Tips to Keep Your Home Free from Pests

Effective Strategies for Maintaining a Pest-Free Home

An integral part of living in many homes across Australia is the dreaded health problems caused by pests.

Who hasn’t experienced coming home to find ants ravaged across your kitchen surfaces or a mouse scurrying from one corner into another?

As unpleasant as this can be, there are thankfully ways to prevent and control pests at home with DIY methods, tips for specific unwanted pests, natural repellents, and the option of enlisting the help of a pest control operator like EPM Pest Control Brisbane.

Keep reading to find out more about how you can keep these pesky critters away from your abode.

DIY Pest Control Strategies and Techniques

1. Keep It Clean

Keeping your home clean is key in preventing unwanted pests from making it their own. Start with the basics. Vacuum carpets and rugs, sweep hardwood or tiled floors, and dust all surfaces regularly. Look closely at unreachable places like behind large furniture, or under tables. These are exactly the places pests like to hide. Pay close attention to corners and crevices where discomforting bits can accumulate. Essentially any place where garbage builds up can become a perfect hideout for unwanted critters. Don’t forget to mop as well.

2. Do The Laundry

Just as important as not leaving your clothes strewn out or tossed about, is doing the laundry. Put dirty clothes away in a hamper to be washed regularly and air-dry them completely before folding and storing them back in drawers or closets. Doing so helps to keep those little critters from setting up a comfy dwelling place near your bedding or clothing. Plus, it’s much better than the alternative.

3. Clean Your Yard

The outside of your home should get just as much attention as the inside when it comes to battling pest infestations. Tidy up any debris, cut away overgrown shrubs and piles of leaves or grass clippings, and make sure to drain any standing water from around the yard. This is a common breeding ground for mosquitoes. Check cracks or crevices in windows, pipes, and walls too. If you find damage or rotting wood, repair the area promptly. That right there could be a perfect invitation for unwanted house guests.

4. Check the Foundations

The foundations of your home should be checked thoroughly and regularly for damage. Look around the foundation as well as siding joints, window frames, and soffits. Remember, any opening or gap no matter how minuscule increases the chances of pest infestations from entering your home. But don’t worry. A few preventive measures will have them regretting their choice in seconds. Ensure the exterior walls haven’t been exposed to moisture by checking for cracked wood or crumbling retaining walls either. This goes for the attic and any other crawl spaces you might have too.

5. Caulk Gaps

Once you’ve taken note of any potential pathways for unwanted visitors to enter, take a few minutes to caulk the area. If you’re not experienced with this type of home fixer-upper project, call professionals. They can come to help and fill those places that are hard to reach or fix with ease. Remember, even the tiniest crack or opening can provide access for bugs and other animals. So get caulking right away to keep them out post haste.

Tips for Specific Pests

A: Ants

Don’t give ants a chance to turn your kitchen into their own version of an all-you-can-eat buffet. A few preventative steps can help combat them. Start by storing food sources like pet food and water source in sealed food containers, be careful not to leave crumbs behind after eating, and wipe down any sticky surfaces after meals or snacks. You don’t want them lingering for next time. Make sure trash cans have tight-fitting lids and keep countertop appliances like toasters away from walls. There’s usually less clutter around appliance cords, leaving fewer places for them to hide or build nests.

B: Rodents

Rodents can be particularly troublesome. From leaving droppings to chewing through wires and insulation. To prevent unwelcome house guests, use steel wool to seal up any cracks or crevices and keep sources of food and sources of water stored in airtight containers. Also, rid the area of clutter so they have nowhere to scurry into and hide away before you catch them in the act. You should also consider trimming branches or shrubs that are close to your home. If any of them are touching it, this is a surefire way for these critters to get access. Lastly, don’t leave rotting wood anywhere as mice love this type of environment.

C: Spiders

Spiders often scare us. But their presence is generally harmless. No matter what type of spider it is, the best way to stop them from taking over your home is by keeping a tidy and clean living space. A spider’s worst enemy. Start by regularly dusting, vacuuming areas behind furniture or appliances that can rarely be seen, mopping damp areas like bathrooms and kitchens regularly, and having regular checks for cobwebs. Spiders love these dark hidden places. As an extra measure of precaution, you can place glue traps in corners you suspect they may lurk to catch any offenders quickly and easily.

D: Cockroaches

This is one of the types of pests that does not only look unpleasant, but they can also carry germs with them as they move around your home. Make sure any food scrap or food debris are disposed of correctly before they have the chance to spread, keep living spaces dry to reduce possible dampness issues which attract cockroaches, repair any plumbing leaks immediately if spotted, and use boric acid in cracks or crevices where they back ants might hide away out of sight. This will help kill both insects on contact. Lastly, consider removing firewood storage close to the house, as these are great places for cockroaches to feed and hide.

E: Termites

Termites can be a common household pest. Constantly feeding on wood and weakening your structure in the process. To stop them from doing too much damage, look out for any signs of pest or termite activity among affected piles of wood. You’ll see water, mud tubes, or bits of wings near termite-infested stumps or possessions. You should also regularly inspect moist or damp areas in and around your home. Like decks, floors, attics, roofs, and window frames. All these places can harbor termites if left unattended. As an extra step of prevention, you could enlist the help of experts who offer protection plans that put a ‘barrier’ between those pest-prone areas and unwanted visitors.

Use Plants as Natural Repellents

Using plants wisely around your home can not only spruce up the outdoors. Talk about a two-for-one. Start by planting herbs that deter these critters like mint or garlic. You could also consider basil, oregano, rosemary, lavender, and sage. You can mix them with water and spray on your skin as needed. Alternatively, some landscaping options that help ward off other types of rodents are marigolds, citronella grass, petunias, and geraniums. Even insect-repelling Tiger Lilies if planted along the borders of your home might do the trick too.

Hire a Professional

Admitting when to call in the experts is a sign of wisdom. Professionals are your one-stop shop for all pest-control-related needs. From ant removal to termite treatment, they have the skills and experience to deal with whatever critter it is that’s causing you the most grief right now. They can implement an action plan designed for your specific home which may include baiting, trapping, or extermination depending on what exactly they find during their assessment of your property. And they can also ensure that any follow-up treatments are undertaken if necessary. This way you don’t have to worry about pests ever again.

FAQs

When should I call in a professional pest control service?

If your DIY methods or natural solutions aren’t providing sufficient relief from pests, it’s best to contact professionals for pest management and pest prevention. Also, it needs to be performed on a regular basis. Not only can they get rid of intruders faster and more effectively.

How often should I do home check-ups for pests?

A quick inspection of your home to check for pest activity should be done at least once every couple of weeks. This way you can easily catch signs of an infestation before it spreads out of control and becomes harder to manage.

How long does an average pest extermination process take?

The duration of the treatment will depend on the size and scope of the area under inspection as well as the severity of the infestation. On average, treatments range from three hours up to several days depending on which areas need coverage most.

Conclusion

Living in a home free from pests can be quick and easy if you know what to do.

These DIY methods, tips for specific pests, natural repellents, and professional solutions should help you in dealing with the unwelcome guests that plague us every now and then.

Remember to keep all areas of your house clean by doing regular checks around corners and crevices where garbage could easily accumulate.

This is usually their base of operations for any mischief they have planned.

And lastly, don’t be afraid to contact professionals when in need.