Homeowners can all agree that a pest infestation is a real killjoy. Pests can make food unsafe to eat, cause illness and make a home just plain uncomfortable. Be sure you're doing whatever you can to rid yourself of pests by giving the below article a read.
Keep your home clean. Food is the most common cause of pests infesting the home.
It basically lures them inside. Be sure to clean the counter tops and floors and clear out any food debris after eating and cooking. Keeping your surfaces clean can help prevent pests from entering your home.
To get rid of fleas in the home, vacuum your rug thoroughly. Take the entire vacuum cleaner outside to dispose of the bag. This way, the fleas and eggs that are trapped in it do not have the opportunity to re-enter your home. Use this in conjunction with treating your animals and bedding.
Bedbugs are difficult to eradicate because they hide in places that you cannot see. Before you call the exterminator, seal off any cracks or crevices. This prevents pest from running out from them once the extermination is done.
You should not rely on a single product to get rid of pest. In most cases, homeowners manage to get rid of pest thanks to a combination of products and actions. You could for instance clean your home entirely, spray some pesticide in some areas and fill the cracks in which pest is hiding.
Unclog any drains that may have clogging issues. Pests are attracted to that type of organic material build up. Even just a minor clog can lead to roaches and flies entering your home. Picking up some sort of liquid de-clogger or a de-clogging snake tool will do the trick.
Find out where bugs are coming into your house. For example, maybe your pets track them in, or perhaps your window has a small gap where spiders can crawl through. When you find the method of entry, you can deal with the problem and keep the bugs out.
Diatomaceous earth is a great way to reduce the amount of roaches in your house. You can safely sprinkle it in spaces where roaches live, including above cabinetry or back behind your appliances. Best of all, diatomaceous earth does not harm humans in any way. However, the particles are effective in killing the roaches within 48 hours. Initially, you may see more roaches after you employ this tactic, but after about 14 days, you will not see any more.
When you're overrun by cockroaches, place Borax powder around your home, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. If you have pets or children, this may not be the best solution as they can get into this poison as well. This trick can be used for other pests as well, like ants.
Make sure that your kitchen does not have grease problems. Grease is a regular dietary staple of ants, roaches and a number of small flies. Drain flies actually breed in grease pans. So, eliminate all visible grease areas. However, also deal with invisible grease underneath stoves and your countertops.
You can keep ants away from the inside of your home using a mixture of sugar and borax. Start by mixing one cup of sugar and one cup of borax into a quart jar. Then, punch some holes in that jar's lid. Sprinkle it near the baseboards inside your house and around the outside. The ants will eat the sugar and the borax will poison them.
You can use hairspray to get rid of bees, wasps and hornets near your home. Many chemicals inside this spray will eliminate the bugs where they're standing and its scent will prevent any new ones from coming.
Spray white vinegar in areas where you have seen ant trails. This acidic substance helps to erase the pheromones that ants use to guide one another to food. This solution will not rid you of your ant problem on its own, but it can keep them at bay while you apply pesticides or take other measures.
Try vacuuming every single rug in your home. This will get rid of anything that you don't see that may be contributing to the problem. When you are done, properly dispose of the bag.
If you own a dog, use it! Dogs are the best things to have in order to keep pests at bay. They will scare most furry pests away and will also notice them sooner than people will. Pay attention to what your dog does. If you see it scratching or sniffing around in an area a lot, there might be a pest living in that area so you should check it out!
If you have seen a lot of brown recluse spiders, get some sticky traps. Brown recluses can be very difficult to get to due to where they reside. However, during the night, they come out to find food. Put these traps along your walls as well as behind your furniture so you can trap them.
Make sure that there is proper ventilation in all areas of your home and also the attic. This is important as pests will feast on low quality air, which can be caused by poor ventilation. Make sure that your vents are working efficiently and get them checked frequently throughout the year.
You should not use pesticide when it is windy, hot or humid outside or when it is raining. These conditions will cause the pesticide to spread and pollute your area. Always check the label of the products you buy and make sure you use the product safely and in reasonable quantities.
Don't rule out your pets as sources of pest problems. Bathe them regularly to take care of visitors hitching a ride from outside. Also know that pet food and water can attract ants sometimes. Clean up messes and bowls regularly. Also make sure that you store pet food in sealed containers.
Try not to plant flowers and bushes too close to your home. If doable, use tiles to cover the ground area around your house to keep pests away. If you have no concerns about flying insects, you can open your windows whenever you like.
Now that you know some ways of getting rid of pests, make sure you use them. The earlier you catch the problem and address it, the better your chances of being successful. Use the above tips to quickly eliminate them.