have to be treated, so bring up the problem with your landlord or condo board to get rid of the problem once and for all.
Household pests can be a terribly vexing dilemma and conquering them can prove to be a real challenge. The key is to learn all you can about effective strategies and methods. Just remember the advice found above, and you will be well prepared to do battle and win the war on pests in decisive fashion.
