Pests surely are nuisances. That is why they are always known as unwelcome household guests because they will come to your home uninvited whenever they get the chance. Pests can cause serious damage to our belongings, house structure, and health. Thus, having them around is risky and the best thing we can do as property owners is to get rid of them immediately before they can thrive and spread further.
Unfortunately, pests aren’t always that easy to eliminate especially when their population has already gone overblown. Even after taking various measures to keep pests at bay, infestations may remain relentless and quite difficult to resolve completely. In addition, these pesky creatures cause havoc both indoors and outdoors. Certain pests invade people’s households in search of food, water, and shelter, while other pests live and thrive in the gardens such as aphids, caterpillars/worms, beetles, bugs, and insects.
Better Homes & Gardens pointed out that some garden pests are beneficial as they serve as pollinators, but others can also be quite destructive. It, therefore, takes the proven and tested expertise of licensed pest control professionals in order to successfully deal with pest infestations within your home and garden.
How to Keep Your Home and Garden Protected From Pests
Pest control companies can help homeowners figure out the nature of the pest problem at hand and the most appropriate solution to the pest problem. They possess the knowledge, experience, and the right equipment to use to carry out treatment methods or procedures to effectively get rid of pests. Nevertheless, property owners must also acquire know-hows in terms of proper pest control. It is our responsibility to learn the right ways to prevent those critters and crawlies from invading our property. If you want to make your home and garden safe from various nuisances, these are the best that you can do:
- Get rid of clutter. Sometimes, we tend to forget to remove objects at home that are no longer useful or needed such as unused clothes, empty boxes, old books, magazines and newspapers, broken toys, and nonfunctioning appliances. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the bad thing about keeping these things at home is that they not only take up space but also provide pests with extra breeding and hiding spots. It is a fact that insects, bugs, dust, and bacteria are attracted to clutter. Thus, we must do away with things we no longer use at home. Either you throw or give them away, or hold a garage sale to let go of stuff you no longer need.
- Properly dispose of your garbage. Without a doubt, most pests–for example, ants, cockroaches, and rodents–get attracted to grime and prefer areas where they have access to abundant food and moisture, and it so happens that trash bins do provide them with food and water sources. The smell of trash alone captivates these pests’ strong sense of smell even from a distance. It’s quite obvious therefore that the way to keep these annoying critters away is to practice proper garbage disposal. PestWorld.org suggests throwing out your trash on a daily basis and storing your garbage in tightly sealed containers outside of your home. Moreover, it is best to avoid overflowing trash cans. Proper garbage disposal is also the key to prevent the spread of diseases.
- Keep surroundings clean and dry. To effectively repel pests from your property, you need to maintain a clean and dry environment. Why? First, a dirty and wet surrounding is attractive to pests such as mice, rats, cockroaches, ants, flies, and mosquitos–all of which are carriers or spreaders of deadly viruses and diseases. Thus, keeping your home well-sanitized and free from rubbish, food debris, and clutter can protect you not only from bacteria but also from disgusting pests. Also, having standing water on your property is never a good idea because stagnant water serves as the breeding sites for pests like mosquitos. To do away with possible breeding spots for pests, make it a habit to regularly check and clean your gutters and other areas in your home and garden and dispose of empty bottles, discarded buckets, old tires, pet dishes, barrels, and laundry tanks to avoid accumulation of standing water.
- Do proper plumbing maintenance. One way to also make your property uninviting to pests is to properly maintain your plumbing system so you can prevent leaks, clogs, and other mishaps that will provide pests room to breed and flourish. You have to check your drains and pipes regularly and avoid having damp areas at home and in the garden. This way, you can prevent moss formation, which can be appealing to pests and insects.
- Maintain your garden. For garden maintenance, you have to make sure that branches of trees and overgrown vegetation are trimmed every now and then. This will lessen the chances of unwanted pests to have access to your home by using the branches of trees and plants, especially those that are growing near open windows of your home, as a highway. Experts also recommend growing your plants and trees at a safe distance from the structure and foundation of your house.
- Remove mulch. Although mulch is very useful for making an ideal garden, organic mulch makes for a perfect food source for pests like termites, which are most notorious for destroying a house’s structure. Termites feed on anything made of cellulose. According to experts, keep mulch well away from your household structures to prevent pests like termites from entering your home.
- Avoid bringing outdoor objects inside your home. One reason pests gain entry to people’s homes is our tendency to take outdoor stuff into the household. Pests may likely be hiding in outdoor items such as bicycles, gardening boots, and gardening tools. Thus, these objects should be kept outside the home as much as possible.
- Be extra careful when applying pesticides. Make sure you relocate your pests when applying pesticides both indoors and outdoors. According to Better Health Channel, pesticides may be toxic to animals and other living organisms and so it is important to apply them with great caution. First, you have to choose pesticides that are specifically intended to exterminate the type of pests you are dealing with. Second, you need to read the label instructions carefully. You also need to choose the least toxic pesticide and apply the least amount if possible.
- Keep your windows screened. Those small cracks and holes you have on your doors, windows, and other structures are big enough for pests to squeeze their way through yur home. One way to keep pests out is to install window screens or nets. You must also fix structural damages like broken window panes or torn screens and seal small openings found in your home to block the entry of pests.
Most household and garden pests can be eliminated using DIY methods. It must be noted, however, that follow up measures for preventing infestations are also necessary to keep those nuisance creatures at bay for good. Most importantly, in worst case scenarios, it is best to leave the job to pest control professionals. Heavy infestations need thorough examination, which only pest control experts can do using the right tools and strategies.
