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There is nothing pleasant about sharing your home with rodents, roaches, hornets, bedbugs, ants, or other bugs. This summer, we want to help you keep any bug parties away from your house.
Taking simple tips such as cleaning your home surfaces or using pest repellers can ensure these small buggers don’t come near your compound. And if you’re wondering what other measures you can take to protect your home from a pest invasion, then this post is worth reading.
So without much further ado, here are five simple tips you can use to ensure you don’t share your home with pests.
1. Seal All Cracks and Gaps
Sealing any crevices in your home is one of the best offensive actions you can take to prevent pests from invading your home.
Seal any gaps in your home that bugs can use as entry points. While it’s good to use a window screen to seal off your window, check for other gaps and cracks that pests can use to access your home. For instance, fix up openings in your window and door frames plus those that may be found where pipes and electrical lines enter your house. Check for any cracks in the attic and the basement too.
To fix up the crevices and gaps, use sealant, copper mesh, mortar, coarse steel wool, or caulk. If you have torn screens, repair them using screen mesh which is often available in hardware stores.
2. Keep Surfaces Clean
Pests are attracted to dirt and messes. Having a clean home is one of the best remedies to ward them off. Ensure surfaces, especially those in the kitchen where crumbs are likely to be in plenty, are clean.
Do the dishes and vacuum all your rooms regularly. Also, ensure you take out the trash frequently. In case you keep a trash bin in your house, keep it covered.
Additionally, keep surfaces dry and keep the trash area clean to keep off roaches. It would be best also to avoid clutter in your home as this provides a good ground for pests to congregate.
3. Keep Your Yard Well Kept
It may be impossible to completely eliminate bugs from your yard or garden as this is their world, but you can take some measures to ensure they don’t overrun your home.
One way to do this is by minimizing the use of mulch in your garden. Mulch is a good breeding ground for pests. Instead of mulch, cover your plants with rocks or floating row cover.
You’ll also need to trim back any shrubs or tree branches that may be too close to your home. Ensure you have enough clearance around your house-18 to 36 inches of clearance is recommended.
Further, do away with any pooling in your garden or yard as insects such as mosquitoes thrive in wet grounds. Ensure your drains and gutters are also clean and are operating effectively. In case you have dirty drains use vinegar or baking soda to unclog them.
4. Invest In Proper Lighting
Some insects such as moths and flies are attracted to light. If such bugs are becoming a nuisance in your home, keep them away using proper lighting.
Instead of using the regular mercury vapor bulbs for your outdoor lighting, go for yellow halogen bulbs, compact fluorescent light, or sodium vapor bulbs.
If you think replacing all your outdoor bulbs is too much work, line the fixtures with yellow cellophane to keep bugs away. Most bugs can’t see the yellow color, and you may notice them flying right past your yellow lighting.
You can also position your outdoor lights further from your exterior walls, doors, and windows. This way, you’ll keep insects that are attracted to lighting away from your home.
5. Use Pest Repellers
If you have a bug infestation, simple preventive remedies like the ones above won’t work. The best thing you can do is head over to your local store and pick up a bug repellent spray.
To maximize the repellent’s effectiveness and ensure you’re using it safely, use it according to the instructions given on the label. Other tips to remember when using pest repellers include:
- Do not use repellents on open cuts or wounds
- Do not apply repellers under your clothing
- Avoid spraying the repellent in an enclosed area
- Don’t spray on the mouth or eyes
- Do not spray the repellent near food
In conclusion, failure to take the proper precautions can see bugs become a nuisance in your home. Fortunately, we have shared excellent tips to keep your home pest-free. But if you think you have an infestation that bug repellers can’t solve, you can always call an exterminator to help you get rid of the pests.