Having your home infested with pests is a very unpleasant experience. What’s concerning is that once you’ve had an infestation of insects or animals, is that they could come back again later. But with the right preparation and care, this can be prevented.
With many types of pests being seasonal, you might be able to pinpoint the time of year they are most likely to return and to prepare for them before that. If you have previously hired a pest control specialist, they might have mentioned some tips to keep them away again next time. If not, here are some tips.
Termites
When a pest control specialist has treated your home for termites, they will create a barrier around the home to keep more termites from finding their way there. Over time this barrier can wear out or be damaged by digging, gardening or extreme weather conditions. Due to this, it is best to get a termite inspection once a year.
To lower your risk of termites returning, you can take precautions by avoiding build ups of moisture in the wood of your house. Don’t use wood mulch right near the house either. Wood chips can hold moisture and might even get delivered with fresh termites already in them.
Cockroaches
If your house is dirty, particularly with food waste it will probably remain a cockroach magnet. After getting them eliminated the first time, you’ll need to be conscious that you don’t go back to any bad habits that may have contributed to them the first time around.
This can include ensuring bins are secure. Food in your cupboards is stored carefully and airtight. All the possible entry points are blocked, which includes any gaps under doors. These can be fixed with a door floor seal added to any exterior doors and your garage door.
If they do return, you can use roach motels and other traps to catch and kill them. But it is best to prevent them altogether, as they can multiply quickly.
Ants
In some cases, ants can be easier to control yourself. There are various surface sprays you can spray around the outside of your home. You can also set up ant traps which will trick ants into taking poison bait back to their nests, which will likely wipe out the whole colony.
Mice
There are a great number of ways to deal with mice. The classic mousetrap and sticky traps or somewhat effective, albeit a little cruel. Having a pet cat is a great deterrent for mice. They also make great pets. If you already have pets, be careful of their food storage as mice often like the same foods as your pets.
Bed Bugs
If you’ve ever had bed bugs again, you’ll definitely want to avoid letting them into your home ever again. Some tips from the EPA include checking for any secondhand furniture you bring into the home, reducing clutter in your bedroom, using a protective cover on your bedding and being careful with transporting your clothes for washing if you are using a laundromat.
Mosquitoes
Whilst it’s relatively easy to eradicate mosquitoes by tipping out any bodies of stagnant water they are using to breed in or using poisons, you will need to remain vigilant in the future. You never know when something might get moved or left outside and fills with rain water again. Keep an eye out for any object that might fill up with water whenever you are in your garden.
The most important tip for keeping pests away
Most of these pests are attracted to dirty homes where they can find food to eat. Whilst your home might be that dirty and other factors such as your neighbours could be bringing these pests to you, it is still best to do everything you can to prevent the return of these pests. A regular deep cleaning schedule is a great way to keep your home as clean and unappealing to most pests, this will encourage them to move on.