If you have been a homeowner for years or just a few weeks, there is a good chance that you have come face to face with a pest of one kind or another. Knowing what to do when this occurs will help you. Continue reading to learn what to do if you find pests have invaded your home.
Fumigate your home regularly if you have had a pest problem more than one time. Some pests are so populated in an area that it can be impossible to keep them out of your home. However, you are more likely to succeed if you take preventative measures.
Borax powder is known as a natural pest control. It can be used to rid your home and yard of many different insects, including roaches and ants. Avoid using borax around children and pets. Instead, place borax along baseboards and under cabinets to quickly rid your home of these pests.
Pest likes to hide in cracks and small crevices. You should get a caulk gun and fill all the small hiding places you can find. Check for new hiding places regularly and replace the caulk if you need to. You can spray paint over the caulk if you want to conceal it.
Stink bugs are persistent pests, so focus on your outdoor area to help eradicate the problem. Keep your bushes trimmed and ensure 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).
Check to see that all of your food is airtight and sealed efficiently. If food is not sealed correctly, it will give off an odour, which will attract a wide range of insects. This could lead to an infestation, which can cost you a lot of time and money in the long run.
Never leave food out longer than you need to. If you make a habit of leaving food out, you will almost definitely run into a pest problem from time to time. If you, instead, make a habit of cleaning up after your food mess right away each time, you will do a lot to keep pests away.
Make sure your home’s roof and water sills are draining correctly. Standing water can lead to pests. If you’ve got puddles forming that won’t go away, look to the root cause and fix it. Sometimes it’s as easy as cleaning out a gutter. Otherwise, you may get more unwanted visitors than you bargained for.
Keep your plumbing clear of debris if you want to keep pests out of your home. Keep all of your drains clean and running smoothly in all parts of your house. Organic matter may build up in them and make an excellent meal for roaches and flies. After you clear them, regularly check for clogs.
Clean any highly trafficked food areas every single day. Each day, a few crumbs can lead to a feast for pests over time. It’s best to approach your cleaning not once a week but daily for these areas. Even five minutes will lead you to a cleaner area and fewer potential pests.
There are many do-it-yourself options when it comes to pest control. First, asses how serious your pest problem is and figure out what kind of products you need to buy to deal with the problem. Most pest control products can be bought at a supermarket though more heavy duty products can be bought elsewhere.
Laundry detergent is an excellent 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 spray bottle and using it all the entrances to your doors and any other place ants could enter.
If you want to reduce the number of spiders in your home, make sure you clean the clutter around your house, such as piles of books or newspapers. Spiders are attracted to these things and may make webs around them, so the best thing you can do is eliminate them in the first place.
Use peanut butter in your mousetrap. Many people follow the old tradition of using a piece of cheese, but the truth is that it does not work nearly as well as peanut butter does. Cheese goes stale and does not have nearly as strong of an odour. Use peanut butter and see how much faster it is to get rid of the rodent.
Keep sugary drinks and substances covered or in closed containers when dining in your yard. Stinging insects, in particular, are drawn to sugar. Keep the scent of such foods and beverages from getting into the air, or your picnic might have more company than you were planning on having.
Grab a banana if your roses are not flourishing because of an aphid infestation. Chop up your banana peels and place them around your rose bushes. The banana peels will keep the aphids away, adding valuable potassium to your soil, resulting in beautiful blooms.
When you find centipedes in your home, it’s likely you already have another pest living there. Centipedes eat smaller insects, so they are likely to have found a food source within your home. Check for other bugs to see if the issue is more significant than anticipated.
Read your pesticide’s directions thoroughly, and be sure you follow them carefully too. You will not get good results if you don’t use them precisely as directed. If the directions state to use daily, make sure to use it daily. If the directions aren’t followed correctly, it may not work.
You now have information that you can use for the rest of your life. There will always be a chance of pests in your home, but things will be better now that you know how to get rid of them. Write them down or print them out so you have them on hand for the next time you find a pest in your home.